ABSTRACT

Amharic is a member of the Ethio-Semitic family of languages. According to Appleyard (1995: 2) it is 'spoken by between 10 and 12 million people as a first language, and by as many again as a second language'. Historical and political reasons coupled with a national literacy system and mass media turned Amharic into the lingua franca of Ethiopia. However, the fall of the Derg regime in May 1991 and the subsequent language policy adopted by the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE) could halt the expansion of Amharic. Nevertheless, Amharic did not lose all its privileges. It has been adopted as the working language of the federal government of Ethiopia and hence it will continue to function as a language of national communication.