Page Type: languageWolaytta | Ethnologue

WAL ISO 639-3

Wolaytta

Wolaytta Autonym

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639
wal
Alternate Names
Borodda, Ometo, Uba, Welaita, Wolaita, Wolaitta, Wolataita, Wolayta, “Ualamo” (pej.), “Uollamo” (pej.), “Walamo” (pej.), “Wallamo” (pej.), “Welamo” (pej.), “Wellamo” (pej.), “Wollamo” (pej.)
Autonym
Wolaytta
Population
2,469,800, all users. L1 users: 2,380,000 (2018). L2 users: 89,800. 1,000,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 2,490,000 (2018).
Location:
Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Wolaytta zone, Lake Abaya area.
Language Status
3 (Wider communication).
Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Omotic, North, Gonga-Gimojan, Gimojan, Ometo-Gimira, Ometo, Central
Dialects
Zala. Dorze [doz], Melo [mfx], and Oyda [oyd] may be dialects of Wolaytta. Lexical similarity: 79%–93% with Gamo [gmv], 84% with Gofa [gof], 80% with Dawro [dwr] and Dorze [doz], 48% with Koorete [kqy], 43% with Male [mdy].
Typology
SOV.
Language Use
Also use Amharic [amh]. Used as L2 by Baiso [bsw], Kachama-Ganjule [kcx].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 30%. Also taught as a major at the university level. Taught in primary schools in grades 1–4 as the medium of instruction, in grades 5–10 as a subject. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 2002–2003.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Wolaytta
Writing
Ethiopic script [Ethi], primarily used by adults. Latin script [Latn], taught in school.
Other Comments
Geographic names: Balta, Borodda, Ganta, Otschollo, Uba. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Wolaytta zone, Lake Abaya area.