Page Type: languageArgobba | Ethnologue

AGJ ISO 639-3

Argobba

ዓርጎባ‎ (Argoba) Autonym

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639
agj
Alternate Names
Argoba, Argobbigna, Argobgna
Autonym
ዓርጎባ‎ (Argoba)
Population
46,940, all users. L1 users: 43,700 (2007 census). L2 users: 3,240. Ethnic population: 141,000 (2007 census).
Location:
Afar region: Argobba Special district, Abbule Arada; Amhara region: North Shewa zone, Ankober district, Afre and Aliyyu Amba; K’awat district: Goze and Shewa Robit; Minjarinna-Shenkora district: Arerti; Oromia zone, Dawa Ch’affa district, T’allaha village; Kemise district: Kemise.
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Transversal, Amharic-Argobba
Dialects
Ankober-K’awat (Aliyu Amba-Ankober), Shonke-T’allaha (Dawa-Ch’affa), Shagura (Berehet-Minjar). Lexical similarity: 53% with Amharic [amh] (Shonke-T’allaha dialect).
Language Use
The ethnic group near Ankober mainly speaks Amharic [amh]; the group near Harar mainly speaks Oromo [hae]. Some young people, all adults. Only children in one village (T’allaha) learn Argobba; in all other areas, used only by older people. Positive attitudes. All also use Amharic [amh] (Mohammed et al 2015). Some also use Oromo [orm] (Mohammed et al 2015). A few also use Afar [aar] (Mohammed et al 2015).
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 16% in Amharic [amh]. Taught in primary schools as medium of instruction. Dictionary. Grammar.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Argobba
Writing
Ethiopic script [Ethi], in development.
Other Comments
Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Afar region: Argobba Special district, Abbule Arada; Amhara region: North Shewa zone, Ankober district, Afre and Aliyyu Amba; K’awat district: Goze and Shewa Robit; Minjarinna-Shenkora district: Arerti; Oromia zone, Dawa Ch’affa district, T’allaha village; Kemise district: Kemise.