Zay

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639: zwa
Alternate Names: Gelilla, Lak’i, Laqi, Zway
Population: 14,000 (Meyer 2005), decreasing.
Location:: Oromia region: Lake Zway shores and east islands.
Language Status: 6b (Threatened).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Transversal, Harari-East Gurage
Dialects: None known. Lexical similarity: 61% with Harari [har], 70% with Silt’e [stv] (Bender, M. 1971).
Language Use: Use of Zay is decreasing due to migration from the islands (the traditional homeland) to the lakeshore, where they become Oromo [orm] speakers. Oromo is also taught in island schools. Speaker number decrease also attributed to dominant role of Amharic [amh] (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007). Some young people, all adults. Also use Amharic [amh]. Also use Oromo [orm], especially lakeshore children.
Language Development: Grammar.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Zay
Writing: Unwritten [Qaax].

Location: Oromia region: Lake Zway shores and east islands.