Seze

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A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
sze
Alternate Names
Begi Mao, Seez waani, Seezi, Seze Wani, Sezo
User Population

13,000 (Küspert 2015). Ethnic population: 24,300 (2007 census). This includes Hozo [hoz], Seze [sze] and Gwama [kmq] ethnic populations.

Location

Oromia region: West Wollega zone, Begi and K’ondala districts.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Omotic, North, Mao
Dialects

None known. Closely related to Hozo [hoz] (Küspert 2015); distantly related to Bambassi [myf] (Bender 1975).

Typology

SOV; root-internal sibilant harmony; case-marking: Nominative always marked and Accusative marked differentially; impersonal construction serving for passive; prominence of mood in verbal inflection though aspect and tense also play a role; causatives; 22 consonants and 5 vowels (short and long); tonal, two levels, tone distinguishes between word classes; inclusive-exclusive distinction in first person plural; converbs, with switch-reference indicated by the presence of a subject clitic.

Language Use

Home. Adults only. Shifting to West Central Oromo [gaz], especially as education contributes to increased assimilation to Oromo, encouraged by local government (Küspert 2015). Also use Amharic [amh]. Also use Hozo [hoz], especially in areas where speakers of Seze live intermixed with speakers of Hozo [hoz]. Frequent intermarriage between speakers of Hozo and Seze. Also use Sudanese Spoken Arabic [apd], with restricted use. Used as L2 by Hozo [hoz].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 5%.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Seze
Writing

Unwritten [Qaax].

Other Comments

Muslim, Christian.