Page Type: languageOromo, Eastern | Ethnologue

HAE ISO 639-3

Oromo, Eastern

Afaan Oromoo Autonym

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639
hae
Alternate Names
Afan Oromo, Harar, Harar Oromo, Harer, Oromiffa, Oromoo, “Kwottu” (pej.), “Qottu” (pej.), “Qotu Oromo” (pej.), “Quottu” (pej.), “Qwottu” (pej.)
Autonym
Afaan Oromoo
Population
9,710,000 (2018). 36,600,000 all Oromo speakers in Ethiopia (2018 World Factbook).
Location:
Afar region: south; Dire Dawa and Harari regions; Oromia region: north Bale, east Hararghe, and west Hararghe zones; Somali region: Shinile zone.
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Oromo
Dialects
None known. Similar to Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo [gax]. A member of macrolanguage Oromo [orm].
Typology
SOV; postpositions; gender (masculine/feminine); case-marking (7 cases); verb affixes mark person, number, gender of subject; passives (active, middle, passive); tense and aspect; 25 consonant and 10 vowel phonemes; pitch accent.
Language Use
Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Amharic [amh]. Also use Standard Arabic [arb], widely used for religious purposes. Used as L2 by Amharic [amh], Dirasha [gdl], Gumuz [guk], Màwés Aasʼè [myf].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 15%. Non-formal literacy classes. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Oromo, Eastern
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
In Ethiopia, Oromo is viewed as one people who speak one language. Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Afar region: south; Dire Dawa and Harari regions; Oromia region: north Bale, east Hararghe, and west Hararghe zones; Somali region: Shinile zone.