Develop a love for Amharic
ETHIOPIA has always held pride of place in the psyche of many Jamaicans.
Its long and well documented history dating back to Biblical times and its former Emperor Haile Selassie I have added to the mystique of this African nation.
This attraction has been fostered by the popularity of Rastafari in Jamaica and their belief in the divinity of Selassie.
Part and parcel of this attraction to Ethiopia is a love for its culture and official language, Amharic.
The Language Training Centre in St Andrew is one of the few places where Jamaicans can learn Amharic. The courses, which range from beginners to mastery levels, are taught by Ethiopian Dr Tesfaye Mulu.
He explains that Amharic, which is spoken only in Ethiopia, is part of the Semitic family which includes Hebrew and Arabic, and evolved from the ancient Geize language.
“Here in Jamaica, the majority of persons who come to learn Amharic are Rastafari and persons interested in African history. There are also persons who wish to learn the language for recreational purposes or travel.”
Mulu explains the Amharic is easy to learn compared to other languages such as Chinese and even English.
“There are 270 letters in Amharic, but once you learn the 40 principal characters, the rest follow a general pattern.”
As it relates to speaking the language, Mulu notes that each of the 270 letters captures every sound, therefore, “It is almost impossible to spell a word incorrectly once you know the alphabet as it is spelt the way it is pronounced – you print every sound,” he explains.
Mulu encourages Jamaicans to learn Amharic as he sees it as a means of enhancing one’s appreciation of Ethiopian and African culture as one is exposed to one of the ancient languages of the world.
He adds that with growth and development taking place in Ethiopia at this time, learning Amharic can prove beneficial to a Jamaican wishing to travel to that country for business and investment.
“The country is presently experiencing an annual growth rate of eight to ten per cent per year. This can be seen in areas such as construction and reflected in the improved standard of living for Ethiopians. The government is also very friendly and open to foreign investments at this time.”
Mulu, who is a civil engineer by profession, also speaks Chinese, having studied in China on a government scholarship. He has lived in Jamaica since 1995.