Berta
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A language of Ethiopia
213,500 in Ethiopia, all users. L1 users: 197,000 in Ethiopia (2007 census), increasing. L2 users: 16,500. 99,700 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 199,000 (2007 census). Total users in all countries: 393,500 (as L1: 377,000; as L2: 16,500).
Benishangul-Gumuz region: Blue Nile river and Sudan border corner north of Asosa; Dalati, Sirba Abay area east of Dabus river; Matahara east.
4 (Educational).
Shuru, Bake, Undu (Undulu), Mayu, Fadashi (Fadqashi, Fedashe), Dabuso (Wabosh), Beleje Gonfoye. Dabuso (Wabosh) and Beleje Gonfoye are more distant dialects, having been influenced by neighboring languages.
SVO, but flexible to be OVS, depending on discourse; prepositions; noun head initial; marked-nominative system; case marking on noun for nominative and genitive, phrasal case marking for dative and locative; construct form on head noun; verbs marked for tense/aspect; passive, causative, applicative, reciprocal, directional, middle constructions; tonal (lexical and grammatical).
Literacy rate in L2: 10%. Functional women’s literacy program started in Berta in 2017 and is now being gradually expanded throughout the language community (2021 SIL). Taught in many primary and secondary schools through grade 4 and as subject thereafter. Based on new curriculum (2021), it has been decided that Berta shall be used as language of instruction (LOI) for grades 1–6; work is ongoing to establish this (2021 SIL). Taught as a major at the Gilgel Beles Teacher Training College and at Assosa University (2021 SIL). Literature. Radio. Dictionary. Bible portions: 2006.
Muslim.