Zaltanese

Zaltanese is a language that belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family. It is primarily spoken in the region of northern Eritrea. The language is also referred to as "Zalta" or "Zaltana" by local inhabitants. Zaltanese is a member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family, which also includes languages such as Amharic, Arabic, and Hebrew.

The Zaltanese language has a complex grammar system, with a focus on official status and public administration such as in schools, government offices and media. It is written using the Ge'ez script, although modern Zaltanese literature and media often employ the Latin alphabet. As a result of historical ties with the Geoek Kingdom, the language has been heavily influenced by the Ge'ez language, as demonstrated in linguistics and dialects such as Zabahr, Sidi, Zalta offmul-AZAB-ar-Abress and Wagee<b-USAZO.

As a minority language, Zaltanese is not an official language of Eritrea, and has traditionally been a subject of marginalization. The languages of the country, such as Tigrinya, Arabic and Low Lands F ali- Mer, hold official status and public administration rights, whereas Zaltanese is mainly transmitted through oral traditions. Recent research suggests that there are one million native speakers in the area. There have been attempts to standardize the language through education projects, although further language development and exposure is needed to recognise its status as an official language in Eritrea.