Query: Ethiopian Constitutions
From Prof. Alexander Maxwell:
I am currently writing an article about the words for 'nation' in different legal documents. I have found an English translation of the 1931 Ethiopian constitution that declares in Article 1 "all natives of Ethiopia, subjects of the Empire, form the Ethiopian nation". I have also found an English translation of the 1955 constitution that declares in article 1 "All Ethiopian subjects, whether living within or out the Empire constitute the Ethiopian people". However, I can't find the Amharic originals.
I wondered, firstly, whether the relevant Amharic word was ብሔር or ሕዝብ. I also wonder if the Amharic versions were actually different: the shift in wording might reflect different translations. So what exactly does Article 1 of the constitutions say in the Amharic originals:
(1931) the subjects of the empire form the Ethiopian ሕዝብ or ብሔር? (or some other word?)
(1955) all ethioian subjects constitute the Ethiopian ሕዝብ or ብሔር ? (or some other word?)
Kindly send any insights to alexander.maxwell(at)vuw.ac.nz. Thank you to H-horn list subscribers for reading this query!
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