Semitic languages
Semitic Languages
The Semitic languages (/sɪˈmɪtɪk/ sih-MIT-ik) are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family originating in the Middle East. The etymology of the term "Semitic" comes from the Biblical Shem, one of the three sons of Noah.
Semitic languages are spoken by more than 330 million people across much of Western Asia, North Africa and the Horn of Africa, as well as in large expatriate communities in North America and Europe. They include, among others, Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic, Amharic, and Tigrinya.
Pronunciation
The term "Semitic" is pronounced as /sɪˈmɪtɪk/ in English.
Etymology
The term "Semitic" (from the biblical "Shem") was first used in 1781 by August Ludwig von Schlözer in the context of language classification, to refer to a language family including Hebrew and Arabic.
Related Terms
- Afroasiatic languages: The language family to which Semitic languages belong.
- Arabic: The largest member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers.
- Hebrew: A Semitic language used in the Jewish scriptures and liturgy.
- Aramaic: A Semitic language used by Jesus and his disciples, and still spoken in some communities today.
- Amharic: The official working language of Ethiopia, a Semitic language.
- Tigrinya: A Semitic language spoken primarily in Eritrea and Ethiopia.
This WikiMD.org article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.