Gofa

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
gof
Alternate Names
Goffa, Goofa
Autonym
Goofatho
User Population

392,400, all users. L1 users: 359,000 (2007 census), increasing. L2 users: 33,400. 190,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 362,000 (2007 census).

Location

Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Gamo-Gofa zone.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Omotic, North, Gonga-Gimojan, Gimojan, Ometo-Gimira, Ometo, Central
Dialects

None known. Lexical similarity: 79%–91% with Gamo [gmv], 76% with Dawro [dwr].

Typology

SOV; derived nouns formed by suffixation of verbs; passives; case suffixes; postpositions; tonal.

Language Use

Neutral attitudes. Also use Amharic [amh].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 19%. Church-based literacy program started 2007. Taught in primary and secondary schools through grade 4 and as subject thereafter. Offered at the university as a major. NT: 2011.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Gofa
Writing

Ethiopic script [Ethi], used in Church literature. Latin script [Latn], official usage.