Editing Tigrinya language (section)

== History and literature ==
Although it differs markedly from the [[Geʽez]] (Classical Ethiopic) language, for instance in having phrasal verbs, and in using a word order that places the main verb last instead of first in the sentence, there is a strong influence of Geʽez on Tigrinya literature, especially with terms relating to Christian life, Biblical names, and so on.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Bible in Tigrinya |publisher=United Bible Society |year=1997}}</ref> Ge'ez, because of its status in Eritrean and Ethiopian culture, and possibly also its simple structure, acted as a literary medium until relatively recent times.<ref>{{cite book |first=Edward |last=Ullendorff |title=The Ethiopians |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=1960}}</ref>{{page needed|date=January 2024}}

The earliest written example of Tigrinya is a text of local laws found in the district of Logosarda, [[Debub Region]] in Southern Eritrea, which dates from the 13th century.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

In Eritrea, during [[History of Eritrea#British administration and federalisation|British administration]], the Ministry of Information put out a weekly newspaper in Tigrinya that cost 5 cents and sold 5,000 copies weekly. At the time, it was reported to be the first of its kind.<ref name="Ministry">{{cite report |author=Ministry of Information |year=1944 |title=The First to be Freed—The record of British military administration in Eritrea and Somalia, 1941–1943 |location=London |publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office}}</ref>

Tigrinya (along with Arabic) was one of Eritrea's official languages during its short-lived [[Ethiopian–Eritrean Federation|federation with Ethiopia]]. In 1958, it was replaced by the Southern Ethiopic language [[Amharic]] prior to Eritrea's annexation. Upon Eritrea's independence in 1991, Tigrinya retained the status of working language in the country. Eritrea was the only state in the world to officially recognize Tigrinya until 2020, when Ethiopia made changes to recognize Tigrinya on a national level.