Kistane

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A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
gru
Alternate Names
Kəstane, North Gurage, Soddo, Soddo Gurage
User Population

315,500, all users. L1 users: 255,000 (1994 census). L2 users: 60,500. Ethnic population: 364,000 (1994 census). Includes 4,000 Gogot.

Location

Oromia region; Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Gurage, Hadiyya, and Kambaata zones, southwest of Addis Ababa.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Outer, n-Group
Dialects

Soddo (Aymallal, Aymellel, Kestane, Kistane), Dobi (Dobbi, Goggot, Gogot). Not intelligible with Silt’e [stv] or Sebat Bet Gurage [sgw]. Dobi dialect comprehension of Soddo is 76%, and Soddo speakers’ of Dobi is 90%.

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

Used by all. Also use Amharic [amh].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 22%. Texts.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kistane
Writing

Ethiopic script [Ethi].

Other Comments

Not used in media. Christian.