Dawro

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639: dwr
Alternate Names: Dauro, Dawragna, Dawrogna, Dawuro, Ometay, “Cullo” (pej.), “Kullo” (pej.)
Population: 533,000, all users. L1 users: 513,000 (2007 census). 81,600 Konta (2007 census). L2 users: 20,000. 260,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 538,000 (2007 census). 83,600 Konta (2007 census).
Location:: Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Dawro zone; 2 small border areas in Oromia region.
Language Status: 4 (Educational).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Omotic, North, Gonga-Gimojan, Gimojan, Ometo-Gimira, Ometo, Central
Dialects: Konta (Conta), Kucha (Koysha, Kusha). Lexical similarity: 73%–80% with Gamo [gmv], 76% with Gofa [gof], 80% with Wolaytta [wal], 73%–75% with Dorze [doz], 48% with Koorete [kqy], 43% with Male [mdy].
Typology: SOV; derived nouns formed by suffixation of verbs; passives; case suffixes; postpositions; tonal.
Language Use: Neutral attitudes. Also use Amharic [amh]. Used as L2 by Chara [cra].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 24%. Church-based literacy program started 2007. Taught in primary schools in grades 1–4 as the medium of instruction, in grades 5–10 as a subject. NT: 2011.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Dawro
Writing: Ethiopic script [Ethi], used in Church literature. Latin script [Latn], official usage.

Location: Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Dawro zone; 2 small border areas in Oromia region.