BBC Launches Igbo Language Service, 10 Others • Other new languages are Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Gujarati, Korean, Marathi, Pidgin, Punjabi, Telugu, Tigrinya, and Yoruba.

The BBC World Service will launch 11 new language services as part of its biggest expansion "since the 1940s", the corporation has announced.

The expansion is a result of the funding boost announced by the UK government last year.

The new languages will be Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Gujarati, Igbo, Korean, Marathi, Pidgin, Punjabi, Telugu, Tigrinya, and Yoruba.

The first new services are expected to launch in 2017.

African languages:

Afaan Oromo: Language of Ethiopia's biggest ethnic group

Amharic: Ethiopia's official language

Tigrinya: The main working language of Eritrea, along with Arabic. Also spoken in Ethiopia

Igbo: An official Nigerian language. Also spoken in Equatorial Guinea

Yoruba: Spoken in south-western Nigeria and some other parts of West Africa, especially Benin and Togo

Pidgin: A creole version of English widely spoken in southern Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea

"This is a historic day for the BBC, as we announce the biggest expansion of the World Service since the 1940s," said BBC director general Tony Hall.

"The BBC World Service is a jewel in the crown - for the BBC and for Britain.

"As we move towards our centenary, my vision is of a confident, outward-looking BBC which brings the best of our independent, impartial journalism and world-class entertainment to half a billion people around the world.

"Today is a key step towards that aim," he added.

The new language services mean the BBC World Service will be available in 40 languages, including English.

Culled from BBC