Tigrigna

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A language of Eritrea

ISO 639-3
tir
Alternate Names
Habashi, Tigray, Tigrinya
Autonym
ትግርኛ‎ (Tigrinya)
User Population

3,220,000 in Eritrea (2020), increasing. Total users in all countries: 10,004,940 (as L1: 9,852,940; as L2: 152,000).

Location

Widespread, especially south and central.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, North
Typology

SOV; noun head final; gender (masculine/feminine); definite article; verb affixes mark person, number, gender of subject; passives; aspect; 33 consonant and 14 vowel phonemes.

Language Use

All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Tigré [tig]. Used as L2 by Bilen [byn], Italian [ita], Saho [ssy], Tigré [tig].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 1%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–25%. Female: above 65%. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Fully developed. Bible: 1956.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Tigrigna
Writing

Ethiopic script [Ethi], used since 13th or 14th century.

Other Comments

Christian, Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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