Alagwa | Ethnologue

A language of Tanzania

ISO 639: wbj
Alternate Names: Alaagwa’isa, Alagwase, Alawa, Asi, Chasi, Hhagiree, Kialagwa, Kichase, Uassi, Waasi, Wasi
Autonym: Alagwaisa
Population: 53,000 (Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania 2009).
Location:: Dodoma region: Kondoa district.
Language Status: 6b (Threatened).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, South
Dialects: None known. Grammar is closer to Iraqw [irk] but not inherently intelligible. High degree of lexical similarity with Burunge [bds].
Typology: SVO; content questions with the q-word in situ; 3 genders; two tones, primarily grammatical.
Language Use: Vigorous in most villages. Home. Some young people, all adults. Most children use Alagwa as L1. In mixed villages children tend to speak Langi [lag] among themselves. Positive attitudes. Most also use Langi [lag] (Sommer 1992). Also use Swahili [swh].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: Many are literate in Swahili [swh]; some also in Arabic [arb]. Literature. Grammar. Bible portions: 2018.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Alagwa
Writing: Latin script [Latn], used since 2014.
Other Comments: Many villages have Islamic education and some children know Arabic and Swahili more fluently than Alagwa. Alagwa may be more readily recognized as Wasi. Muslim, traditional religion.

Location: Dodoma region: Kondoa district.