Page Type: languageAja | Ethnologue

AJG ISO 639-3

Aja

Ajagbe Autonym

A language of Benin

ISO 639
ajg
Alternate Names
Adja, Hwè
Autonym
Ajagbe
Population
941,000 in Benin (2018). Total users in all countries: 1,131,000.
Location:
Coufou department: Aplahoué, Djakotomè, Dogbo, Klouékanmè, Lalo, and Tovinklin communes on Mono river; Mono department: Athiémè, Houéyogbé communes; Zou department: Agbangnizoun and Djidja communes; Cotonou and many southern mixed-language towns.
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe, Aja
Dialects
Dogbo, Hwe (Ehoue), Tado (Tadou), Sikpi (Shikpi), Tala. The Hwe, Sikpi, and Tado dialects are linguistically very similar; Dogbo and Tala distinct from the other 3. Lexical similarity: 92% with Hwe-Sikpi dialect, 89% with Hwe-Dogbo dialect, Hwe-Tado dialect, and Hwe-Tala dialect.
Language Use
Vigorous. Home, neighborhood, work. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Éwé [ewe]. Also use French [fra]. Also use Gen [gej]. Used as L2 by Saxwe Gbe [sxw].
Language Development
Taught in primary schools in small-scale multilingual education program since 2013. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 2010–2018.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Aja
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Tado and Tala speakers are mainly in Togo. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Aja
User Population
190,000 in Togo (Gblem-Poidi and Kantchoa 2012).
Location
Maritime region: Lacs and Yoto prefectures, east of Mono river; Plateaux region: Haho, Moyen-Mono, and Ogou prefectures, Mono river area, southeast of Atakpame town.
Dialects
Dogo, Hwe (Ehoue), Tado (Tadou), Sikpi (Shikpi), Tala.
Language Status
5 (Developing)
Other Comments
Tado and Tala speakers are mainly in Togo. Traditional religion.
View other languages of Togo

Map

Location: Coufou department: Aplahoué, Djakotomè, Dogbo, Klouékanmè, Lalo, and Tovinklin communes on Mono river; Mono department: Athiémè, Houéyogbé communes; Zou department: Agbangnizoun and Djidja communes; Cotonou and many southern mixed-language towns.