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Gumuz

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3: guk

Population	120,000 in Ethiopia (1994 census). 88,192 monolinguals. Population total all countries: 160,000. Ethnic population: 121,487 (1994 census).
Region	Metemma area on Sudan border south through Gondar and Gojjam; along Blue Nile and south into Wellaga and Didessa Valley up to Leqemt-Gimbi Road; southwest of Addis Ababa, villages around Welqite (possibly 1,000). Also in Sudan.
Language map	Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia, reference number 33
Alternate names	Bega, Bega-Tse, Debatsa, Debuga, Dehenda, Gombo, Gumis, Gumuzinya, Mendeya, “Shankilligna” , “Shankillinya” , “Shanqilla” , Sigumza
Dialects	Guba, Wenbera, Sirba, Agalo, Yaso, Mandura, Dibate, Metemma. There are noticeable dialect differences, and not all dialects are inherently intelligible. Mandura, Dibate, and Metemma form a distinct dialect subgroup.
Classification	Nilo-Saharan, Komuz, Gumuz
Language use	4,379 L2 speakers. Limited comprehension of Eastern Oromo [hae].
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 6.2%. NT: 2003.
Writing system	Ethiopic script. Latin script.
Comments	Connections between villages for intermarriage and trade. SVO; verb affixes show person, number of subject, first plural inclusive and exclusive; tonal, 3 tones. Traditional religion, Muslim, Christian.

Also spoken in:

Sudan

Language name	Gumuz
Population	40,000 in Sudan.
Region	North, east of Er Roseires, Famaka and Fazoglo areas on the Blue Nile; north along Ethiopia border.
Language map	Sudan
Alternate names	Debatsa, Deguba, Dehenda, Gombo, Gumis, Mendeya, Shankillinya, Shanqilla
Dialects	Disoha (Desua), Dakunza (Degoja, Dukunza, Gunza, Ganza, Dukuna, Dugunza), Sai, Sese (Saysay), Dekoka, Dewiya, Kukwaya, Gombo, Jemhwa, Modea.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Ahland, Colleen Anne. 2004. Linguistic variation within Gumuz: a study of the relationship between historical change and intelligibility.

Unseth, Peter. 1985. "Gumuz: a dialect survey report."

Unseth, Peter. 1989. "Selected aspects of Gumuz phonology."