Let Ethiopian Languages Stand in Line Based on Size!
By Fayyis Oromia+
It was Professor Merera who often used to say: “Let Ethiopian nations stand in line according to their height.” I would rather say: “Let Ethiopian languages stand in line according to their size!”
In practical terms, this means that Oromic, which is spoken by at least 40% of Ethiopia’s population, should be the primary working language of all federal institutions—such as the palace, parliament, cabinet, judiciary, security forces, and the military. Other, smaller languages should follow in line based on their number of speakers.
I recently heard about a language policy research study from Kotebe University of Education. According to the study, the Finfinné (Addis Ababa) administration plans to implement a three-language policy in the city’s schools. Under this plan, every school child will learn:
- Mother tongue
- English
- Third language
This is a good initiative. However, instead of leaving the third language undefined and vague, I believe it would be more effective to clearly define it as the “regional language” for those who are not native to the area.
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2023/01/0 ... at-oromia/