Portal:Constructed languages/Language of the month/July 2007

Afrihili is a constructed language designed in 1970 by K. A. Kumi Attobrah to be used as a lingua franca in all of Africa. The name of the language is a combination of Africa and Swahili. The author, a native of Akrokerri in Ghana, originally conceived of the idea in 1967 while on a sea voyage from English Dover to French Calais. His intention was that "it would promote unity and understanding among the different peoples of the continent, reduce costs in printing due to translations and promote trade". It is meant to be easy for Africans to learn.

Afrihili draws its phonology, morphology and syntax from various African languages. The lexicon covers as many African languages as possible, as well as words from many other sources "so Africanized that they do not appear foreign", although no specific etymologies are indicated by the author.

The language uses the Latin alphabet with the addition of two vowel symbols, and, which denote the same sounds as in IPA, namely open-mid front and back vowels, as in several Western African languages like Ewe and Yorùbá. Find out more...