More than 25 million people worldwide speak Amharic — the official language of Ethiopia — as their native language. Pitt offers a range of African languages intermittently, including the Nigerian language Yoruba and the South African language Xhosa, but only when they are able to find instructors for them. Swahili is currently the only permanently standing African language with a full-time professor in the University Center for International Studies. Macrina Lelei, the acting director of the Africana studies program, wrote a proposal last year to fund another African language in an effort to expand the Africana Studies program at Pitt. “I think there is plenty opportunity with this language for students who learn Amharic,” Zeleke said.

Source: Ethiopian News September 28, 2017 03:00 UTC