Can you identify the language, and do you know where it’s spoken?
12 thoughts on “Language Quiz”
Could it be a Modern South Arabian language? Soqotri or Mehri. Something with Arabic and Eastern African flavour.
It has an Middle Eastern ‘H’ sound. But I know it’s not gonna be as easy as saying Arabic. I’m guessing it’s Maltese.
I think I’d recognize an Italian borrowing if it were Maltese. Going to guess the Razihi language of Yemen.
It certainly sounds middle eastern/Arabic-like although I thought a heard a click and there were some sounds that sounded Bantu. Quelle décision!
Sounds super Arabic, except I didn’t actually understand more than a couple isolated words and phrases in there… so this is something (or someone) that has the general phonology of Arabic even if it’s another language. The two examples of ejective [k’] at 0:06 and 0:25 make me think it’s one of the South Semitic languages, either within the South Arabian or Ethio-Semitic branches, all of which have ejective velars where Arabic has uvulars.
Are FcoPB, Jim M., and I in the right region (southern Arabian peninsula)?
I am certain that the language is Martian; but then, it is 1st April, so perhaps I’m just fooling!
Sameer – it is a South Arabian language, but isn’t spoken on the Arabian peninsula.
If it is a Modern South Arabian Language, but is not spoken on the Arabian peninsula, it could be one of those on the islands: Soqotri (on Socotra or its outer islands), or Jibbali (or Shehri, on Hallaniya, Khuriya Muriya). But to be honest, the recorded language doesn’t sound much like that to me …
Amharic, in Ethiopia?
I want to say it’a Middle Eastern but I hear some similarities to Amharic so it could be Middle Eastern.
The answer is Harari (ሃራሪ), a South Semitic language spoken in south east Ethiopia.
The recording comes from YouTube:
Simon – so it is a South Semitic, not a South Arabian language!
Could it be a Modern South Arabian language? Soqotri or Mehri. Something with Arabic and Eastern African flavour.
It has an Middle Eastern ‘H’ sound. But I know it’s not gonna be as easy as saying Arabic. I’m guessing it’s Maltese.
I think I’d recognize an Italian borrowing if it were Maltese. Going to guess the Razihi language of Yemen.
It certainly sounds middle eastern/Arabic-like although I thought a heard a click and there were some sounds that sounded Bantu. Quelle décision!
Sounds super Arabic, except I didn’t actually understand more than a couple isolated words and phrases in there… so this is something (or someone) that has the general phonology of Arabic even if it’s another language. The two examples of ejective [k’] at 0:06 and 0:25 make me think it’s one of the South Semitic languages, either within the South Arabian or Ethio-Semitic branches, all of which have ejective velars where Arabic has uvulars.
Are FcoPB, Jim M., and I in the right region (southern Arabian peninsula)?
I am certain that the language is Martian; but then, it is 1st April, so perhaps I’m just fooling!
Sameer – it is a South Arabian language, but isn’t spoken on the Arabian peninsula.
If it is a Modern South Arabian Language, but is not spoken on the Arabian peninsula, it could be one of those on the islands: Soqotri (on Socotra or its outer islands), or Jibbali (or Shehri, on Hallaniya, Khuriya Muriya). But to be honest, the recorded language doesn’t sound much like that to me …
Amharic, in Ethiopia?
I want to say it’a Middle Eastern but I hear some similarities to Amharic so it could be Middle Eastern.
The answer is Harari (ሃራሪ), a South Semitic language spoken in south east Ethiopia.
The recording comes from YouTube:
Simon – so it is a South Semitic, not a South Arabian language!