Alaba-K’abeena

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Alaaba, Allaaba, Halaba, K’abena, Qebena

Population

278,000 (2007 census). 111,000 monolinguals (1994 census). 234,000 Alaba, 52,700 K’abeena (2007 census).

Location

Rift Valley southwest of Lake Shala. Separated by Belate river from Kambatta [ktb] language area.

Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification

Dialects

K’abeena, Wanbasana (Alaba). Lexical similarity: 81% with Kambaata [ktb], 64% with Sidamo [sid], 56% with Libido [liq], 54% with Hadiyya [hdy].

Typology

SOV

Language Use

29,699 L2 users. Positive attitudes.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 9%. Taught in primary schools.

Language Resources

Writing

Ethiopic script.

Other Comments

Muslim.