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{{Infobox language family
{{Infobox language family
|name=Somali
|name=Somali
|region=[[Somalia]], [[Djibouti]], [[Somali Region]], [[North Eastern Province (Kenya)|North Eastern Province]]<!-- Per [[Template:Infobox language]], parameter is reserved for "geographic region in which it is mainly spoken ← you do not have to define both this and states; use this parameter for a single statement about geographic distribution. It is not for the broader region where the states are located, but rather the regions within the country, or across countries, where it is spoken. (That is, do not add SE Asia if we state it's in Laos, or West Africa if we state it's in Mali.)" -->
|region=[[Somalia]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], [[Yemen]], [[Kenya]]
|familycolor=Afro-Asiatic
|familycolor=Afro-Asiatic
|fam2=[[Cushitic languages|Cushitic]]
|fam2=[[Cushitic languages|Cushitic]]
Line 11: Line 11:
|glottorefname2=East Omo–Tana
|glottorefname2=East Omo–Tana
}}
}}
The '''Somali languages''' form a group that are part of the [[Afro-Asiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]] language family. They are spoken as a mother tongue by [[Somali people|ethnic Somalis]] in [[Horn of Africa]] and the [[Somali diaspora]]. Even with linguistic differences, Somalis collectively view themselves as speaking a common language.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c81yAAAAMAAJ&|Title= Somali nationalism: international politics and the drive for unity in the Horn of Africa|date=2006|publisher= Department of Linguistics and the African Studies Center, University of California, Los Anglos|year=1963|page=24}}</ref>


The '''Somali languages''' belong to the [[Afro-Asiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]] language family. They are spoken as a mother tongue by [[Somali people|ethnic Somalis]] in [[Greater Somalia]] and the [[Somali diaspora]]. Some neighboring populations and individuals have also adopted the languages.<ref>Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/.</ref>
Some neighboring populations and individuals have also adopted the languages.<ref>Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/.</ref>


==Overview==
==Overview==
Somali variations form a group of [[Lowland East Cushitic languages|East Cushtic languages]] that are part of the [[Afroasiatic languages|Afroasiatic language]] family.
Somali [[dialect]]s are divided into three main groups: Northern, Benaadir and [[Maay language|Maay]], which are largely mutually intelligible. Northern Somali (or Northern-Central Somali) forms the basis for Standard Somali. Benaadir (also known as Coastal Somali) is spoken on the [[Benadir]] coast from [[Adale]] to south of [[Merca]], including [[Mogadishu]] and in the immediate hinterland. The [[Digil]] and [[Mirifle]] clans, collectively known as the [[Rahanweyn]], live in the southern areas of Somalia. They speak [[Cushitic languages]] related to Standard Somali, which are sometimes described as dialects. The latter include Maay, Jiido, Dabarre, Garre and Central Tunni. Of these, Jiido is the most incomprehensible to Somali speakers. One way in which these languages differ from Somali is the lack of pharyngeal consonants; the {{IPAslink|ɖ}} is replaced by {{IPA|/r/}} in some positions.


==Classification==
==Languages and dialects==
The most common classification of Somali [[dialect]]s are into three to five main groups: Northern (also referred to as "''Common''"), [[Benadiri Somali|Benadir]] (also referred to as "''Costal''") and [[Maay language|Maay]] (also referred to as "''Central''"), which exhibit degrees of mutually intelligible as a dialect continuum.<ref name=Shsb>{{cite web|publisher= Country of Origin Information Centre (Landinfo)|year=2011|title=Report Somalia: Language situation and dialects |page=6|url=http://www.landinfo.no/asset/1800/1/1800_1.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rc8pAQAAIAAJ&|title=studies in African Linguistics|date=2006|publisher= Department of Linguistics and the African Studies Center, University of California, Los Anglos|year=2006|page=74}}</ref>
Blench (2006) largely follows Lamberti (1984) in classification:<ref>Blench, 2006. [http://rogerblench.info/Language/Afroasiatic/General/AALIST.pdf The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List] (ms)</ref>
⚫
*Somali
**Northern Somali
**Costal Somali
**Central Somali


Lamberti (1986) and Blench (2006) separate Central and Benadir into two distinct groups, Digil and Maay and Benadir and Ashraaf, respectively:<ref name=Shsb/><ref name=Jjwns>{{cite web|first1=Roger|last1=Blench|year=2006|title=The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List
*[[Northern Somali language|North-Central]] (dialects: Northern, Darood, Lower Juba)
|page=3|url=http://rogerblench.info/Language/Afroasiatic/General/AALIST.pdf }}</ref>
*[[Benadiri Somali|Benadiri]]
**Northern (Abgaal, Ajuran, Galjal)
**Southern (Hamari, Bimal)
*[[Ashraf dialect|Ashraf]] (Shingani, Lower Shebelle)
*[[Maay language|Maay]] = Jabarti (Northern, Buur Hakaba, Southern)
*Digil ([[Garre language|Garre]], [[Tunni language|Tunni]], [[Dabarre language|Dabarre]])
⚫
*[[Jiiddu language|Jiiddu]]


*Somali
⚫
In addition, Kirk (1905) reports ''Yibir'' and ''Midgan'', spoken by the [[Yibir]] and [[Madhiban]], respectively. Blench (2006) says, "These lects, spoken respectively by magicians and hunters among the Somali are said to differ substantially in lexicon from standard Somali. Whether this differentiation is in the nature of a code or these represent distinct languages remains unknown."
**Northen
**Benadir
⚫
**Ashraaf
**Maay
**Digil


==Classifications==
===Northern===
Northern Somali (or Northern-Central Somali) is spoken from [[Djbouti]] to the Tana River in the [[North Eastern Province (Kenya)|North Eastern Province]] of [[Kenya]].<ref name=Shsb/> Due to being wide spread, it forms the basis for Standard Somali.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LMZm0w0k1c4C&|title=
⚫
Lamberti's classification is [[Language area|areal]], reflecting [[Language typology|typological]] similarities among the Somali varieties. A more genealogically focused approach by Ehret & Ali (1984) recognizes three main groups:<ref name=Tosco94>{{cite journal|first=Mauro|last=Tosco|year=1994|title=The Historical Reconstruction of a Southern Somali Dialect: Proto-Karre-Boni|journal=Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika|volume=15|pages=153–209|url=https://www.academia.edu/4248545/The_historical_reconstruction_of_a_Southern_Somali_dialect_Proto-Karre-Boni}}</ref>
Sociolinguistics: An International Handbook of the Science of Language and Society, Part 3|last=Ammon|first=Ulrich|date=2006|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=9783110184181|page=194|language=en}}</ref>


*Northern Somali:<ref name=Jjwns/>
⚫
* Garre-Aweer
⚫
**Northern
⚫
* Tunni-Dabarre
**Darod
⚫
* Narrow Somali
** Maay
**Lower Jubba

⚫
** Northern-Benadir
===Costal===
*** North-Central
[[Benadiri Somali]] (or Coastal Somali) is spoken on the [[Benadir]] coast from [[Hobyo]] to south of [[Merca]], including [[Mogadishu]] and in the hinterland.<ref name=Shsb/>
⚫
*** Ashraaf

*** Benadiir
*Costal:<ref name=Jjwns/>
**Benadiri
***Northern
***Southern
**Ashaarf
***Shingani
***Lower Shabbelle

===Central===
Central (also grouped as Digil and [[Maay language|Maay]]) is spoken in the inter-riverine regions of Somalia by the [[Digil]] and [[Mirifle]] clans, collectively known as the [[Rahanweyn]] Somalis.<ref name=Shsb/> They are most often described as dialects<ref name=Shsb/> Other regards them as being divergence from the latter as [[Spanish language|Spanish]] is to [[Portuguese language|Portugues]]e.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P5AZyEhMtbkC|title=Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-based Society|last=Lewis|first=I. M.|date=1998-01-01|publisher=The Red Sea Press|isbn=9781569021033|page=74|language=en}}</ref> Of the Central variations, Jiddu is the most incomprehensible to Benadir and Northern speakers.<ref name=Shsb/>

*Central:<ref name=Jjwns/>
**Digil
***Garre
⚫
***[[Tunni language|Tunni]]
***[[Garre language|Garre]]
⚫
***Dabarre
**Maay
***Northern
***Bur Hakaba

===Other===
⚫
In addition, Kirk (1905) reports ''Yibir'' and ''Midgan'', spoken by the [[Yibir]] and [[Madhiban]], respectively. Blench (2006) says, "These lects, spoken respectively by magicians and hunters among the Somali are said to differ substantially in lexicon from standard Somali. Whether this differentiation is in the nature of a code or these represent distinct languages remains unknown."

===Other groupings===
⚫
Ehert & Ali (1984) classifications represents a sharp contrast to that of the rest. They classify these variation into three main groups in a more genealogically focused approach:<ref name=Tosco94>{{cite journal|first=Mauro|last=Tosco|year=1994|title=The Historical Reconstruction of a Southern Somali Dialect: Proto-Karre-Boni|journal=Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika|volume=15|pages=153–209|url=https://www.academia.edu/4248545/The_historical_reconstruction_of_a_Southern_Somali_dialect_Proto-Karre-Boni}}</ref>
*Soomaali
**Bayso-Jiddu
***[[Bayso language|Bayso]]
***Jiddu
**Soomaali II
***[[Rendille language|Rendille]]
⚫
***Garre-Aweer
****Garre
****[[Aweer language|Aweer]]
***Juba
****Tunni
****Bardheere
***Soomaali IV
****Maay
****Northern-Benadir


Jiiddu in this model is relocated as not even a Somali ''sensu lato'' variety in origin, but instead as a sibling of [[Bayso language|Bayso]].<ref name=Tosco94/> In contrast, Garre shows quite close affinity to [[Aweer language|Aweer]], a language spoken by the physically and culturally distinct [[Aweer people]].<ref name="Ethnbob">[http://archive.ethnologue.com/16/show_language.asp?code=bob Ethnologue - Aweer language]</ref> Evidence suggests that the Aweer/Boni are remnants of the early hunter-gatherer inhabitants of Eastern Africa. According to linguistic, anthropological and other data, these groups later came under the influence and adopted the Afro-Asiatic languages of the [[Lowland East Cushitic languages|Eastern]] and [[South Cushitic languages|Southern Cushitic]] peoples who moved into the area.<ref name="Aminmoll">{{cite book|last=Mohamed Amin|first=Peter Moll|title=Portraits of Africa|year=1983|publisher=Harvill Press|isbn=0002726394|pages=16}}</ref>
Jiiddu in this model is relocated as not even a Somali ''sensu lato'' variety in origin, but instead as a sibling of [[Bayso language|Bayso]].<ref name=Tosco94/> In contrast, Garre shows quite close affinity to [[Aweer language|Aweer]], a language spoken by the physically and culturally distinct [[Aweer people]].<ref name="Ethnbob">[http://archive.ethnologue.com/16/show_language.asp?code=bob Ethnologue - Aweer language]</ref> Evidence suggests that the Aweer/Boni are remnants of the early hunter-gatherer inhabitants of Eastern Africa. According to linguistic, anthropological and other data, these groups later came under the influence and adopted the Afro-Asiatic languages of the [[Lowland East Cushitic languages|Eastern]] and [[South Cushitic languages|Southern Cushitic]] peoples who moved into the area.<ref name="Aminmoll">{{cite book|last=Mohamed Amin|first=Peter Moll|title=Portraits of Africa|year=1983|publisher=Harvill Press|isbn=0002726394|pages=16}}</ref>
Line 51: Line 97:


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:East Cushitic languages]]
[[Category:East Cushitic languages]]
[[Category:Somali culture]]



{{AfroAsiatic-lang-stub}}
{{AfroAsiatic-lang-stub}}

Revision as of 04:26, 27 December 2016

Not to be confused with Somali language.
Somali
Geographic
distribution		Somalia, Djibouti, Somali Region, North Eastern Province
Linguistic classificationAfro-Asiatic
GlottologNone
east2653  (East Omo–Tana (partial match))

The Somali languages form a group that are part of the Afro-Asiatic language family. They are spoken as a mother tongue by ethnic Somalis in Horn of Africa and the Somali diaspora. Even with linguistic differences, Somalis collectively view themselves as speaking a common language.[1]

Some neighboring populations and individuals have also adopted the languages.[2]

Overview

Somali variations form a group of East Cushtic languages that are part of the Afroasiatic language family.

Classification

The most common classification of Somali dialects are into three to five main groups: Northern (also referred to as "Common"), Benadir (also referred to as "Costal") and Maay (also referred to as "Central"), which exhibit degrees of mutually intelligible as a dialect continuum.[3][4]

  • Somali
    • Northern Somali
    • Costal Somali
    • Central Somali

Lamberti (1986) and Blench (2006) separate Central and Benadir into two distinct groups, Digil and Maay and Benadir and Ashraaf, respectively:[3][5]

  • Somali
    • Northen
    • Benadir
    • Ashraaf
    • Maay
    • Digil

Northern

Northern Somali (or Northern-Central Somali) is spoken from Djbouti to the Tana River in the North Eastern Province of Kenya.[3] Due to being wide spread, it forms the basis for Standard Somali.[6]

  • Northern Somali:[5]
    • Northern
    • Darod
    • Lower Jubba

Costal

Benadiri Somali (or Coastal Somali) is spoken on the Benadir coast from Hobyo to south of Merca, including Mogadishu and in the hinterland.[3]

  • Costal:[5]
    • Benadiri
      • Northern
      • Southern
    • Ashaarf
      • Shingani
      • Lower Shabbelle

Central

Central (also grouped as Digil and Maay) is spoken in the inter-riverine regions of Somalia by the Digil and Mirifle clans, collectively known as the Rahanweyn Somalis.[3] They are most often described as dialects[3] Other regards them as being divergence from the latter as Spanish is to Portuguese.[7] Of the Central variations, Jiddu is the most incomprehensible to Benadir and Northern speakers.[3]

  • Central:[5]
    • Digil
    • Maay
      • Northern
      • Bur Hakaba

Other

In addition, Kirk (1905) reports Yibir and Midgan, spoken by the Yibir and Madhiban, respectively. Blench (2006) says, "These lects, spoken respectively by magicians and hunters among the Somali are said to differ substantially in lexicon from standard Somali. Whether this differentiation is in the nature of a code or these represent distinct languages remains unknown."

Other groupings

Ehert & Ali (1984) classifications represents a sharp contrast to that of the rest. They classify these variation into three main groups in a more genealogically focused approach:[8]

  • Soomaali
    • Bayso-Jiddu
    • Soomaali II
      • Rendille
      • Garre-Aweer
      • Juba
        • Tunni
        • Bardheere
      • Soomaali IV
        • Maay
        • Northern-Benadir

Jiiddu in this model is relocated as not even a Somali sensu lato variety in origin, but instead as a sibling of Bayso.[8] In contrast, Garre shows quite close affinity to Aweer, a language spoken by the physically and culturally distinct Aweer people.[9] Evidence suggests that the Aweer/Boni are remnants of the early hunter-gatherer inhabitants of Eastern Africa. According to linguistic, anthropological and other data, these groups later came under the influence and adopted the Afro-Asiatic languages of the Eastern and Southern Cushitic peoples who moved into the area.[10]

Notes

  1. ^ . Department of Linguistics and the African Studies Center, University of California, Los Anglos. 2006. p. 24 https://books.google.com/books?id=c81yAAAAMAAJ&. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Report Somalia: Language situation and dialects" (PDF). Country of Origin Information Centre (Landinfo). 2011. p. 6.
  4. ^ studies in African Linguistics. Department of Linguistics and the African Studies Center, University of California, Los Anglos. 2006. p. 74.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ^ a b c d Blench, Roger (2006). "The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List" (PDF). p. 3.
  6. ^ Ammon, Ulrich (2006). Sociolinguistics: An International Handbook of the Science of Language and Society, Part 3. Walter de Gruyter. p. 194. ISBN 9783110184181.
  7. ^ Lewis, I. M. (1998-01-01). Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-based Society. The Red Sea Press. p. 74. ISBN 9781569021033.
  8. ^ a b Tosco, Mauro (1994). "The Historical Reconstruction of a Southern Somali Dialect: Proto-Karre-Boni". Sprache und Geschichte in Afrika. 15: 153–209.
  9. ^ Ethnologue - Aweer language
  10. ^ Mohamed Amin, Peter Moll (1983). Portraits of Africa. Harvill Press. p. 16. ISBN 0002726394.

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