Somalia

Summary

Official Name: Federal Republic of Somalia
Population: 16,360,000
General Remarks: Population figure unreliable, as many areas not open for census enumeration
Principal Languages: Somali
Literacy Rate: 38% (Roser and Ortiz-Ospina 2018)
International Conventions: ACHPR (1987), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006)
General References: Campbell and King 2011, Lamberti 1986
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for Somalia is 13. All are living languages. Of these, 10 are indigenous and 3 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 3 are developing, 1 is vigorous, 5 are in trouble, and 1 is dying. Also listed is 1 unestablished language.

Languages

Arabic, Standard arb: Users: 2,050,000 in Somalia (2015 SIL), all users. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2004, Transitional Federal Charter, Article 7(1)). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Ta’izzi-Adeni Spoken acq: Users: 17,000 in Somalia (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Boon bnl: Jubbada Dhexe region: Jilib district, bush settlements. Users: 59 (2000). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Af-Boon Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East
Dabarre dbr: Bay region: Dhiinsoor district area, Dabaare; Jubbada Dhexe region: Bu’aale district; Shabeellaha Hoose region: Sablaade district. Users: 33,000 (2019). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Af-Dabarre Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
English eng: Scattered. Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Garre gex: Bay region: southeast border area; Shabeellaha Hoose region: Qoryoley and Wanla Weyne districts. Users: 83,600 in Somalia (2019). Ethnic population: 114,000 (2020 Joshua Project). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Af-Garre, Karre Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
Italian ita: Scattered. Users: 6,500 in Somalia (2019). Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Italiano, Talyaaniga Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
Jiiddu jii: Shabeellaha Hoose region: west of Moqdisho. Users: 33,000 (2019). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Af-Jiiddu, Jiddu Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
Maay ymm: Bakool, Bay, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, and Shabeellaha Hoose regions. Bakool and Bay regions (Maay Erte dialect); Jubbada Dhexe and Jubbada Hoose (Maay Dhete dialect). Users: 2,500,000 in Somalia (2019). Total users in all countries: 2,608,000. Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Af-Maay, Af-Maay Tiri, Af-May, Af-Maymay, Maay Maay, Mai Mai, Rahanween, Rahanweyn Autonym: Af-maay Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
Mushungulu xma: Jubbada Hoose region: Jamaame district; urban areas Kismaayo and Muqdisho. Users: 33,000 (2019). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Kimushungulu, Mushunguli Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Zigula-Zaramo (G.311)
Oromo, Borana-Arsi-Guji gax: Gedo region. Users: 41,600 in Somalia (2000). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Afaan Oromoo, Southern Oromo Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Oromo
Somali som: Widespread. Users: 11,200,000 in Somalia (2019). Total users in all countries: 21,932,940 (as L1: 21,837,340; as L2: 95,600). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2004, Transitional Federal Charter, Article 7(1)). Alternate Names: Af-Maxaad Tiri, Common Somali, Soomaaliga, Standard Somali Autonym: Af-Soomaali, Afka Soomaaliga Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
Swahili swh: Jubbada Hoose region: Kismayuu south to Kenya border (Bajuni dialect); Baraawe and dispersed in southern towns (Mwini dialect). Users: 274,000 in Somalia (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Kiswahili Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.42)
Tunni tqq: Jubbada Dhexe and Shabeellaha Hoose regions: Baraawe, Dhiinsoor, and Jilib districts; Bay and Jubbada Hoose regions. Users: 33,000 (2019). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Af-Tunni Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Arabic, Standard

[arb] 1 (National). Statutory national language (2004, Transitional Federal Charter, Article 7(1)). 2,050,000 in Somalia (2015 SIL), all users.

Somali

[som] 1 (National). Statutory national language (2004, Transitional Federal Charter, Article 7(1)). 11,200,000 in Somalia (2019). Total users in all countries: 21,932,940 (as L1: 21,837,340; as L2: 95,600).

4 (Educational)

English

[eng] 4 (Educational).

5 (Dispersed)

Swahili

[swh] 5* (Dispersed). 274,000 in Somalia (2019).

5 (Developing)

Maay

[ymm] 5* (Developing). 2,500,000 in Somalia (2019). Total users in all countries: 2,608,000.

Oromo, Borana-Arsi-Guji

[gax] 5* (Developing). 41,600 in Somalia (2000).

6a (Vigorous)

Garre

[gex] 6a* (Vigorous). 83,600 in Somalia (2019). Ethnic population: 114,000 (2020 Joshua Project).

6b (Threatened)

Dabarre

[dbr] 6b* (Threatened). 33,000 (2019).

Jiiddu

[jii] 6b* (Threatened). 33,000 (2019).

Mushungulu

[xma] 6b* (Threatened). 33,000 (2019).

Tunni

[tqq] 6b* (Threatened). 33,000 (2019).

7 (Shifting)

Italian

[ita] 7 (Shifting). 6,500 in Somalia (2019).

8a (Moribund)

Boon

[bnl] 8a (Moribund). 59 (2000).

Unestablished

Arabic, Ta’izzi-Adeni Spoken

[acq] Unestablished. 17,000 in Somalia (2019).

Maps

Somalia

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Somalia with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for Somalia is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of vitality. The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level.
The vitality levels and the color coding of the bars match the scheme used in the guide on How many languages are endangered? In this scheme, the levels and colors are as follows:
- Dark green = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Light green = Stable (EGIDS 5-6a) — The language is not being sustained by formal institutions, but It is still the norm in the home and community that all children learn and use the language.
- Red = Endangered (EGIDS 6b-9) — It is no longer the norm that children learn and use this language.
These three summary levels have been derived by grouping levels in the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS), which is the more fine-grained scale that Ethnologue uses to assess the status of every language in terms of development versus endangerment; see the Language Status page for a description of the levels of that scale. See also the pages on Development and Endangerment for more discussion.
Language Status Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Somalia with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for Somalia is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of development or endangerment as measured on the EGIDS scale. (See the pages on Development and Endangerment for a fuller explanation.) The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level. Consult the Status listings for Somalia in order to see the specific languages for each level.
The color coding of the bars matches the color scheme used in the summary profile graphs on the navigation maps for the site. In this scheme, the EGIDS levels are grouped as follows:
- Purple = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Blue = Developing (EGIDS 5) — The language is in vigorous use, with literature in a standardized form being used by some though this is not yet widespread or sustainable.
- Green = Vigorous (EGIDS 6a) — The language is unstandardized and in vigorous use among all generations.
- Yellow = In trouble (EGIDS 6b-7) — Intergenerational transmission is in the process of being broken, but the child-bearing generation can still use the language so it is possible that revitalization efforts could restore transmission of the language in the home.
- Red = Dying (EGIDS 8a-9) — The only fluent users (if any) are older than child-bearing age, so it is too late to restore natural intergenerational transmission through the home; a mechanism outside the home would need to be developed.
- Black = Extinct (EGIDS 10) — The language has fallen completely out of use and no one retains a sense of ethnic identity associated with the language.

Resources

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Digest of the languages of Somalia ($149.95, 24 page PDF)

Somalia

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Somalia

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Resources

Contributions

Editorial Action