Languages
According to the 2007 Ethiopian census, the largest first languages are: Oromiffa 24,929,567 speakers or 33.8% of the total population; Amharic 21,631,370 or 29.33% (official language); Somali 4,609,274 or 6.25%; Tigrinya 4,324,476 or 5.86%; Sidamo 2,981,471 or 4.84%; Wolaytta 1,627,784 or 2.21%; Gurage 1,481,783 or 2.01%; and Afar 1,281,278 or 1.74%. Widely-spoken foreign languages include Arabic (official), English (official; major foreign language taught in schools), and Italian (spoken by European minorities).
Read more about this topic: People Of Ethiopia
Famous quotes containing the word languages:
“I am always sorry when any language is lost, because languages are the pedigree of nations.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“Science and technology multiply around us. To an increasing extent they dictate the languages in which we speak and think. Either we use those languages, or we remain mute.”
—J.G. (James Graham)
“It is time for dead languages to be quiet.”
—Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972)