2025/08/31 by Araya Zemariam, Yonattan
#Ethiopia #indigenous knowledge #innovative techniques #linguistic diversity #national development
paper · doi:10.71624/cgyhfz28
This study examined the role of linguistic diversity and indigenous knowledge on national development in Ethiopia. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews for this purpose. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. It was found that diverse languages themselves are not sources of underdevelopment. Instead, promoting diverse languages enhances national development because it allows the speakers of the languages to communicate smoothly in workplaces and to develop and use their indigenous knowledge by integrating it with modern innovative techniques. Furthermore, the use of diverse languages provides opportunities for national development as it minimizes conflicts, enhances social harmony, and brings about peaceful coexistence among different linguistic groups. This enables productive human power to devote their time to development activities rather than struggle to confirm the right to use their languages as mediums of instruction, administration, justice, and mass communication.