Kistane

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639: gru
Alternate Names: Kəstane, North Gurage, Soddo, Soddo Gurage
Population: 315,500, all users. L1 users: 255,000 (1994 census). L2 users: 60,500. Ethnic population: 364,000 (1994 census). Includes 4,000 Gogot.
Location:: Oromia region; Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Gurage, Hadiyya, and Kambaata zones, southwest of Addis Ababa.
Language Status: 6a (Vigorous).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Outer, n-Group
Dialects: Soddo (Aymallal, Aymellel, Kestane, Kistane), Dobi (Dobbi, Goggot, Gogot). Not intelligible with Silt’e [stv] or Sebat Bet Gurage [sgw]. Dobi dialect comprehension of Soddo is 76%, and Soddo speakers’ of Dobi is 90%.
Typology: SOV.
Language Use: Used by all. Also use Amharic [amh].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 22%. Texts.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Kistane
Writing: Ethiopic script [Ethi].
Other Comments: Not used in media. Christian.

Location: Oromia region; Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Gurage, Hadiyya, and Kambaata zones, southwest of Addis Ababa.