Semitic languages
The Semitic languages (sem) constitute a group of related languages and a branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Spoken by more than 470 million people throughout North Africa and Southwest Asia, the most widely spoken Semitic languages are Arabic, Maltese, Hebrew, Amharic, and Tigrigna.
The master plan involves generating independent finite-state transducers for each language, and then making individual dictionaries and transfer rules for every pair. The current status of these goals is listed below.
Status[edit]
The ultimate goal is to have multi-purposable transducers for a variety of Semitic languages. These can then be paired for X→Y translation with the addition of a CG for language X and transfer rules / dictionary for the pair X→Y. Below is listed development progress for each language's transducers and dictionary pairs.
Transducers[edit]
Once a transducer has ~80% coverage on a range of medium-large corpora we can say it is "working". Over 90% and it can be considered to be "production".
| name | language | native name | ISO 639 | formalism | state | stems | paradigms | coverage | location | primary authors | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -2 | -3 | ||||||||||
apertium-heb
|
Hebrew | עִבְרִית | he
|
heb
|
lttoolbox | development | 20,932 | 358 | apertium-ara-heb (incubator) | Sagie Maoz, missmaryx | |
apertium-mlt
|
Maltese | Malti | mt
|
mlt
|
lttoolbox | development | 7,371 | 758 | apertium-mlt (languages) | Fran, Unhammer, Maria Fronczak, Sagie Maoz | |
apertium-ara
|
Arabic | العربية | ar
|
ara
|
lttoolbox | development | 6,143 | 1,009 | apertium-ara-heb (incubator) | Maria Fronczak, missmaryx | |
Existing language pairs[edit]
Text in italics denotes language pairs in the incubator. Regular text denotes a developing language pair in staging, while text in bold denotes a stable well-working language pair in trunk and text in bold and italics denotes a pair in staging. Bidix stems as counted with dixcounter are displayed below.
| heb | mlt | ara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| heb | - | mt-he 3,634 |
ara-heb 131 |
| mlt | mt-he 3,634 |
- | mt-ar 7,570 |
| ara | ara-heb 131 |
mt-ar 7,570 |
- |
| eng | en-mt 814 |
||
| epo | eo-he 1,505 |
||
| spa | mlt-spa 137 |
Semitic languages by subgroup[edit]
There are six fairly uncontroversial nodes within the Semitic languages:
- East Semitic languages: Akkadian, Eblaite (extinct)
- Central Semitic languages
- Northwest Semitic languages: Aramaic, Canaanite languages, Hebrew
- Arabic languages: Classical Arabic, Standard Arabic, Maltese, etc.
- South Semitic languages
- Western: Ethiopic languages (Amharic, Tigrinya, etc.) and Old South Arabian languages (Sabaean, Minaean, Qatabānian, Ḥaḑramitic, etc.)
- Eastern: Modern South Arabian languages (Bathari, Harsusi, Hobyót, Mehri, Shehri, Soqotri)
Samples[edit]
Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
| Language | Text |
|---|---|
| Arabic | يولد جميع الناس أحرارًا متساوين في الكرامة والحقوق. وقد وهبوا عقلاً وضميرًا وعليهم أن يعامل بعضهم بعضًا بروح الإخاء. |
| Maltese | Il-bnedmin kollha jitwieldu ħielsa u ugwali fid-dinjità u d-drittijiet. Huma mogħnija bir-raġuni u bil-kuxjenza u għandhom iġibu ruħhom ma’ xulxin bi spirtu ta’ aħwa. |
| Hebrew | כל בני אדם נולדו בני חורין ושווים בערכם ובזכויותיהם. כולם חוננו בתבונה ובמצפון, לפיכך חובה עליהם לנהוג איש ברעהו ברוח של אחוה. |
| Amharic | የሰው፡ልጅ፡ሁሉ፡ሲወለድ፡ነጻና፡በክብርና፡በመብትም፡እኩልነት፡ያለው፡ነው።፡የተፈጥሮ፡ማስተዋልና፡ሕሊና፡ስላለው፡አንዱ፡ሌላውን፡በወንድማማችነት፡መንፈስ፡መመልከት፡ይገባዋል። |
| Tigrigna | ብመንፅር ክብርን መሰልን ኩሎም ሰባት እንትውለዱ ነፃን ማዕሪን እዮም፡፡ ምስትውዓልን ሕልናን ዝተዓደሎም ብምዃኖም ንሕድሕዶም ብሕውነታዊ መንፈስ ክተሓላለዩ ኦለዎም፡፡ |
Vulnerability[edit]
This table summarizes the vulnerability of various Semitic languages. Data is derived from the ‘Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, © UNESCO, http://www.unesco.org/culture/languages-atlas’ and Ethnologue.
| Language | ISO639-3 | Location | Speakers | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnologue | UNESCO | ||||
| Jewish Babylonian Aramaic | tmr
|
Iraq | 0 | 10 (Extinct) | - |
| Mlahsö | lhs
|
Syrian Arab Republic | 0 | 10 (Extinct) | 5 (Extinct) |
| Mandaic, Classical | myz
|
Iran | 0 | 10 (Extinct) | - |
| Mesmes | mys
|
Ethiopia | 0 | 10 (Extinct) | - |
| Syriac | syc
|
Turkey | 0 | 9 (Dormant) | - |
| Hebrew, Ancient | hbo
|
Israel | 0 | 9 (Dormant) | - |
| Geez | gez
|
Ethiopia | 0 | 9 (Second language only) | 5 (Extinct) |
| Samaritan Aramaic | sam
|
Palestine | 620 | 9 (Dormant) | - |
| Samaritan | smp
|
Palestine | 620 | 9 (Dormant) | - |
| Barzani Jewish Neo-Aramaic | bjf
|
Israel & Iraq | 20 | 8b (Nearly extinct) | 5 (Extinct) |
| Bathari | bhm
|
Oman | 200 | 8b (Nearly extinct) | 4 (Critically endangered) |
| Senaya | syn
|
Iran | 460 | 8b (Nearly extinct) | 4 (Critically endangered) |
| Hobyót | hoh
|
Oman, Yemen | 100 | 8a (Moribund) | 3 (Severely endangered) |
| Arabic, Uzbeki Spoken | auz
|
Uzbekistan | 700 | 8a (Moribund) | - |
| Hulaulá | huy
|
Israel & Iran | 10,350 | 8a (Moribund) | 5 (Extinct) |
| Soqotri | sqt
|
Yemen | 64,000 | 8a (Moribund) | 3 (Severely endangered) |
| Harsusi | hss
|
Oman | 600 | 7 (Shifting) | 2 (Definitely endangered) |
| Bohtan Neo-Aramaic | bhn
|
Georgia, Russian Federation | 1,000 | 7 (Shifting) | 3 (Severely endangered) |
| Arabic, Cypriot Spoken | acy
|
Cyprus | 1,300 | 7 (Shifting) | 3 (Severely endangered) |
| Lishanid Noshan | aij
|
Israel & Iraq | 2,200 | 7 (Shifting) | 5 (Extinct) |
| Lishán Didán | trg
|
Israel & Iran | 4,450 | 7 (Shifting) | 5 (Extinct) |
| Mandaic | mid
|
Iran, Iraq | 5,500 | 7 (Shifting) | 4 (Critically endangered) |
| Lishana Deni | lsd
|
Israel & Iraq | 7,500 | 7 (Shifting) | 5 (Extinct) |
| Western Neo-Aramaic | amw
|
Syrian Arab Republic | 15,000 | 7 (Shifting) | 2 (Definitely endangered) |
| Arabic, Judeo-Tripolitanian | yud
|
Israel | 35,000 | 7 (Shifting) | - |
| Arabic, Judeo-Tunisian | ajt
|
Israel | 45,500 | 7 (Shifting) | 3 (Severely endangered) |
| Mehri | gdq
|
Oman, Yemen | 115,200 | 7 (Shifting) | 2 (Definitely endangered) |
| Arabic, Judeo-Iraqi | yhd
|
Israel | 151,820 | 7 (Shifting) | - |
| Chaldean Neo-Aramaic | cld
|
Iraq | 206,000 | 7 (Shifting) | - |
| Arabic, Judeo-Moroccan | aju
|
Israel | 258,930 | 7 (Shifting) | 2 (Definitely endangered) |
| Zay | zwa
|
Ethiopia | 4,880 | 6b (Threatened) | 3 (Severely endangered) |
| Arabic, Tajiki Spoken | abh
|
Tajikistan | 6,000 | 6b (Threatened) | - |
| Shehri | shv
|
Oman | 25,000 | 6b (Threatened) | 3 (Severely endangered) |
| Argobba | agj
|
Ethiopia | 43,700 | 6b (Threatened) | 4 (Critically endangered) |
| Turoyo | tru
|
Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey | 62,000 | 6b (Threatened) | 3 (Severely endangered) |
| Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | aii
|
Iraq | 232,300 | 6b (Threatened) | - |
| Koy Sanjaq Surat | kqd
|
Iraq | 800 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Hértevin | hrt
|
Turkey | 1,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | 4 (Critically endangered) |
| Dahalik | dlk
|
Eritrea | 2,500 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Harari | har
|
Ethiopia | 25,800 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Shihhi Spoken | ssh
|
United Arab Emirates | 27,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Judeo-Yemeni | jye
|
Israel | 51,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Dhofari Spoken | adf
|
Oman | 70,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Algerian Saharan Spoken | aao
|
Algeria | 130,500 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Mesqan | mvz
|
Ethiopia | 195,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Kistane | gru
|
Ethiopia | 255,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Inor | ior
|
Ethiopia | 280,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Hadrami Spoken | ayh
|
Yemen | 410,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Spoken | avl
|
Egypt | 1,690,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Gulf Spoken | afb
|
Iraq | 3,601,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Hijazi Spoken | acw
|
Saudi Arabia | 6,023,900 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, North Mesopotamian Spoken | ayp
|
Iraq | 6,300,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Ta’izzi-Adeni Spoken | acq
|
Yemen | 7,078,500 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Sanaani Spoken | ayn
|
Yemen | 7,600,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Arabic, Sa’idi Spoken | aec
|
Egypt | 19,000,000 | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Wolane | wle
|
Ethiopia | ? | 6a (Vigorous) | - |
| Sebat Bet Gurage | sgw
|
Ethiopia | 440000 | 5 (Developing) | - |
| Arabic, Omani Spoken | acx
|
Oman | 853,900 | 5 (Developing) | - |
| Silt’e | stv
|
Ethiopia | 935,000 | 4 (Educational) | - |
| Tigré | tig
|
Eritrea | 1,050,000 | 4 (Educational) | - |
| Arabic, Baharna Spoken | abv
|
Bahrain | 310,000 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Chadian Spoken | shu
|
Chad | 1,139,100 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Sudanese Spoken | apd
|
Sudan | 1,833,000 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Hassaniyya | mey
|
Mauritania | 3,278,190 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Libyan Spoken | ayl
|
Libya | 4,320,500 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, South Levantine Spoken | ajp
|
Jordan | 6,200,000 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Tunisian Spoken | aeb
|
Tunisia | 9,406,900 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Najdi Spoken | ars
|
Saudi Arabia | 9,670,000 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, North Levantine Spoken | apc
|
Syria | 14,426,540 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken | acm
|
Iraq | 15,100,000 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Moroccan Spoken | ary
|
Morocco | 21,048,600 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Algerian Spoken | arq
|
Algeria | 27,997,000 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Arabic, Egyptian Spoken | arz
|
Egypt | 53,990,000 | 3 (Wider communication) | - |
| Tigrigna | tir
|
Ethiopia | 6,915,000 | 2 (Provincial) | - |
| Maltese | mlt
|
Malta | 429,000 | 1 (National) | - |
| Hebrew | heb
|
Israel | 5,302,770 | 1 (National) | - |
| Amharic | amh
|
Ethiopia | 21,811,560 | 1 (National) | - |
| Arabic, Standard | arb
|
Saudi Arabia | 206,000,000 | 1 (National) | - |
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Semitic languages", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
