The Amharic Language
The Sound and Writing Systems
Reviewed by: Omar A. Fatah
This study was presented by Yehya Abu Bakr to the African Research and Studies Institute's Language Department to obtain the masters degree in April 2002.
The study deals with the Amharic language, one of Africa's latest-comers as a national language. Amharic is the official language spoken in Ethiopia. It is an Afro-Asiatic language of the Southwest Semitic group and is related to Ge'ez, or Ethiopic, the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox church.
Amharic is the mother-tongue of around 15 to 30 million Ethiopians and is second language to the rest of the country's population. The study examines the writing and sound system and how far the former conforms to the latter. This has required analyzing the phoneme system [vowels, consonants and syllables].
The study is divided into an introduction, followed by five chapters and a conclusion.
Chapter One: A Theoretical Approach
In this chapter, a definition is given to the phoneme, the syllable and the writing system.
In defining the phoneme, Abu Bakr explains that, in theory, it stands one of the most controversial ever known in the study of languages. The term was introduced by the Prague school.
A conceptual, a physical and an abstract definitions are also given together with the functional understanding and the criteria according to which phonemes are determined.
The researcher then turns to the syllable, defines it and gives a comparative analysis of the various syllabic compositions in Amharic and other languages.
Abu Bakr now turns to discuss the writing system. He explains that there are three forms of such systems, the pictogram, the syllabary and the alphabetical.
Chapter Two: The consonants:
Here, the researchers analyse the consonant phonemes of Amharic, referring to previous studies in the field. Abu Bakr then notes that there are 23 uncontroversial consonants in Amharic with 8 more very much debatable.
Chapter Three: The Vowels.
In this part of the study, Abu Bakr expounds the differences among researches over the number and nature of the Amharic vowel phonemes. The general rules governing vowel formations are also given.
Chapter Four: The Syllable Abu Bakr divides the syllabic formations in Amharic language into five groups.
The open syllables: CCV and CV (where C stands for consonants and V for vowels).
The closed syllables: CCVC, CVCC, and CVC
Chapter Five: The Writing System
At the outset of this chapter Abu Bakr gives an introduction to the Amharic writing system, which, he notes, is inherited from the Ge'ez. Ethiopic characters are a modified form of southern Arabic calligraphy. Over the years, Amharic is written in a slightly modified form of the alphabet used for writing the Ge'ez language. Signs have also been added to consonants to indicate vowels.
The advantages of the Amharic writing system:
There are 33 basic characters, each of which has seven forms depending on which vowel is to be pronounced in the syllable.
Unlike the majority of Semitic languages, Amharic is written and read from left to right.
The shortcomings:
The great number of symbols (some 257). No symbol indicating stress.
Joint Communiqué
Issued on the first session of the political committee Task Force
1-The Government of the Sudan (GOS) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), hereafter referred to as the Parties, met in Machakos, Kenya from 18th June to 20th July, 2002 under the auspices of the IGAD Peace Process.
The meeting was chaired by Lt. General Lazaro K. Sumbeiywo, the Special Envoy of the IGAD Peace Process in Sudan with the assistance of the IGAD Sub-Committee Envoys, namely H.E. Mohamed A. Omaro of Eritrea, H.E. Murad Mussa of Ethiopia and H.E. Francis Butagira of Uganda, and with observers from Italy, Norway, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
2 - The Parties agreed to conduct discussions in accordance with an agenda based on the framework of the IGAD Declaration of Principles (DOP) and with a view to resolving the long-standing conflict that has afflicted the Sudan.
3- The Parties agreed that a peaceful and just resolution based on the Unity of the Sudan is their common objective and that a military solution is neither viable nor desirable. They agreed to discuss the outstanding issues of State and Religion, Self-Determination for the people of South Sudan, Power Sharing, Wealth Sharing and Human Rights.
4 - After lengthy discussions, the Parties agreed to a single negotiating Framework Document which states the Principles to which the Parties have already agreed, the Transitional Phase of the Peace Process and the Political Structures to be implemented through a Constitutional Framework.
5. The Parties made substantial progress and specifically reached agreement on the two most contentious issues, namely: the right to self-determination for the people of South Sudan and State and Religion. The Parties also agreed on the Preamble, Principles, and the Transition Process from the Framework Document mentioned above, all of which will be incorporated into a final comprehensive Peace Agreement. They also signed a Protocol and initialed the specific texts on these issues.
6- The Parties agreed to continue negotiations on the other outstanding issues of power sharing, wealth. 7- Sharing, human rights and ceasefire when negotiations resume in mid-August, 2002.
