DEBATING LANGUAGE POLICY IN ETHIOPIA

This paper is focused on the development of language policy in Ethiopia from the reign of Haile Selassie I (1930-1974) until the present day. After the Federal Constitution was introduced in 1994, Ethiopia has been divided into eleven regions along ethno-linguistic borders. The constitution gave every nation the right to develop its own language and its own culture, though only Amharic, Tigrigna, Somali, and Afaan Oromo became major regional languages. This situation caused growing ethno-linguistic nationalism, which can be seen especially in the Oromiya region as well as the SNNPR (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region). This paper will examine theoretical principles as well as case studies that seem to be important for a comprehensive analysis of language policy in Ethiopia. While the period until 1974 was characterized by a policy of Ethiopianization, the Derg government (1974-1991) introduced a policy of literacy and alphabetization. Several languages were standardized, including Somali, Oromo, Sidama and Wolayta. In reality, Amharic prevailed as a lingua franca and became the main administrative language.