Afar

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A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
aar
Alternate Names
Adal, ’Afar Af, Afaraf, “Danakil” (pej.), “Denkel” (pej.), Qafar
Population

1,280,000 in Ethiopia (2007 census). 906,000 monolinguals (1994 census). Population total all countries: 1,379,200.

Location

Eastern lowlands, Afar Region. May be in Somalia. Also in Djibouti, Eritrea.

Language Maps
Language Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Afar Region (1994, Constitution, Art 47).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Saho-Afar
Dialects

Aussa, Baadu (Ba’adu), Central Afar, Northern Afar. Related to Saho [ssy].

Typology

SOV

Language Use

22,848 L2 users. Also use Sudanese Spoken Arabic [apd].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 3%. Poetry. New media. Radio programs. Films. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1994.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Afar
Writing
Ethiopic script, used in Ethiopia. Latin script, used since 1840, primary usage.
Other Comments

Called “Danakil” in Arabic and by others, but that is considered offensive by the Afar. Called Adal in Amharic. Nomadic. Muslim, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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