Dahlik language
Encyclopedia
Dahalik is a language spoken exclusively in Eritrea
off the coast of Massawa
, on three islands in the Dahlak Archipelago
: Dahlak Kebir, Nora and Dehil. Only recently discovered by linguists, it has around 2,500–3,000 speakers.
It belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language group and is closely related to Tigre
and Tigrinya. It is not mutually intelligible with Tigre (see Shaebia below), and, according to Simeone-Senelle, is sufficiently different to be considered a separate language.
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
off the coast of Massawa
Massawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
, on three islands in the Dahlak Archipelago
Dahlak Archipelago
The Dahlak Archipelago is an island group located in the Red Sea near Massawa, Eritrea. It consists of two large and 124 small islands. The pearl fisheries of the archipelago have been famous since Roman times and still produce a substantial number of pearls. Only four of the islands are...
: Dahlak Kebir, Nora and Dehil. Only recently discovered by linguists, it has around 2,500–3,000 speakers.
It belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language group and is closely related to Tigre
Tigre language
For other uses please see Tigre Tigre is a Semitic language, which, along with Tigrinya, is believed to be one of direct descendants of the extinct Ge'ez language...
and Tigrinya. It is not mutually intelligible with Tigre (see Shaebia below), and, according to Simeone-Senelle, is sufficiently different to be considered a separate language.