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Semitic languages, Family of Afro-Asiatic languages spoken by more than 200 million people in northern Africa and South Asia. No other language family has been attested in writing over a greater time span—from the late 3rd millennium bce to the present.
Apr 15, 2024 · Semite, name given in the 19th century to a member of any people who speak one of the Semitic languages, a family of languages spoken primarily in parts of western Asia and Africa.
The Semitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family, which originated in the Middle East. Semitic languages are spoken by more than 470 million people across much of Western Asia, North Africa and the Horn of Africa, as well as in large communities of people from different countries in North America and Europe.
Jun 8, 2018 · The Semitic languages divide into three sub-branches: North West Semitic (including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Eblaite); North East Semitic (consisting of Akkadian); and Central and Southern Semitic (including Arabic, South Arabian, and Ethiopic). Only Hebrew and Arabic survived to develop modern forms.
The Semitic languages are among the earliest written languages of the world. More importantly, however, they are the first languages to use the alphabetic form of writing, a “computerization” of human sounds, representing the most revolutionary ancient step taken in the history of writing.
UCLA offers a wide variety of courses in Semitic languages including Akkadian, Aramaic, Arabic, Hebrew, Ugaritic, and Syriac. In addition, related languages such as Sumerian, Hittite, Luwian, and Egyptian are also offered.
Central Semitic languages are one of the three groups of West Semitic languages, alongside Modern South Arabian languages and Ethiopian Semitic languages. Central Semitic can itself be further divided into two groups: Arabic and Northwest Semitic.
