Where is Somali spoken?

The Somali language, one of the major languages in Africa, is spoken in Somalia/Somaliland, Kenya, Ethiopia and the Republic of Djibouti. In fact, it is one of the few that have 10 million or more native speakers in Africa. There are also communities of Somali speakers in most countries in East Africa, the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America. Click here to see map.

How many people speak Somali as a native language?

No one knows the exact number. But probably about 15 million more or less. There are also many people, mainly Oromos, in Ethiopia and Kenya who speak Somali as a second language; some Afars in Djibouti also speak it as a second language. Both Oromos and Afars speak a related language.

Is it a written language?

Yes, Somali is a written language. After a century of debate which saw the proposition of several codes, the final decision was the adoption of a Latin script in 1972. The problems and debates surrounding the writing of Somali are analogous to the debates and problems which surrounded the passage from Latin to English in England. In both cases, there is one language used by the clergy and élites but which is uknown to the illiterate populace. In the case of England, the language of the church and the élites was Latin; the Somali counterpart is Arabic. However, Arabic is still the liturgical language among Somali speakers.

Is it an official language?

Yes, Somali is an official language of at least one country, Somalia, now in chaos. It is also the official language of Somaliland or northern Somalia, which broke away in 1991, and has a now a fully functional government of its own, and a parlament.

Is it a school language?

Yes, it has been a school language since 1972. Its vocabulary has been greatly enriched since and thus it has all the modern scientific terms taught in school subjects.

Is it a broadcast language?

Numerous radios servics both local, regional and overseas carry Somali. Among the BBC Somali Service; others include Radio Moscow, Radio Cairo, etc.; the national radios of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.

Does it have a written literature?

Yes, it has both a written literature and an oral literature. Its literature includes a large repertoire of poetry known as 'classical Somali poetry.'

04 April, 1999