Kambaata

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A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
ktb
Alternate Names
Donga, Kambara, Kambata, Kambatta, Kemata, Kembata
Population

615,000 (2007 census). 330,000 monolinguals including 279,000 Kambaata, 51,600 Timbaro. Population includes 488,000 Kambaata, 82,800 Timbaro. Ethnic population: 98,600 Timbaro, 35,000 Donga (2007 census).

Location

Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), southwest Gurage, Kambaata, and Hadiyya zones. Durame is main town.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Highland
Dialects

Tambaro, Timbaro (Timbaaro, Timbara). Lexical similarity: 95% between dialects, 81% with Alaba-Kabeena [alw], 62% with Sidamo [sid], 57% with Libido [liq], 56% with Hadiyya [hdy].

Typology

SOV; passive, middle, causative verbs; subject suffixes distinguish person, number, gender

Language Use

79,322 L2 speakers including 68,607 Kambaata, 10,715 Timbaro. Positive attitudes.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 25%. Literacy rate in L2: 44%. Taught in primary schools. NT: 1992.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kambaata
Writing
Ethiopic script. Latin script, primary usage.
Other Comments

Christian.