Microsoft Launches Windows 7 Amharic Language

Microsoft officially launches this week Windows 7 Amharic language interface pack which is now downloadable for free.

Amharic speakers now have access to a broader range of software programmes available in their native language. “The availability of Microsoft Windows 7 in Amharic is definitely a remarkable step towards elimination of language as a barrier to technology access,” said Louis Otieno, Microsoft’s General Manager for East and Southern Africa.

“We believe technology has an increasingly important role to play in the maintenance of linguistic diversity, not only to promote mutual understanding and dialogue, but also to strengthen local economies. All too often communities are excluded from IT skills fluency, and the accompanying job opportunities, for lack of technology in their local language” added Mr. Otieno.

Amharic is the national language of Ethiopia where it is spoken by 21 million native speakers and by emigrant communities all over the world (e.g. 40,000 speakers in Israel). Although local languages are spoken in Ethiopian government operations, Amharic is the official language.

Over the last five years, Microsoft has worked with partners across the continent to bring local languages to life.

Currently Microsoft’s Windows and Office products are available in 15 written and spoken languages in Africa: Afrikaans, Amharic, Arabic, English, French, Hausa, Igbo, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Sesotho SA Leboa, Setswana (Tswana), Spanish and Yoruba. That means Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office are available in the first and/or second language of the majority of Africa’s 1 billion people.

Commenting on the release of the Amharic language interface pack, Daniel G. Tedros, Country Manager, Alchemy World Projects said “Fundamentals to learning in the information age are exposure to and comfort with technology. Offering people access to computers in their own language means they can learn faster, develop skills quicker and have much-needed computer skills”.

“Having access to technology in a local language creates a platform for greater communication and collaboration among schools, businesses, governments and communities throughout the region”, said Mr. Tedros.

Microsoft’s Citizenship and Education Lead for East and Southern Africa, Mark Matunga says that language preservation is imperative given its complex implications on important elements in life such as identity, communication, social integration and education. “Languages are the vital, but fragile and form ties that can bind cultures, economies or countries,” said Mr Matunga.

Microsoft has over the years worked in cooperation with local governments, universities, language experts, and others to standardize technical terminology in a local language, a process that starts with creating a glossary.

The terminology collected in the glossary acts as the basis for the development of an application called a Language Interface Pack (LIP). This LIP enables customers to install a local language version as a "skin" on top of an existing installation of the Windows operating system and standard Microsoft Office system applications.

Microsoft also supports the local IT ecosystem by helping developers build solutions on top of the LIPs, such as spell checkers, translation dictionaries, screen savers, collaboration tools, and online services.