Tigrinya – English Dictionary

Tigrinya language

Tigrinya, often written as Tigrigna /tɪˈɡriːnjə/^[3] (ትግርኛ, tigriñā) is an Afro-Asiatic language, belonging to the family’s Semitic branch. It is spoken by ethnic Tigray-Tigrinya in the Horn of Africa. Tigrigna speakers primarily inhabit the Tigray Region in northern Ethiopia (57%), where its speakers are called Tigrawot (“Tigrāweyti”(female ) or “Tigraway”(male) -singular- and “Tegaru” -plural-), as well as the contiguous borders of southern and central Eritrea (43%), where speakers are known as the Tigrigna. Tigrigna is also spoken by groups of emigrants from these regions, including some Beta Israel.

Tigrigna should not be confused with the related Tigre language. The latter Afro-Asiatic language is spoken by the Tigre people, who inhabit the lowland regions of Eritrea to the north and west of the Tigrigna speech area