Somali languages
| Somali | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution: |
Somalia, Djibouti, Somali Region, North Eastern Province |
| Linguistic classification: |
Afro-Asiatic
|
| Glottolog: |
None east2653 (East Omo–Tana (partial match)) |
The Somali languages form a group that are part of the Afro-Asiatic language family. They are spoken as a mother tongue by ethnic Somalis in Horn of Africa and the Somali diaspora. Even with linguistic differences, Somalis collectively view themselves as speaking a common language.
Some neighboring populations and individuals have also adopted the languages.
Somali variations form a group of East Cushtic languages that are part of the Afroasiatic language family.
The most common classification of Somali dialects are into three to five main groups: Northern (also referred to as "Common"), Benadir (also referred to as "Costal") and Maay (also referred to as "Central"), which exhibit degrees of mutually intelligible as a dialect continuum.
Lamberti (1986) and Blench (2006) separate Central and Benadir into two distinct groups, Digil and Maay and Benadir and Ashraaf, respectively:
Northern Somali (or Northern-Central Somali) is spoken from Djbouti to the Tana River in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. Due to being wide spread, it forms the basis for Standard Somali.
Coastal Somalii (also grouped as Benadir and Afsharf) is spoken on the Benadir coast from Hobyo to south of Merca, including Mogadishu and in the hinterland.
Central (also grouped as Digil and Maay) is spoken in the inter-riverine regions of Somalia by the Digil and Mirifle clans, collectively known as the Rahanweyn Somalis. They are most often described as dialects Other regards them as being divergence from the latter as Spanish is to Portuguese. Of the Central variations, Jiddu is the most incomprehensible to Benadir and Northern speakers.
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Wikipedia