|
The official languages of Chad are French and Arabic,
but not all Chadians speak these languages. Many people in the south do
not speak Arabic, and in the north, many people do not speak French. Among
the 200 ethnic groups and subgroups in Chad, there are more than 100
different languages.
French is most common in the cities, towns and larger
villages; it is the working language of government and business. Arabic is
more widely spoken in the north of the country. There are many Arabic
dialects in Chad, including several that are similar to Libyan Arabic
and others that resemble the Arabic spoken in Sudan. Arabic is not only
the language of Islam's holy book, the Qur'an, but the language
of commerce, spoken by traders in marketplaces. Chadian Arabic has become
a common language for communicating among certain ethnic groups. |
|
Did you know? |
|
Of the four major language families in Africa, three
are represented in Chad: the Nilo-Saharan, the Afro-Asiatic and the
Congo-Kordofanian. Only the Khoisan languages of southern Africa are
not represented.
|
| |
|
Greetings are of great importance in Chad. They may
be long and elaborate and require a ritualized response. The type of greeting
depends on the age of the person addressed or the time of day. In some cultures
in the south, it is considered impolite to look directly into the eyes of
older people or people with authority. Some groups feel that watching people
while they eat is disrespectful.
In many places, it is customary to offer a gift to guests
when they arrive. In the north, this could be tea, dried okra powder or natron.
The right hand is used to shake hands, to eat and to give and receive gifts.
The left hand is believed to be the "unclean" hand and is not used for these
activities. |
|
|
English |
Sara Kaba |
Chadian Arabic |
| Yes |
Ayo |
Aiwa |
| No |
Aan-an |
La |
| Good morning |
Ndourouwo! |
Sabah al kheir |
| How are you? |
Ye nere? |
Kef halak? |
| I am fine |
Ye boulo |
Afia! |
| Thank you |
An Gain |
Shokran |
|
|
Did you know? |
|
La Voix du Paysan (The Peasant's Voice), which
began operating in 1997, is a private radio station owned by the Catholic
Church. Located in Doba, it broadcasts locally produced programming, including
news coverage and political commentary in French and indigenous languages,
over a 220-kilometre range.
|
| |
|