16th edition

US$ 100.00

Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Benin > Aja

Aja

A language of Benin

ISO 639-3: ajg

Population	360,000 in Benin (2006). Population total all countries: 512,000.
Region	Southwest on Mono River. Primarily in Couffo Province (formerly north Mono Province), Aplahoué, Djakotomè, Dogbo, Klouékanmè, Lalo, and Tovinklin Subprefectures; Mono Province (formerly south Mono Province) Athiémè, Comè, and Houéyogbé Subprefectures; Zou Province, Djidja and Agbangnizoun Subprefectures, Cotonou and many towns in the south, villages mixed with other language groups. Also in Togo.
Language map	Benin, reference number 2
Alternate names	Adja, Ajagbe, Hwè
Dialects	Dogbo, Hwe (Ehoue), Tado (Stado, Sado, Tadou), Sikpi, Tala. The Hwe, Sikpi, Tado, and Tala dialects are linguistically similar; Dogbo linguistically more distinct. Differences are minor. Lexical similarity: 92% with Hwe-Sikpi dialect, 89% with Hwe-Dogbo dialect, Hwe-Tado dialect, and Hwe-Tala dialect.
Classification	Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe, Aja
Language use	All domains except schools and government. Most adults also use Gen [gej]. Most children understand Gen, some understand Éwé [ewe]. Some adults use Éwé or French.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 19%. The government selected Aja as one of the 6 national languages for post-literacy. As of 1995–1996, more than 80 literacy classes and over 30 post literacy classes organized. Poetry. Newspapers. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	Peasants. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

Togo

Language name	Aja
Population	152,000 in Togo (2002 SIL).
Region	Southeast, southeast corner of Plateau Province north and south of ‘Forêt de Togodo’, Moyen-Mono, ‘des Lacs’, and Yoto prefectures, both sides of Mono River; Lome and other towns south.
Language map	Togo, reference number 3
Alternate names	Adja, Ajagbe
Dialects	Dogo, Hwe (Ehoue), Tado (Stado, Sado, Tadou), Sikpi, Tala.
Language use	All domains except schools and government. Most adults use Gen [gej]. Most children understand Gen. Some also use Éwé [ewe] or French.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 19%.
Comments	Peasants. Traditional religion, Christian.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

CAPO, Hounkpati B. C., author. 1989. "The neolanguage approach to orthography: The case of Gbe."  

COMITÉ International de Suivi de l'Orthographe de la Langue Aja, editor. 2010. Orthographe pratique standard de l'ajagbe.

COMITÉ International de Suivi de l'Orthographe de la Langue Aja, editor. 2010. Guide de l’orthographe de l’ajagbe.

FATON, Gabriele R., author; HATFIELD, Deborah H., consultant. 2006. Abrégé de l'enquête sociolinguistique sur l'Agouna du Bénin.

KLOPPENBURG, Geerhard, author. 2006. Paratext in Bible translations: with special reference to selected Bible translations into Beninese languages.

KLOPPENBURG, Geerhard, author. 2006. Paratext in Bible translations: with special reference to selected Bible translations into Beninese languages.

KLUGE, Angela, author. 2007. "The Gbe language continuum of West Africa: a synchronic typological approach to prioritizing in-depth sociolinguistic research on literature extensibility."  

KLUGE, Angela; TOMPKINS, Barbara, authors. 2002. "Sociolinguistic survey of the Aja language area."  

Vernacular Publications

Exwe 2007 'zanwema (Calendrier de l'année 2007). 2006.

Lire et écrire l'ajagbe (Guide pratique pour ceux qui savent lire le français). 2007.

Shidadɔ: lehanci yí wo a ze nii dó ɔ?. 2007.