Mositacha

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A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
dox
Alternate Names
Bussa, Buusa, D’oopace, D’opaasunte, Gobeze, Goraze, Gowase, Lohu, Mashelle, Mashile, Masholle, Mosittacha, Mosittata, Mosiye, Mossiye, Musiye, Muusiye, Orase
User Population

19,020, all users. L1 users: 18,100 (2007 census). L2 users: 920. 4,960 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 30,000 (2007 census).

Location

Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Segen zone, west of Lake Chamo.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Konso-Gidole
Dialects

Moro-Toysala, Dubaysho, Nalo. Further survey needed on dialect varieties. Lexical similarity: 78% with Ale [gwd], 51% with Konso [kxc], 86% with the Gollango dialect of Ale, 80% with the Harso dialect of Ale, 61% with Tsamai [tsb].

Typology

SOV; nouns often marked by prefix tsa-, often used to mark female nouns; grammatical gender present but not morphologically marked on nouns like other LEC languages; person affixation on verbs; pronouns marked apart from verbs; significant verb morphology.

Language Use

Still used in the homestead in many communities but more frequently by the older generation. Is threatened by other infiltrating languages, particularly Zayse [zay] and Amharic [amh]. Also use Amharic [amh], with the younger generations shifting. Also use Dirasha [gdl]. Also use Gamo [gmv]. Also use Konso [kxc]. Also use Zayse [zay], with the younger generations shifting. Used as L2 by Dirasha [gdl].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 14%. Grammar.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mositacha
Writing

Ethiopic script [Ethi], trial orthography since 2017, not yet officially approved.