The Foreign Service Institute has developed a series of language-learning courses for use by the state department and other government agencies. These courses have been developed, tested by use, and improved over a period of many years. Working with the Departments of Defense, Education, other government agencies, and various universities, the FSI has created the largest body of complete courses for languages of the world available anywhere. This Amharic Text Only Course is provided in a downloadable pdf format for instant access and is excellent course for the student looking for a traditional text oriented course or additional study material to meet their learning needs.

Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia, and is the native language of some 6 million people. It is a member of the Southern Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages. Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990's ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.

Amharic is the official language of the Ethiopian Empire and used in government, in business, in all instruction in government schools, and in most newspapers. It is, however, not the only language spoken in Ethiopia. Amharic belongs to the Southern Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic (formerly called Hamito-Semitic) family of languages. The number of native speakers of Amharic together with the speakers of the other Semitic languages spoken in Ethiopia (such as Tigriniya, Tigre, Harari, Gurage and others) is less than one half the total population of the Empire. The greatest part of Ethiopia is inhabited by speakers of Cushitic languages (another branch of the Afro-Asiatic family) such as Galia, Agaw, Somali and many others. But Amharic is now the language of greatest prestige and anyone who has had any education is able to speak it, even if it is not his mother tongue. Still others learn it informally as a second language. The number of speakers worldwide, including those using it as a second language is estimated to be about 21 million.

The method underlying this course is guided imitation, and the aim is automaticity. Acquiring proficiency in the use of language is like acquiring proficiency in any other skill, for example, driving an automobile: you must practice until the mechanics of driving - or speaking - are reflexive. It is the aim of this course, therefore, to bring students to a condition of automacity' in speaking and understanding everyday Amharic.

The ultimate goal of the course is to speak Amharic accurately, fluently and easily. The course provides for the assimilation of all basic forms and patterns of the language by the guided imitation, memorization, and manipulation of a large number of sentences and by practice through confronting various common everyday situations. But actual living use of the language in free conversation is a necessary and essential adjunct - thus students are encouraged from the start to use the language in every way possible, above and beyond what is provided for in the text. Only by constant use of the skill they are learning can learners hope to master the language and retain it.

This course concentrates on speech and grammar and contains units 1 through 50 in transcription, The following constituents make up a unit:

Grammar and Vocabulary: Basic Sentences Classroom Expressions Structure Sentences Useful Words Grammatical Notes

Drills: Substitution Correlation Transformation Model-Transform Questions and Answer Narrative

1.With Basic Sentences, Structure Sentences, Useful Words, the course speaks the Amharic sentences item by item, repeating each item (a build-up or a sentence) twice for each student. The student repeats the item immediately after the recording trying to imitate the pronunciation. After the Basic Sentences have been thoroughly memorized the student can go on to the the dialogues. This drill is to be continued until the student can go through the dialogue like an actor.

2. Substitution, Correlation and Transformation Drills are to be used in accordance with the instructions given at the beginning of each drill.

3. Model Transform Drills should be drilled in the same way as other Transformation Drills.

4. Questions and Answers are to be drilled as specified below, but they should not be considered complete. If an instructor is present, any question which is within the limits of the student's grammar and vocabulary can be asked, but otherwise, the student can follow along with the recording. Some questions may require informational answers, some others simply 'yes' or 'no ' answers. Questions requiring informational answers are to be drilled as follows:  The student should repeat the question and gives an answer. The student should  answer with what is written in the book and the student repeats it as a further drill. Questions requiring 'yes' or 'no' answers should be drilled in the same way, i.e. the student repeats the question and then gives either an affirmative or a negative answer.

5. With the Narrative, the recording (or instructor) goes through sentences that illustrate new vocabulary items, as with the Basic Sentences. After the students have thus familiarized themselves with the new words the recording goes through the whole Narrative at a natural speed. The student listens for comprehension, books closed, and then summarises in English as much as is understood of the Narrative. This drill is continued until the students are thoroughly familiar with the material. The recording then asks questions listed at the end of each Narrative and the student answers them as completely as possible using words contained in the Narrative.

Students must keep in mind that there is no one correct way of speaking Amharic. Due to the poor system of communications in Ethiopia Amharic has developed various local dialects. There is an especially marked difference in pronunciation, in vocabulary, and even in grammar between the northern Gojjami and the southern Showa dialects. The purpose of this course is to teach the language as it is spoken in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa Amharic contains elements of a variety of dialects. The student should have this in mind and should always follow the manner of speech of the instructor even if their speech varies somewhat from what is indicated in this course.

This Amharic Text Only Course is provided in a downloadable pdf format for instant access.