Page Type: languageAfar | Ethnologue

AAR ISO 639-3

Afar

Qafar af Autonym

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639
aar
Alternate Names
Adal, Afaraf, Affar, Affarigna, Qafar, Qafaraf, ʿAfár af, “Danakil” (pej.), “Denkel” (pej.)
Autonym
Qafar af
Population
1,862,800 in Ethiopia, all users. L1 users: 1,840,000 in Ethiopia (2018). L2 users: 22,800. 906,000 monolinguals (1994 census). Total users in all countries: 2,563,800 (as L1: 2,541,000; as L2: 22,800).
Location:
Afar, Amhara, and Somali regions: eastern lowlands.
Language Status
2 (Provincial). De facto language of provincial identity in Afar Region.
Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Saho-Afar
Dialects
Northern Afar, Central Afar, Aussa, Baadu (Ba’adu). Related to Saho [ssy].
Typology
SOV; 17 consonants and 10 vowels (5 short and 5 long).
Language Use
Also use Sudanese Spoken Arabic [apd]. Used as L2 by Argobba [agj].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 3%. Literature. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 2013.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Afar
Writing
Ethiopic script [Ethi], used in Ethiopia. Latin script [Latn], used since 1840, primary usage.
Other Comments
Called ‘Danakil’ in Arabic and by others, but that is considered offensive by the Afar. Called Adal in Amharic. Nomadic. Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Afar
User Population
196,000 in Djibouti (2018). Ethnic population: 335,000 (2017).
Location
Ali Sabieh region: southwest of regional capital; Arta region: southwest of Ghoubet Kharab; Dikhil, Obock, and Tadjoura regions; Red Sea coast.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Called ‘Danakil’ by others, but this is considered offensive. Nomadic. Muslim.
View other languages of Djibouti
Language Name
Afar
User Population
505,000 in Eritrea (2020), increasing.
Location
Northern Red Sea and Southern Red Sea regions.
Dialects
Central Afar, Northern Afar, Aussa, Ba’adu.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Nomadic. Muslim.
View other languages of Eritrea

Map

Location: Afar, Amhara, and Somali regions: eastern lowlands.