Qimant

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639: ahg
Alternate Names: Agaw, Kemant, Kemantney, Kimanteney, Qemant, Western Agaw
Population: 4,830, all users. L1 users: 1,650 (1994 census). L2 users: 3,180. Ethnic population: 172,000 (1994 census).
Location:: Amhara region: north Gonder zone, north of Lake Tana.
Language Status: 8b (Nearly extinct).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, Central, Western
Dialects: Qimant (Chemant, Kamant, Kemanat, Kemant, Kimant, Qemant), Dembiya (Dambya, Dembya), Hwarasa (“Kara” (pej.), Qwara, Qwarina), Kayla, Semyen, Achpar, Kwolasa (Kwolacha). Distinct from Awngi [awn], Bilen [byn], and Xamtanga [xan].
Typology: SOV.
Language Use: Qwara dialect has no remaining speakers. 170,747 ethnic Qimant are monolingual in Amharic [amh]. All shifted to Amharic [amh]. Also use Hebrew [heb], a few words in prayer.
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 15%. Grammar. Bible portions: 1885.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Qimant
Writing: Ethiopic script [Ethi], no longer in use.
Other Comments: Christian, Jewish.

Location: Amhara region: north Gonder zone, north of Lake Tana.