Language-Learning

I read an article recently (really sorry I don’t remember exactly what, if I find it or you know what I’m talking about, please remind me and I’ll link it) that was talking about how colonial language guides for African languages continued the colonial structure of a foreign colonialist giving commands to their African servants.… Continue reading Decolonising the Imperative Conjugation (Swahili Verbs) →

So, you’re going on a trip to one of the Swahili-speaking countries of eastern Africa. You want to learn a few words, to be able to communicate the basics, but don’t plan on diving into a full course. Nouns are cute, but unless you just plan on pointing at random objects and declaring “table” and… Continue reading Swahili Verbs: A Crash Course →

With a trip to eastern Africa soon approaching, I’ve been working to dust off my very rusty (and, at this point, frankly quite mediocre) Swahili. Regardless of the current condition of my language skills, work pays off, so it’s time to but in the elbow grease! So, I’ve written the following passage in Kiswahili, as… Continue reading One Backpack (Beginner’s Swahili Reading Practice) →

Lately, it seems as though all search results for Tigray come back with “war,” but Tigray also has a rich history as a cultural, religious, and artistic hub (not to mention the gorgeous landscapes). Here are a few resources for anyone interested in learning Tigrinya, the language of Tigray (the northern region of Ethiopia) and… Continue reading ትግርኛ (Tigrinya) Language-Learning Resources →

Ge’ez (also known as “fidel”) is the writing system used to write Amharic, Tigrinya, and several other Ethiopian (and Eritrean) languages. It’s technically an abugida (not an alphabet). While alphabets use one letter per sound, an abugida uses one character per consonant, which is modified according to the vowel sound which follows. The result is… Continue reading Resources for Learning Ge’ez/Fidel (Amharic/Tigrinya Script) →