Gedeo

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
drs
Alternate Names
Geddeo, “Darasa” (pej.), “Darassa” (pej.), “Derasa” (pej.), “Derasanya” (pej.), “Deresa” (pej.)
Autonym
ጌዴኡፈ‎ (gedeʾufä)
User Population

1,458,000, all users. L1 users: 1,410,000 (2018). L2 users: 48,000. 439,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 1,410,000 (2018).

Location

Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ and Oromia regions: central highland area, southwest of Dilla and east of Lake Abaya.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Highland
Dialects

None known. Lexical similarity: 60% with Sidamo [sid] (most similar), 57% with Alaba-Kabeena [alw], 54% with Kambaata [ktb], 51% with Hadiyya [hdy].

Typology

SOV; causative; middle, passive verbs.

Language Use

Also use Amharic [amh].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 5%. Taught in primary and secondary schools through grade 4 and as subject thereafter. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1986.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Gedeo
Writing

Ethiopic script [Ethi].

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian.