Ateso

A language of Uganda

Bakedi, Bakidi, Elgumi, Etossio, Ikumama, Iteso, Teso, Wamia

Atεsᴐ

2,360,000 in Uganda (2014 census), increasing. Census based on tribal affiliation. Total users in all countries: 2,778,000.

Location

Amuria, Bukedea, Butebo, Kaberamaido, Katakwi, Kumi, Ngora, Pallisa, Serere, Soroti, and Tororo districts; Lake Bisina area.

Language Maps

Kenya

Uganda

Language Status

4 (Educational). De facto language of provincial identity in Tororo, 10 other districts.

Classification

Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Southern (n languages), Nilotic, Eastern, Lotuxo-Teso, Teso-Turkana, Teso

Dialects

Orom (Rom). Limited intelligibility with other varieties in the Teso-Turkana group. The dialect in Ngora is considered standard. Lexical similarity: 76% with Turkana [tuv], 75% with Ng’aKarimojong [kdj].

Typology

VSO; highly inflectional; grammatical tone; vowel harmony.

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, market, work. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Most also use English [eng]. Some also use Swahili [swh]. Used as L2 by Kenye [lke], Kumam [kdi].

Language Development

Taught in primary schools through grade 3. Taught as subject in some secondary schools. Newspapers. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Texts. Bible: 1961.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Ateso

Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 1930.

Other Comments

Christian.