Amharic is the National Language of Ethiopia and the main language of political economy in the Horn of Africa. Amharic is also spoken in major cities across the world where there is a significant Ethiopian diaspora community. It is studied in major higher learning
institutions in different countries with academic, political, cultural, and economic
ties to Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Amharic has a very rich literary and historical corpus, which is indispensable for appreciation of the history, culture and the internal fabric of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. In addition, Amharic remains one of the very few written languages. Even within the elite group of written languages, Amharic stands as one of the very few with their own unique writing systems and long history.
This course is aimed at enabling students to acquire the Amharic language including its
unique writing script. The course also aims at familiarizing students with major historical
and cultural aspects of Ethiopia. Therefore, the course will have multiple practice sessions
targeted at developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills beyond the Amharic 102 level.