Distribution of African Language Information Resources Within UCLA Libraries

UCLA Library Information Resources on African Languages

Distribution of Vernacular and General Collection among Key African Languages in UCLA Libraries

Language and its alternate name(s)

Codes

Classification

Countries spoken and number of speakers

Number of institutions in the US that have taught the language

C=University/college

S=Summer

SA=Study abroad program

P=Primary/local schools

DE=Distance Educ..

Enrollment numbers in US Institutions of Higher Education (2006)

Number of materials based on search strategies and collection analysis tools (as of September 2007)

Vernacular materials

(click for lists)

General materials from

Publication Year Range

UCLA Library Catalogue

A: by Keyword

B: by Keyword+’language’

C: by Title

D: by Title+’language’

LIT Data

Mart (click for tables)

Afrikaans

MARC-LC: afr

ISO 639-3: afr

Family: Indo-European
Group: Germanic
Subgroup: West Germanic

South Africa, Namibia, Botswana

(5,965,879)

C: 10

SA: 1

3995

A: 2144

B: 312

C: 239

D: 7

4616

1878-2007

Amharic (Amhara, Abyssinian, Ethiopian)

MARC-LC: amh

ISO 639-3: amh

Family: Afro-Asiatic

Group: Semitic

Sub-Groups: Central Semiticà Ethio-Semitic

Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt (21,000,000)

C: 13

S: 2

SA: 1

(UCLA: 6)

902

A: 742 (Amhara: 35; Amharic OR Amhara: 776)

B: 167

C: 143

D: 10

1032

1698-2006

Bambara

(Bamanakan)

MARC-LC: bam

ISO 639-3: bam

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Mande

Sub-Groups: Western MandeàCentral-Southwestern Mande

Mali, Burkina-Faso, Cote d’lvoire, Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal (2,786,385)

C: 9

S: 1

SA: 1

A: 222

(Bamanankan:: 12; Bambara OR Bamanankan: 222)

B: 81 (Bamanankan: 10); Bambara or (Bamanankan: 81)

C: 90 (Bamanankan:: 12; Bambara OR Bamanankan: 99)

D: 0 (Bamanankan: 1; Bambara OR Bamanankan: 1)

1825-2006

Berber (Tamazight)

MARC-LC: ber

ISO 639-3: tzm

Family: Afro-Asiatic

Group: Berber

Sub-Groups: Northern BerberàAtlas

Morocco, Algeria (3,500,000)

C: 1

SA: 1

A: 279 (Tamazight: 44; Berber OR Tamazight:: 312 )

B: 56 (Tamazight : 28; Berber OR Tamazight:: 77)

C: 52 (Tamazight 17; Berber OR Tamazight:: 40)

D: 1 (Tamazight:: 0; Berber OR Tamazight::1)

1844-2007

Ewe

(Gbe)

MARC-LC: ewe

ISO 639-3: ewe

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Subgroups: Volta-CongoàKwaàLeft Bank Kwa

Ghana, Togo (3,112,400)

C: 1

A: 282 (Gbe: 37; Ewe OR Gbe: 306)

B: 81 (Gbe:10; Ewe OR Gbe language: 82)

C: 149 (Gbe: 23; Ewe OR Gbe: 169 )

D: 10 (Gbe: 1; Ewe OR Gbe: 10)

1890-2005

Fulani

(Fulfulde, Fula, Fulbe, Peul, Peulh, Pulaar)

MARC-LC: ful

ISO 639-3: fuq

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Sub-Groups: Northern West Atlanticà SenegambiaàFula-Wolof

Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal , Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Cameroon, Gambia, Benin (15,000,000)

C: 3

A: 147 (Fula: 343; Pulaar:24; Fulfulde:44; Fulbe:53; Peul:88; Peulh:3; Fulani OR Fula: 437; Fulani OR Fula OR Fulbe: 452; Fulani OR Fula OR Fulfulde: 445)

B: 16 (Fula:124; Pulaar:6; Fulfulde:31; Fulbe:7; Peul:24; Peulh:1; Fulani OR Fula: 131; Fulani OR Fula OR Fulbe: 133; Fulani OR Fula OR Fulfulde: 132 )

C:64 (Fula:21; Pulaar:21; Fulfulde:38; Fulbe:43; Peul: 70; Peulh: 2)

D: 1 ((Fula:0; Pulaar:0; Fulfulde:3; Fulbe:1; Peul: 0; Peulh: 0)

1841-2006

Hausa

(Hausawa, Haoussa)

MARC-LC: hau

ISO 639-3: hau

Family: Afro-Asiatic

Group: Chadic

Sub-Group: West Chadic

Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Togo (24,162,000)

C: 15

SA: 1

DE: 1

879

A: 1285 (Hausawa:6; Haoussa: 22; Hausa OR Hausawa: 1286; Hausa OR Hausawa OR Haoussa: 1295)

B: 896 (Hausawa: 3; Haoussa: 9; Hausa OR Hausawa: 896; Hausa OR Hausawa Haoussa: 897)

C: 375 (Hausawa: 6; Haoussa: 20)

D: 29 (Hausawa: 0; Haoussa: 1)

995

1876-2007

Igbo

(Ibo)

MARC-LC: ibo

ISO 639-3: ibo

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Sub-Groups: Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo àWest Benue-Congo à Igboid

Nigeria (18,000,000)

C: 5

125

A: 751

B: 210 (Ibo: 29)

C: 383 (Ibo: 70)

D: 19 (Ibo: 2)

114

1900-2007

Lingala

(Ngala)

MARC-LC: lin

ISO 639-3: lin

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Sub-Groups: Volta Congo àBenue-CongoàEast Benue-Congoà Bantu

Congo DR, Central African Rep, Congo (2,139,202)

C: 5

S: 1

A: 68

B: 47

C: 54

D: 0

1900-2005

Malagasy

(Malgache)

MARC-LC: mlg

ISO 639-2: mlg

Family: Austronesian

Group: Malayo-Polynesian

Sub-Groups: Western Malayo-Polynesianà BorneoàBarito East

Madagascar, Comoro Is., Reunion (9,398,700)

C: 3

105

A: 512 (Malgache: 377; Malagasy OR Malgache: 783)

B: 110 (Malgache:46; Malagasy OR Malgache: 114)

C: 121 (Malgache: 296)

D: 4

135

1729-2007

Mende

MARC-LC: men

ISO 639-3: men

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Mande

Sub-Groups: Western Mandeà Southwestern Mande

Sierra-Leone, Liberia (1,480,000)

C: 2

A: 180

B: 21

C: 51

D: 4

1900-2003

Oromo

(Afaan Oromo, Oromoo, Borana)

MARC-LC: orm

ISO 639-3: gaz

Family: Afro-Asiatic

Group: Cushitic

Sub-Group: East Cushitic

Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya (8,920,000)

C: 1

A: 122 (Afaan: 8)

B: 41 (Afaan: 6)

C: 51 (Afaan: 7)

D: 8 (Afaan: 0)

1844-2006

Shona

(Chishona)

MARC-LC: sna

ISO 639-3: sna

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Sub-Groups: Volta-CongoàBenue-Congoà East-BenueàBantu

Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia

(10,704,222)

C: 10

SA: 1

DE: 1

A: 445 (Chishona: 3)

B: 211

C: 161

D: 4

316

1928-2007

Somali

MARC-LC: som

ISO 639-3: som

Family: Afro-Asiatic

Group: Cushitic

Sub-Group: East Cushitic

Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya

(12,653,480)

C: 3

SA: 1

A: 376

B: 64

C: 228

D: 13

1900-2007

Swahili

(Kiswahili)

MARC-LC: swa

ISO 639-3: swh

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Sub-Groups: Volta-CongoàBenue-Congoà East-BenueàBantu

Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Somalia, Mozambique, Congo DR, Zambia (50,000,000)

C: 119

S: 3

SA: 9

P: 1

DE: 2

2,163

(UCLA: 89)

1100

A: 1265 (Kiswahili: 222; Swahili OR Kiswahili: 1306)

B: 759 (Kiswahili: 154; Swahili OR Kiswahili: 762)

C: 391 (Kiswahili: 164)

D: 38 (Kiswahili: 10)

904

1850-2007

Tigrinya

(Tigrigna; Tigray)

MARC-LC: tir

ISO 639-3: tir

Family: Afro-Asiatic

Group: Semitic

Sub-Groups: Central SemiticàEthio-Semitic

Ethiopia, Eritrea

(5,135,000)

C: 2

A: 110 (Tigray: 42; Tigrinya or Tigray: 144)

B: 50 (Tigray: 4; Tigrinya OR Tigray: 50)

C: 11

D: 1

1895-2005

Twi

(Akan, Asante, Fante)

MARC-LC: twi

ISO 639-3: aka

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Subgroups: Volta-Congo àKwaàPotou-Tanoà Akan

Ghana,

(8,300,000)

C: 21

SA: 1

DE: 1

(UCLA: 3)

A: 146 (Akan: 277; Asante: 204; Fante: 96; Twi OR Akan OR Asante: 584; Twi OR Akan OR Fante: 491)

B: 90 (Akan: 43; Asante: 25; Fante: 15; Twi OR Akan OR Asante: 132; Twi OR Akan OR Fante: 130)

C: 62 (Akan: 167; Asante: 78; Fante: 36)

D: 9 ((Akan: 4; Asante: 4, Fante: 6)

1854-2007

Wolof

MARC-LC: wol

ISO 639-3: wol

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Sub-Groups: Atlanticà Northern West Atlanticà àSenegambianàFula-Wolof

Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania (3,612,560)

C: 20

S: 1

SA: 1

122

A: 214

B: 109

C: 119

D: 4

1825-2007

Xhosa

(IsiKhosa)

MARC-LC: xho

ISO 639-3: xho

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo
Subgroups: Volta-Congo à Benue-Congoà East Benue-Congoà Bantu

South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho

(7,196,118)

C: 11

SA: 3

DE: 3

230

A: 374

B: 184

C: 128

D: 1

252

1850-2007

Yoruba

MARC-LC: yor

ISO 639-3: yor

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo

Sub-Groups: Volta-Congoà Benue-Congoà West Benue-Congo à Yoruboid

Nigeria, Benin, Togo (19,327,000.)

C: 34

S: 1

SA: 2

P: 1

265

(UCLA: 6)

444

A: 1283

B: 465

C: 600

D: 42

431

1852-2007

Zulu

(IsiZulu)

MARC-LC: zul

ISO 639-3: zul

Family: Niger-Congo

Group: Atlantic-Congo
Subgroups: Volta-Congo àBenue-CongoàEast Benue-CongoàBantu

South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland (9,142,000.)

C: 19

S: 2

SA: 4

DE: 2

132

226

A: 852

B: 281

C: 365

D: 15

283

1847-2007

All

Afro-Asiatic: 6

Austronesian: 1

Indo-European: 1

Niger-Congo: 13

241,534,946

[Estimated population (2007):

Africa: 945.3m

Sub-Saharan Africa: 747.6m]

C: 307

S: 11

SA: 27

DE: 10

P: 2

2927

8479

4,230-12,213

9642

1698-2007

Sources: Ethnoloque; Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA); United Nations Population Fund; MARC Code List for Languages, Library of Congress; UCLA-Library Catalogue; UCLA-Library DataMart (Discovery); Modern Language Association Report

[Compiled by Janet Kaaya, CLIR Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLA-Young Research Library. Please send her your comments]

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