Language Use in Ethiopia from a Network Perspective

Focusing on the multilingual landscape of Ethiopia, this publication presents findings from empirical studies conducted in 1997 and 1998 across nine states. A research team surveyed approximately 3,500 high school students to gather data on language behavior, revealing the distribution of mother tongues and second languages for the first time. The study highlights the evolution of multilingualism across three generations and identifies key factors that facilitate its growth, using an adapted model of social network theory for analysis.