Languages of Africa

There are 1,250 to 2,100 and by some counts over 3,000 languages spoken natively in Africa, in several major language families:

Afroasiatic is spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and parts of the Sahel

Nilo-Saharan is centered on Sudan and Chad (disputed validity)

Niger–Congo (Bantu and non-Bantu) covers West, Central, Southeast and Southern Africa

Khoe is concentrated in the deserts of Namibia and Botswana

Austronesian is spoken in Madagascar.

Indo-European is spoken on the southern tip of the continent.

There are several other small families and language isolates, as well as obscure languages that have yet to be classified. In addition, Africa has a wide variety of sign languages, many of which are language isolates.

About a hundred of the languages of Africa are widely used for inter-ethnic communication. Arabic, Somali, Berber, Amharic, Oromo, Swahili, Hausa, Manding, Igbo, Fulani and Yoruba are spoken by tens of millions of people. If clusters of up to a hundred similar languages are counted together, twelve are spoken by 75 percent, and fifteen by 85 percent, of Africans as a first or additional language.

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Languages_of_Africa

Latest News for: African languages

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Goa to host international conference on 'Advances in Women Empowerment, Education, Language & Literature'

Merinews 18 Feb 2019

According to the organizers, the Conference is designed with special invited research lectures, paper presentations and poster presentations reflecting the pioneering state of research in women empowerment, education, language & literature and allied disciplines....

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In coastal SC, Gullah culture's African roots persevere amid community change

Herald Mail 18 Feb 2019

More than anything else, Gullah people share a distinct dialect, a creole language that has similarities to some West African languages melded with English to create a quick-paced, easily flowing language ... and languages and religious beliefs… under extremely hostile situations.”....

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Best Bets (copy)

Winston-Salem Journal 18 Feb 2019

Shallowford Series program continues. The 32nd season of Shallowford Series Concerts presented by Shallowford Presbyterian Church in collaboration with UNC School of the Arts will continue at 3 p.m. today, Feb. 17, with UNCSA brass ensembles ... 110 ... 19 ... The documentary film chronicles the impact of African American English on American language and culture....

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'Talking Black in America' to screen

Winston-Salem Journal 17 Feb 2019

... the impact of African American English on American language and culture....

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African churches boom in London’s backstreets

The Independent 17 Feb 2019

On a cold, grey Sunday morning, in a street lined with shuttered builders’ yards and storage units, songs of prayer in the West African language of Yoruba ring out from a former warehouse that is now a church ... African churches boom in London’s backstreets ... African churches boom in London’s backstreets....

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Flat Earth conspiracy theorists are being ‘indoctrinated through YouTube videos’

The Independent 17 Feb 2019

In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" ... 12/18 A 3D reconstruction of an African grey parrot post euthanasia ... In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn"....

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Man kills worker in UAE, makes it look like poison death

Khaleej Times 16 Feb 2019

A young African man stood trial at the Ras Al Khaimah criminal court for allegedly�killing his fellow worker using a sand loader ... The lawyer said�that the accused had admitted this to the prosecution and the court ... "My client, who speaks an African dialect, does not speak or understand Arabic, which was the language used in interrogations." ... � ....

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Kunle Afolayan Projects ‘Mokalik’ for Film Festivals

This Day 16 Feb 2019

In a recent interview on CNN African Voices, Kunle stated. “Growing up Yoruba was my first language, English was learned in school and I believe I am so proud of my tribe and my heritage and where I am from and who I am ... we are as Africans, as Nigerians and also as a Yoruba man....

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Philly accent: There’s a lot youse don’t know about it. Just ask these experts.

Philadelphia Daily News 15 Feb 2019

His work has helped to set up a corpus, or database, that researchers can use as a diving board for other important work in Philadelphia English, from looking closely at who exactly is changing the white accent to American Sign Language in Philly to the Puerto Rican community and African American English ... American Sign Language in Philadelphia....

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School science textbooks make children more racially prejudiced, scientists find

The Independent 15 Feb 2019

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THE AFRICA CHANNEL announces 20 new primetime series for 2019

The Record 15 Feb 2019

The Africa Channel and its production arm, TAC Studios, is a showcase for the African continent's most outstanding English-language television series, specials, documentaries, feature films, music, biographies and cultural and historical content....

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Aerogel: Scientists develop incredibly light, powerful insulation material

The Independent 15 Feb 2019

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Afrikaans and Venda roll nicely

Sowetan Live 14 Feb 2019

Unlike most South Africans, she finds her lover's language simple and similar to her home language, Afrikaans ... "She also has an app called Memrise that is helping her learn [the language]." ... ....