The Ge'ez or Ethiopic script possibly developed from the
Sabaean/Minean script. The earliest known
inscriptions in the Ge'ez script date to the 5th century BC. At first
the script represented only consonants. Vowel indication started to
appear in 4th century AD during the reign of king Ezana, though might
have developed at a earlier date.
Notable Features
Type of writing system: abugida (አቡጊዳ)
Writing direction: left to right in horizontal lines.
Each symbol represents a syllable consisting of a consonant plus
a vowel. The basic signs are modified in a number of different ways
to indicate the various vowels.
There is no standard way of transliterating the Ge'ez script
into the Latin alphabet.
Used to write
Ge'ez (ግዕዝ), the classical language
of Ethiopia which is still used as a liturgical language by Ethiopian
christians and the Beta Israel Jewish community of Ethiopia.
Amharic (ኣማርኛ),
the national language of Ethiopia, has about 27 million speakers.
It is spoken mainly in North Central Ethiopia. There are Amharic
speakers in a number of other countries, particularly in Egypt,
Israel and Sweden.
These numerals developed from the Greek
alphabet, possibly via Coptic.
Sample texts in Ge'ez
Translation
Word of blessing of Henok, wherewith he blessed the chosen and righteous
who would be alive in the day of tribulation for the removal of all wrongdoers
and backsliders. (The first sentence of the Book of Enoch)
Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
tawaldu kwellu sab' ge'uzan wa 'erruyan bamaa'reg wahhegg. bomu hhhellinaa wa 'aql wa yetgebbaru 'ahadu mesla 'ahadu ba manfasa 'hewennaa
Translation
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.
