Janaeelizan7 (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
m (Text replacement - "__TOC__\n(={2,6}.*?={2,6})" to "$1") Tag: Manual revert |
||
| (8 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Liberia | {{CountrySidebar | ||
|Country=Liberia | |||
|Name=Liberia | |||
|Type=Topic | |||
|Topic Type=Background | |||
|Background=Languages | |||
|Rating=Standardized | |||
}}{{breadcrumb | |||
| link1=[[Liberia Genealogy|Liberia]] | | link1=[[Liberia Genealogy|Liberia]] | ||
| link2= | | link2= | ||
| Line 9: | Line 16: | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
The official language of Liberia is English, in which many of the records from the period of British colonization have been kept. Liberia is a multilingual country where more than thirty languages are spoken. English is the official language and over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, representing the numerous ethnic groups who make up more than 95% of the population. None of the other language groups forms a distinctive majority. The native languages can be grouped in four language families: Mande, Kru, Mel, and the divergent language Gola.<ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Liberia Languages of Liberia].</ref> <br><br> | The official language of Liberia is English, in which many of the records from the period of British colonization have been kept. Liberia is a multilingual country where more than thirty languages are spoken. English is the official language and over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, representing the numerous ethnic groups who make up more than 95% of the population. None of the other language groups forms a distinctive majority. The native languages can be grouped in four language families: Mande, Kru, Mel, and the divergent language Gola.<ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Liberia Languages of Liberia].</ref> <br><br> | ||
Since Liberia’s official founding in 1824, English has maintained its status as the most prominent language in the country. English serves as the official Liberian language, and an estimated 3 million people speak the form of pidgin English known as Liberian Kreyol language or Liberian Pidgin English. | Since Liberia’s official founding in 1824, English has maintained its status as the most prominent language in the country. English serves as the official Liberian language, and an estimated 3 million people speak the form of pidgin English known as Liberian Kreyol language or Liberian Pidgin English. <br><br> | ||
Another resource is *[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Languages_of_Liberia Languages of Liberia]. | Another resource is *[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Languages_of_Liberia Languages of Liberia]. | ||
| Line 45: | Line 52: | ||
====Kru==== | ====Kru==== | ||
The Kru languages belong to the Niger–Congo language family and are spoken by the Kru people from the southeast of Liberia to the east of | The Kru languages belong to the Niger–Congo language family and are spoken by the Kru people from the southeast of Liberia to the east of Côte d'Ivoire. The term "Kru" is of unknown origin. According to Westermann (1952) it was used by Europeans to denote a number of tribes speaking related dialects. Marchese (1989) notes the fact that many of these peoples were recruited as "crew" by European seafarers; "the homonymy with crew is obvious, and is at least one source of the confusion among Europeans that there was a Kru/crew tribe. <br> | ||
Andrew Dalby noted the historical importance of the Kru languages for their position at the crossroads of African-European interaction. He wrote that "Kru and associated languages were among the first to be encountered by European voyagers on what was then known as the Pepper Coast, a centre of the production and export of Guinea and melegueta pepper; a once staple African seaborne trade". The Kru languages are known for some of the most complex tone systems in Africa, rivaled perhaps only by the Omotic languages.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kru_languages Wikipedia]</ref> <br> | Andrew Dalby noted the historical importance of the Kru languages for their position at the crossroads of African-European interaction. He wrote that "Kru and associated languages were among the first to be encountered by European voyagers on what was then known as the Pepper Coast, a centre of the production and export of Guinea and melegueta pepper; a once staple African seaborne trade". The Kru languages are known for some of the most complex tone systems in Africa, rivaled perhaps only by the Omotic languages.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kru_languages Wikipedia]</ref> <br> | ||
| Line 60: | Line 67: | ||
==Language Aids and Dictionaries== | ==Language Aids and Dictionaries== | ||
==Additional Resources== | ==Additional Resources== | ||
* Liberia Working Group, and Jesuit Refugee Service. ''Liberia Working Group : a newsletter of current information.'' Roma, Italy: Jesuit Refugee Service, 1991. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/70236144 WorldCat]. | |||
*Liberia Working Group | * Williams, Levi C. ''History of the United Methodist Church in Liberia.'' Denver, CO: Outskirts Press, 2014. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/893454713 WorldCat]. | ||
*Levi C | * All Africa Lutheran Consultation on Christian Theology and Strategy for Mission. ''Preparatory documents for the All Africa Lutheran Consultation on Christian Theology and Strategy for Mission.'' Geneva: Lutheran World Federation, Dept. of Church Cooperation, 1980. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/10792399 WorldCat]. | ||
* | * Kemp, Thomas Jay. ''International vital records handbook.'' Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2000. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/45367433 WorldCat]. | ||
*Thomas Jay | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
edits