Is Tigrinya older than geez?

While Ge’ez and Tigrinya also share many alphabetical characters, the link between the two is not so clear; many historians and linguists believe that Tigrinya is as old as Ge’ez, however the earliest evidence of written Tigrinya is from the 13th century, more than a few centuries after the earliest evidence of Ge’ez.

Where did the Tigrinya language come from?

Tigrinya is part of the Ethiopic branch of the Semitic languages, a group that also includes Arabic, Maltese, and Hebrew among others. Tigrinya originates from the ancient language of Ge’ez which is believed to be the common ancestor of modern Ethiopian Semitic languages.

Which came first Amharic and Tigrinya?

Tigrinya (along with Arabic) was one of Eritrea’s official languages during its short-lived federation with Ethiopia; in 1958 it was replaced by the Southern Ethiopic language Amharic prior to its annexation.

Is Tigrinya a dying language?

Once the transmission to the following generation is interrupted, the language is no longer a mother tongue and is destined to become extinct. The social and economic role of Tigrinya in Eritrea is absolutely dominant.

How old is Tigrinya?

The earliest written example of Tigrinya is a text of local customary laws, dating back to the 13th century. It was found in the district of Logo Sarda, Akele Guzai in Eritrea. The first literary text in Tigrinya was published in Europe.

Is Tigrinya spoken in Ethiopia?

Tigrinya is spoken by about 7 million people around the world. It is a widely spoken language in Eritrea and in the northern part of Ethiopia. In Eritrea it is a working language in offices along with Arabic.

When was Tigrinya first spoken?

The earliest written example of Tigrinya is a text of local customary laws, dating back to the 13th century. It was found in the district of Logo Sarda, Akele Guzai in Eritrea.