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PAPER A MOBILE BASED TIGRIGNA LANGUAGE LEARNING TOOL A Mobile Based Tigrigna Language Learning Tool http://dx.doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v9i2.4322 Hailay Kidu University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia Abstract—Mobile learning (ML) refers to the use of mobile Currently many people visit Tigray - or hope to do so and handheld IT devices such as Personal Digital Assistants one day - because of the remarkable manner in which (PDAs), mobile telephones, laptops and tablet PC technolo- ancient historical traditions have been preserved. There- gies, in teaching and learning. Mobile learning is a new form fore anybody who wishes to visit or stay in Tigray and in of learning, using mobile network and tools, expanding Eritrea can learn the language for communication in for- digital learning channel, gaining educational information, mal class from schools, colleges or Universities. But there educational resources and educational services anytime, is no why that provides learning out of the formal class anywhere .Mobile phone is superior to a computer in porta- [2][3]. bility. This technology also facilitates the learning by your- Tigrigna is the third most spoken language in Ethiopia, self process. Learning without teacher is easy in this scenar- after Amharic and Oromo, and by far the most spoken in io. The technology encourages learn anytime and anywhere. Eritrea. It is also spoken by large immigrant communities Learning a language is different from any other subject as it around the world, in countries including Sudan, Saudi combines explicit learning of vocabulary and language rules Arabia, Germany, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom, with unconscious skills development in the fluent applica- tion of both these things. This can only happen when lan- Canada and the United States. Any interested Non- Ti- guage learners are exposed in authentic language use for grigna speaking citizens may also learn. Tigrigna lan- many hours every week and this is something that mobile guage consists of around 300 alphabets and the language technologies can easily support. This article focuses on itself is highly inflectional, from one root word we can “Mobile Based Tigrigna Language Learning Tool” and drive many words with different meaning. Therefore implemented a tool for learn it. learning this language will take considerable amount of time. Even though the use of mobile phones is growing, !"#$%& '$()*+Mobile, Learning, Tigrigna and Language, there is no work done on Tigrigna mobile learning Tool. Language learning II. RELATED WORK I. INTRODUCTION Tigray forms the northernmost reaches of Ethiopia, and In Ethiopia, Tigrinya is the third most spoken language is located between 36 degrees and 40 degrees east longi- and the "Tigray" are the third largest ethnic group, after tude. Its north-south extent spans 12 and half degrees to the Oromo and Amhara. In Eritrea, Tigrigna is by far the 15 degrees north. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, most spoken language, and they represent 55% of the Sudan to the west, Amhara to the southwest and afar in population. Tigrinian, Tigrinyan, [15] is a Semitic language the east. It is a very historic region noted for its custodian- spoken in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia (its speakers ship of one of the powerful civilizations of the ancient there are called "Tigraway") by the Tigrinya people, world, which was centered here from at least 400 BC to where it has official status, and in central Eritrea, where it the 10th century AD. Spreading far beyond modern Tig- is one of the two main languages of Eritrea, and, and ray, it molded the earliest culture of Ethiopia and left among groups of emigrants from these regions, including many historical treasures towering finely carved stele, the some of the Beta Israel now living in Israel. There is no remains of extensive palaces, and the ancient places of generally agreed upon name for the people who speak worship are still vibrant with culture and pageantry [15]. Tigrinya. A native of Tigray is referred to in Tigrinya as The name of the language is Tigrinya. Tigrinya is de- tigr!w!y (male), tigr!weyt" (female), tigr!w#t or tegaru scended from an ancient Semiticlanguage called Ge'ez. (plural)[1]. In Eritrea, Tigrinya speakers are officially The Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches officially known as the Bihér-Tigrigna which means nation of Ti- use the Ge'ez as a liturgical language today, as in the past. grinya speakers. Bihér roughly means nation in the ethnic The Tigrinya language is the direct descendant of Ge'ez, sense of the word in Tigrinya Muslim native Tigrigna unlike Amharic (thought to be descended from a specific speakers are known as the Jeberti, an Arabic name which dialect or cluster of dialects of Ge'ez) and other southern implies conversion to Islam among Horn Africans. Tigri- Ethiopian Semitic languages[7][8][9]. In Ethiopia, Tigri- nya is the third most spoken language in Ethiopia, after nya is the third most spoken language and the "Tigray" are Amharic and Oromo, and by far the most spoken in Eri- the third largest ethnic group, after the Oromo and Amha- trea. It is also spoken by large immigrant communities ra. In Eritrea, Tigrigna is by far the most spoken language, around the world, in countries including Sudan, Saudi and they represent 55% of the population. Tigrinian, Ti- Arabia, Germany, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom, grinyan, is a Semitic language spoken in the Tigray Re- Canada and the United States. gion of Ethiopia (its speakers there are called "Tigraway") by the Tigrinya people, where it has official status, and in 50 http://www.i-jim.org PAPER A MOBILE BASED TIGRIGNA LANGUAGE LEARNING TOOL central Eritrea, where it is one of the two main languages available for the learner as long as the learner mobile is of Eritrea, and, and among groups of emigrants from these working properly. The security of the system is related to regions, including some of the Beta Israel now living in the security of the mobile phone. Mobile phone security Israel. There is no generally agreed upon name for the mechanisms such as pin code and password protection can people who speak Tigrinya. also be used as security protection. The system is devel- A native of Tigray is referred to in Tigrinya as tigr!w!y oped using object oriented approach and, therefore, adding (male), tigr!weyt" (female), tigr!w#t or tegaru (plural). In new functionality or modifying some parts of the system Eritrea, Tigrinya speakers are officially known as the will not affect the other parts of the system. The system is Bihér-Tigrigna which means nation of Tigrinya speakers. developed with easy to use and interactive user interface. Bihér roughly means nation in the ethnic sense of the Since the system runs on a mobile phone for better man- word in Tigrinya Muslim native Tigrigna speakers are agement of the small screen, the right type and amount of known as the Jeberti, an Arabic name which implies con- interactive user interfaces are used. In this future based on version to Islam among Horn Africans. Tigrinya is the the learners selection the application will display all the third most spoken language in Ethiopia, after Amharic and lessons of Tigrigna alphabets. The Learner can view all Oromo, and by far the most spoken in Eritrea. It is also the details of the alphabets in two row format user can spoken by large immigrant communities around the world, select the second row of the alphabet then it will be dis- in countries including Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, played the sequence of the alphabets to the first row. Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Unit- When the learner clicks each alphabet button the learner ed States. Currently many people visit Tigray - or hope to can listen for the corresponding sound. In this future based do so one day - because of the remarkable manner in on the learners selection the application will display all the which ancient historical traditions have been pre- lessons of Tigrigna words under the words tutorials are served[10][11]. Therefore anybody who wishes to visit or different sub category of tutorials. The Learner can view stay in Tigray and in Eritrea can learn the language for all the details of the words in three column table format communication in formal class from schools, colleges or the first column indicates the picture of the word the se- Universities. But there is no why that provides learning cond column shows Tigrigna meaning of the word the out of the formal class. third column shows equivalent meaning of English. When the learner clicks Tigrigna meaning of the word he/she Tigrigna is the third most spoken language in Ethiopia, after Amharic and Oromo, and by far the most spoken in listen text to audio synthesizer pronunciation. In this fu- Eritrea. It is also spoken by large immigrant communities ture based on the learners selection the application dis- plays different options from the common Tigrigna conver- around the world, in countries including Sudan, Saudi sations: like greetings, introduce one self, and leave taking Arabia, Germany, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom, under the sub categories there are different similar tutori- Canada and the United States[14][16][17]. Any interested als. The same to alphabet tutorials the corresponding Non- Tigrigna speaking citizens may also learn. Tigrigna sound will be displayed. language consists of around 300 alphabets and the lan- guage itself is highly inflectional, from one root word we A. System Implementation can drive many words with different meaning. Therefore The Android application is developed by using Eclipse learning this language will take considerable amount of Helios Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
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