Kunama

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A language of Eritrea

ISO 639-3
kun
Alternate Names
Baada, Baaden, Baaza, Baazayn, Baazen, Bada, Baden, Baza, Bazen, Cunama, Diila
Autonym
Kunama
User Population

237,000 in Eritrea (2020), increasing. Total users in all countries: 244,570 (as L1: 244,430; as L2: 140).

Location

Gash-Barka region: between Gash river and Ethiopia border; Aimara west of Barentu, Barka south of Barentu, Marda north, northeast, and east of Barentu, Barentu.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Satellites, Kunama
Dialects

Barka (Berka), Marda, Aymasa (Aaimasa, Aimara, Odasa), Tika (Lakatakura-Tika, Tiika), Ilit (Iiliit, Iilit, Iliit), Bitama (Bitaama), Sokodasa (Sogadas, Sogodas), Takazze-Setiit (Setiit, Setit), Tigray. Bitama and Ilit are nearly unintelligible to other Kunama dialect speakers. Barka is largest and is intelligible to speakers of all others.

Typology

SOV; postpositions; case suffixes.

Language Use

Home. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Used as L2 by Bilen [byn], Nara [nrb].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Females: 21%. Literacy rate in L2: Low. Taught in primary schools. Literature. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 2012.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kunama
Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since late 1800s.

Other Comments

Laka-Takura and Tika have been influenced by Arab culture and by the Beni-Amer. Traditional religion, Muslim.

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