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Title: The Classification of a Language Family
Subtitle: The Case of Modern Ethiopian-Semitic
Author(s): FELLMAN, Jack
Journal: Orbis
Volume: 37    Date: 1994   
Pages: 145-147
DOI: 10.2143/ORB.37.0.2012771

Abstract :
The modern Semitic languages of Ethiopia, spoken today by some 12 million speakers, constitute a compact, readily defined, and homogeneous linguistic family, consisting of the following tongues:
1. Tigre, the northernmost Ethiopian Semitic language
2. Tigrinya, the official language of Eritrea alongside Arabic
3. Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia
4. Argobba, a minor language on the verge of extinction, spoken in the region of Ankober
5. Harari, spoken in the city of Harar
6. Gafat, formerly spoken in the Blue Nile region of Gojjam and recently extinct
7. Gurage, a cluster of tongues spoken in a small area southwest of Addis Abeba.


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