SOM ISO 639-3
Somali
Af-Soomaali, Afka Soomaaliga Autonym
A language of Somalia
- ISO 639
- som
- Alternate Names
- Af-Maxaad Tiri, Common Somali, Soomaaliga, Standard Somali
- Autonym
- Af-Soomaali, Afka Soomaaliga
- Population
- 11,200,000 in Somalia (2019). Total users in all countries: 21,916,030 (as L1: 21,820,430; as L2: 95,600).
- Location:
- Widespread.
- Language Status
- 1 (National). Statutory national language (2004, Transitional Federal Charter, Article 7(1)).
- Classification
- Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
- Dialects
- Northern Somali, Benaadir, Af-Ashraaf (Ashraaf). Northern Somali is basis for standard Somali. Readily intelligible to Benaadir Somali speakers, but difficult or unintelligible to most Maay [ymm]. Those in Merka and Muqdisho speak Af-Ashraaf, a distinct variety which may have limited inherent intelligibility of standard Somali.
- Typology
- SOV; prepositions; noun head initial; gender (masculine/feminine); enclitic definite article; verb affixes mark number, person, gender of subject; tense; comparatives; 22 consonant and 10 vowel phonemes; tonal (3 grammatical tones: high, low, falling); inclusive/exclusive pronouns.
- Language Use
- Language of most of the people of the country. Also use Italian [ita]. Also use Standard Arabic [arb].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L2: 25% in cities, 10% rural. Taught in primary schools. Literature. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1979.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Somali
- Writing
- Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab], no longer in use. Latin script [Latn], used since 1972. Osmanya script [Osma], no longer in use.
- Other Comments
- Muslim.
Also Spoken in
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Arab Emirates
Language Name
Somali
User Population
101,000 in United Arab Emirates (2020).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Somali
User Population
14,200 in Australia (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Somali
User Population
36,800 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Somali
User Population
47,500 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Location
- Ali Sabieh, Arta, and Djibouti regions.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Nomadic. 3 clans: Issa, Gadaboursi, Issaq. Muslim. View other languages of Djibouti
Language Name
Somali
User Population
585,000 in Djibouti (2018). Ethnic population: 524,000 (2014 World Factbook).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Denmark
Language Name
Somali
User Population
11,300 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Location
- Mainly Oromia and Somali regions; areas in Afar and Dire Dawa regions.
- Language Status
- 2 (Provincial)
- Other Comments
- Daarood, Ogaadeen, Dir, Gadabuursi, Hawiye, and Isxaaq are major clan families in Ethiopia. Muslim. View other languages of Ethiopia
Language Name
Somali
User Population
6,815,600 in Ethiopia, all users. L1 users: 6,720,000 in Ethiopia (2018). L2 users: 95,600. 2,880,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 6,720,000 (2018).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Finland
Language Name
Somali
User Population
20,900 in Finland (2018 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Somali
User Population
85,900 in United Kingdom (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Italy
Language Name
Somali
User Population
50,600 in Italy (2000).
- Location
- Garissa, Mandera, and Wajir counties: entire eastern border area; northwest Lamu county.
- Dialects
- Degodia, Ogaden, Wardei (Uardai, Wadai, Warday).
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Daarood, Dir, Hawiye, and Ogaadeen are nomadic clan families in Kenya. Dialect differences cut across clan differences. Muslim. View other languages of Kenya
Language Name
Somali
User Population
2,240,000 in Kenya (2019 census), increasing. , based on ethnicity, including 516,000 Degodia, 139,000 Murule, 698,000 Ogaden, and 66,000 Wardei (2019 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Malta
Language Name
Somali
User Population
1,000 in Malta (Leclerc 2016).
- Location
- Major cities.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Netherlands
Language Name
Somali
User Population
15,600 in Netherlands (2019).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Norway
Language Name
Somali
User Population
43,600 in Norway (2021 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of New Zealand
Language Name
Somali
User Population
1,330 in New Zealand (2013 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Saudi Arabia
Language Name
Somali
User Population
69,600 in Saudi Arabia (2018). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Sweden
Language Name
Somali
User Population
28,900 in Sweden (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Somali
User Population
76,200 in United States (2012 census). Based on foreign-born population from Somalia.
- Location
- Mainly camps near Aden.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Yemen
Language Name
Somali
User Population
447,000 in Yemen (2018).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of South Africa
Language Name
Somali
User Population
24,000 in South Africa (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
Map
Location: Widespread.
Size and Vitality
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