Mehri language

Spoken in

• Afro-Asiatic languages Semitic languages Südsemitische languages South Arabian languages Mehri

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GDQ

Mehri is a Semitic language. It belongs to the Dschibbali and the Soqotri to the group of South Arabic languages ​​, in their development still considerable work required in the Semitic prevails.

Mehri was already spoken in pre-Islamic South Arabia. After Islamization no indigenous scriptural tradition was formed. To date, there is an unwritten language.

Distribution

The Mehri is spoken in Yemen and Oman. It is divided into three dialects:

1 the Omani dialect of the Highlands,

2 the Bedouin dialects in Yemen,

3 the dialects of the coastal towns in Yemen.

Mehri is also spoken by many workers employed in Kuwait from the south of the Arabian Peninsula.

History of Exploration

First language skills came through travelers, including Heinrich von Maltzan (1873 ) and Wilhelm Hein ( 1901-1902 ), to Europe, more extensive speech samples yielded a Viennese South Arabia Expedition of 1898 /99 the materials in the years 1900-1920 published and grammatically were evaluated.

A Mehri dictionary emerged from the research of Thomas M. Johnstone. A since the early 80s working in Yemen French mission linguistique has contributed significantly in many individual studies to better understand the South Arabic languages, but so far not larger text collections.