Hamer-Banna

A language of Ethiopia

Amar, Amarcocche, Amer, Ammar, Bana, Banna, Banne 7apo, Bena, Beshada, Cocche, Hamar, Hamar-Benna, Hamar-Koke, Hamer, Hamer-Bana-Kara, Hammer, Hammercoche, Hámar aapó, Kara Kerre

User Population

81,520, all users. L1 users: 74,400 (2007 census). 47,500 Hamer, 26,900 Banna (2007 census). L2 users: 7,120. 38,400 monolinguals (1994 census). Ethnic population: 73,500 (2007 census). 46,500 Hamer, 27,000 Banna (2007 census).

Location

Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: South Omo zone, near Omo river; north of Lake Turkana, near Kenya and Sudan borders; Oromia region: Borena zone.

Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification

Afro-Asiatic, Omotic, South

Dialects

None known. Hamer and Banna are separate ethnic groups who speak virtually the same language.

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

Used by all. Also use Amharic [amh]. Used as L2 by Ongota [bxe], Tsamai [tsb].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 1%. Grammar. NT: 2014.