Oromo, Eastern

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A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
hae
Alternate Names
Afan Oromo, Harar, Harar Oromo, Harer, Oromiffa, Oromoo, “Kwottu” (pej.), “Qottu” (pej.), “Qotu Oromo” (pej.), “Quottu” (pej.), “Qwottu” (pej.)
Autonym
Afaan Oromoo
User Population

9,710,000 (2018). 36,600,000 all Oromo speakers in Ethiopia (2018 World Factbook).

Location

Afar region: south; Dire Dawa and Harari regions; Oromia region: north Bale, east Hararghe, and west Hararghe zones; Somali region: Shinile zone.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Oromo
Dialects

None known. Similar to Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo [gax]. A member of macrolanguage Oromo [orm].

Typology

SOV; postpositions; gender (masculine/feminine); case-marking (7 cases); verb affixes mark person, number, gender of subject; passives (active, middle, passive); tense and aspect; 25 consonant and 10 vowel phonemes; pitch accent.

Language Use

Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Amharic [amh]. Also use Standard Arabic [arb], widely used for religious purposes. Used as L2 by Amharic [amh], Dirasha [gdl], Gumuz [guk], Màwés Aasʼè [myf].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 15%. Non-formal literacy classes. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Oromo, Eastern
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

In Ethiopia, Oromo is viewed as one people who speak one language. Muslim.