Suri, Tirmaga-Chai | Ethnologue

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639: suq
Alternate Names: Churi, Dama, Dhuri, Eastern Suri, Shuri, Shuro, Suri, Surma, Tirma-Chai
Autonym: Surichɛn
Population: 26,900 (2007 census), increasing. 24,200 monolinguals (2017).
Location:: Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Bench-Maji zone, toward Sudan border; west of Mizan Teferi.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Southern (n languages), Surmic, South, Southeast, Pastoral, Suri
Dialects: Tirmaga (Cirma, Dirma, Terema, Terna, Tid, Tirima, Tirma, Tirmagachen, Tirmagi), Chai (Caci, Cai, Chachen). Lexical similarity: 81% with Mursi [muz].
Typology: SVO.
Language Use: Vigorous. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Amharic [amh]. Used as L2 by Kacipo-Bale Suri [koe].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%. Kindergarten program using Suri as medium of instruction is piloted (2021 SIL). Taught in primary schools as a subject in grades 1–4. Literature. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 2004–2010.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Suri, Tirmaga-Chai
Writing: Ethiopic script [Ethi], used until 2009. Latin script [Latn], used since 2009, official usage.
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian.

Location: Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Bench-Maji zone, toward Sudan border; west of Mizan Teferi.