Ethiopians (and Ethiopian-Eritrean) That Grew Up in the Diaspora Can speak their Native Language(s) unlike some would say. (talking points, comments, etc.)

These comments listed bellow are the stances and disagreements of the people of various Ethiopian (and Ethiopian-Eritrean) diaspora communities who grew up outside of Ethiopia. These people can speak their native tongue/native languages, I said native languages in the plural, because they speak not only Amharic, but other Ethiopian languages like Oromo, Somali, Tigrinya, Afar, Gurage, Wolaytta, etc. languages and simultaniously/at-the-same-time those languages of the places they grew up (and/or learned in school) in like English, French, Spanish, German as well. These are also so witnesses of whole neighborhoods and cities in the diaspora that speak Amharic and other Ethiopian languages, and even some instances of certain cities adopting Amharic and Somali as recognized minority regional languages. There are some people who can’t speak or read their ancestors’ native language, but it is unfair, false, and an out right lie to say that no one (or almost none of the) Ethiopians that grew up in the diaspora can speak Amharic or any other Ethiopian language. [These comments were from @shadeofinjera’s post on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BrsbpfilFsv/]

— — — — :

@bettiassefaw

: I live in Paris, so I can tell you she’s right when saying SOME people don’t like speaking English here but that’s not the whole population and hell that’s their choice. But saying we’re confused no auntie, I think most of us here speak our mother languages better than her. And Im sorry to say this but I feel like sometimes its kinda the parents fault when the kids don’t speak their mother languages.]

@habesha_union

: @bettiassefaw true what you said. But her comparison is wrong, the reason why some French ethno-nationalist speak back to you in French when you ask for directions in English is because they are ignorant and don’t like other people (and that holds them back socially, culturally, and economically), If Ethiopians were to do this in the diaspora, we would all starve to death or be taken advantage of. That’s why it’s good to learn more than one language. A lot of people learn both their mother thongs (plural, multiple languages of their ancestors, not only Amharic) and the language(s) of the place they live in or just learn another language to communicate with other people around the world. I’ve also noticed that the Addis Ababa dialect of Amharic has more newer anglicism (English words) than the North America dialect of Amharic (that has a fair amount of older and more formal words). So, the diaspora kids in the U.S.A. keep in touch with their Ethiopian Culture and languages.]

@habesha_union

: @abyssinia.89 what y’all mean? Everyone speaks Amharic in the Washington Metropolitan Area (DMV), USA 🇺🇸. Everyone you meet while walking around in Downtown Silver Spring, MD most likely speaks Amharic (you can’t tell secrets there). By Law, the local governments have to make translation of most official documents into Amharic. You can even take the driving test in Amharic if you wanted in Washington, D.C.. The local government has its websites in Amharic. I’ll bet in a few years election ballots will also be in Amharic as well in most areas where there is a large Ethiopian population (I’m serious, they already have Spanish, French, Arabic, Korean, Chinese, and many more other languages on election ballots around the U.S.).]

@melaninyouthful

: Her comparison is flawed. Of course while in France you will talk French, just like in Ethiopia you will speak Amharic / Tigrinya, Oromo, etc. in America you Speak English [and many other languages as well]. If a French person grew up in America, it doesn’t matter how much they love French they will learn to talk English [as well as French] in order to grow and flourish in the land thy are in. I believe Habesha diaspora are critiqued so much more than others especially by our own people. It is a different journey to be an immigrant or the child of an immigrant then it is to live in the country where your blood line has lived for years. Our experience and coming of age requires a balance of our parents truth and our own. The truth is my experience as an habesha woman in America is completely different than an habesha woman in Ethiopia/ Eritrea and we have a culture in common but we learn and apply [it] to our lives in different ways. That should be respected. ( this is Not to down play the experience and hardships people face in the mother land at all! ).]

@habesha_union

: There are people who know more that 1 Ethio-Eritrean language, let alone Amharic, in the diaspora communities.]

@meti.xo

: Language doesn’t determine how much you love or know about your country or people , periodt. Ofc its good to know, but it doesn’t mean we don’t love our background as much as the next person.]

@meti.xo

: And u don’t have to know Amharic specifically to be proud of Ethiopia , there are PLENTY of other [ETHIOPIAN] languages .. not knowing Amharic doesn’t mean anything.]

@habesha_union

: She [the women in the video] sounds like she is saying we should only speak Amharic instead of learning English to communicate with other (Its good to learn more than one language, both to remember your culture and to also communicate with others.]

@habesha_union

: What do you mean? Diaspora Ethiopians can speak Amharic, Affan Oromo, Tigriyna, and other Ethiopian languages. Amharic is an officially recognized minority language in many different cities, counties, towns, all over the U.S. and Canada.]

@habesha_union

: @negus109 y’all are wrong. Many diaspora kids can speak Amharic and other Ethio-Eritrean languages.]

@habesha_union

: The Ethiopians in North America have their own dialect of Amharic that uses older words. Amharic speakers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia use more anglicisms (English words) while speaking Amharic than diaspora kids.

@habesha_union

: Y’all know that Ethiopians speak many different languages, 88 languages recognized by the Ethiopian Government, 9 recognized by the Eritrean Government, and the various other languages spoken by the diaspora communities including but not limited to, English, Hebrew, French, Italian, Swedish, German, Spanish, Arabic, etc.]

@ethiopian_.goddess

: I speak 3 languages fluently (English,Amharic and Afaan Oromo) and I’m learning french🤙🏽.]

@hanosaeed

: Teaching kids ur own language i think is a must to keep ur culture and save heritage through generation as knowing language is a key to know more about ur history culture and everything else i think.]

@habesha_union

: @hanosaeed yes, but many people do that. She probably has never seen a whole community of Ethiopian-Americans-Canadians together. A lot of people speak Amharic and other Ethiopian-Eritrean/Horn African languages as well.]

@dariko_go

: I admire her respect for the culture. Its her choice… no need to judge

.]

@habesha_union

: @dariko_go to me it looks like she doesn’t respect the various newer cultures of the Ethiopian diaspora.]

@mc251eth

: @shadesofinjera “Lost”means a lot of things in different aspects but in this case I understood that she means even though we could be from two different cultures and Backgrounds knowing History of our ourself is really important That’s why History is called “ The study of the past to understand today and predict the future” if we started to study our roots and cultures we won’t be confused like we all are today. Doesn’t matter Ethiopian-American or Just Ethiopian knowing History is very important; I believe that’s why most of our parents try to protect us from the “Western Culture” because they know partially or absolutely nothing about it.]

@biriyeworkiye

: I hear what they are saying. There is a sense of pride that comes from knowing where you come from. We are rich in history and tradition and there is strength and beauty in that. Having multiple cultural identities is also a rich and beautiful thing. Most diaspora kids have at least two cultural identities. This is not something to play down in favor of one culture but to cultivate all of our cultural identities and being at peace with where we come from and where we are.]

@soloskeeper

: @michaeltegegne5 she’s crazy I was born in America and I speak Amharic & Tigrinya.]

@ylasem

: I understand the importance of speaking the language, but I think it’s unfair to say that the diaspora kids are confused. Being born & raised in America did make me multicultural, but I have never forgotten where my people come from. Being in such a diverse nation, we are influenced by this country, but most of us have clung to our Ethiopian/Eritrean heritage & culture because it is our identifier. Don’t diminish our identities to “confused” because we grew up away from our land. Our love for our people & country is just the same.]

@rohamieee

: That’s why it’s harder for diasporas to fit in lol because you’re not fully Habesha but you’re not fully “American” or “European” or something, a lot of my family tell me that I’m not fully habesha even though I read and write Amharic lol.]

@rahel_sarkodee

: @rohamieee don’t listen to them you deffinetly are habesha! Beaing born abroad shouldn’t take away your background and culture espesally when you put so much effort to learn it all.]

@tropicalwhitegurl_69

: I speak better amharic than her and born in germany. This woman needs a reality check. The French people don’t speak English because they CAN’T speak English. Their English is the worst I’ve ever heard while traveling through Europe. It is not about keeping honour or motherland love. They just have bad English teachers in their schools. And we are not lost, this is some of the bs they say about diaspora children. Just because you can’t speak the language, doesn’t mean you don’t cherish the traditions and culture our parents teached us.]

@alamin_seid_93

: @tropicalwhitegurl_69 but she [the women in the video] is not ethiopian tho.]

@habesha_union

: @coeur_noir187 in France, it’s just that the ethno-nationalists want to disorient you and confuse you. The people who speak back to you in French when they know English (for the ones who know English), they’re not doing it for their culture they’re doing it for ethno-nationalistic supremacy. French people are well known for this (I’m not saying they’re all ethno-nationalist xenophobes) but this happens sometimes.]

@_edeng

: TBH we need to fluently speak the language of the country we’rein, in order to excel education and work wise. But in saying that it’s good and important to speak the mother tongue/parents language especially when we go back to our countries it’s shameful and disrespectful not to know. Studies have shown bilingual and trilingual people have different and in some way developed brains. So Yes learn the mother tongue. The more the better

.]