Hausa
Hausa, also known as Haoussa or Hawsa, is a language belonging to the Afro-Asiatic family and is considered the most widely spoken language within the Chadic branch of this language family. The so-called Chadic languages are all languages spoken in northern Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Central African Republic, Chad and Cameroon.
Although at first glance, and probably due to sheer ignorance, it may seem to be a language of no great significance, Hausa contains the culture of the largest ethnic people in West Africa, a people with a great tradition and cultural influence.
HAUSA AND ITS CULTURAL INFLUENCE
The Hausa language has a strong influence on the culture of the African continent, so much so that about 20 years ago, it developed its own film industry, known as Kannywood, which has produced more than 100 films since its inception. The aim is not only to entertain the public, but also to raise awareness of the culture of the Hausa people. It also has its own television channel broadcast on the BBC.
It is also notable for its influence on music, which is divided into rural folk music and urban-style music, which today form the basis of African pop music.
HAUSA IN LITERATURE
Its literary production is also noteworthy, including the science fiction genre, with authors such as Umaru Dembo; travel and biography literature; and the genre known in the Hausa language as soyayyawhich means romantic, and in which the authors Balaraba Ramat Yakubu and Bala Anas Babinlata shine especially brightly.
HAUSA AND TRANSLATION
It is therefore clear how important the role of the translator is in the transmission of languages such as Hausa, which belong to people with such rich cultures and of which little is known and of which there are no easy ways to access. The job of a professional translator is to break down these language barriers by preserving and immersing them in the cultural heritage of these people.
WHERE IS HAUSA SPOKEN?
Although it is not an official language in any nation, Hausa has many speaker communities where it is considered a mother tongue. It has therefore become the second most widely spoken language in Africa, second only to Swahili, with some 24 million speakers having it as their first language and some 15 million as their second language. These pockets of native speakers are mainly concentrated between Niger and northern Nigeria. However, smaller groups of speakers can also be found in Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Sudan, Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso. Hausa is also used as a language of cultural and commercial exchange, especially with Muslims.
LINGUISTIC TRAITS OF HAUSA
Among the main features of the language, it is worth mentioning that although Hausa is characterised by its strong uniformity. Regardless of where it is spoken, a number of dialects can be identified, which are divided according to the cardinal points. From the east we can name the kano, the katagum and the hadejiya; from the west the sokoto, the katsina, the gobirawa, the adarawa, the kebbawa and the zamfarawa; and from the north the arewa, the arawa and the abakwariga. Kano is the standard variant used in the media, education and international relations.
HOW CAN LINGUATRANS HELP YOU?
At LinguaTrans we provide the following services, among others:
• Hausa translation
• Hausa transcription
• Hausa subtitling
• hausa proofreading
• Hausa voice-over
We have excellent native professionals for each translation service and speciality. Count on a highly reputed company in the market of linguistic services by contacting us contacting us You can also consult our rates or request a free, no-obligation quote. We are standing by to take you far… including in Hausa!