Soqotri
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A language of Yemen
Alternate Names
Saqatri, Socotri, Sokotri, South Arabian, Suqutri
Autonym
méthel d-saqátri
User Population
111,000 (2020).
Location
Amanat al Asimah governorate: ’Abd al-Kuri, Darsah, Samha, and Soqotra islands in the Gulf of Aden.
Language Maps
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Dialects
’Abd Al-Kuri, Southern Soqotri, Northern Soqotri, Central Soqotri, Western Soqotri. Northern Soqotri includes North Central and Northwest Central (highland) Soqotri. Mostly monolingual in Soqotri.
Language Use
The language is used socially especially among women but also in the market if both people involved are L1 speakers (2020 S. Warwick). Some of all ages. The language is used in each generational group, but the language is losing users, and L1 speakers are less proficient in their language than they used to be (2020 S. Warwick).
Language Development
Bible portions: 1902.
In every region of the island, including the capital, teachers report that they spend the first three years of schooling translating materials into Soqotri (2020 S. Warwick). Muslim.