Kafa

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Caffino, Kaffa, Kaficho, Kefa, Keffa, Manjo

Population

834,000 (2007 census). 445,000 monolinguals (1994 census).

Location

Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), Bonga town area. May be some in Sudan.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification

Dialects

Bosha (Garo), Kafa. Related to Shekkacho [mpy]. Bosha may be a distinct language. Manjo is an argot based on Kafa [kbr] (Bender 1983).

Typology

SOV

Language Use

46,720 L2 speakers.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 22%. Used in education. NT: 2001.

Language Resources

Writing

Ethiopic script, used in Church literature. Latin script, official usage.

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.