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Tsamai

A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3: tsb

Population	8,620 (1994 census). 5,298 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 9,702 (1998 census).
Region	Omo region, lowlands west of Lake Chamo.
Language map	Southwestern Ethiopia, reference number 79
Alternate names	Bago S’aamakk-Ulo, Cule, Kuile, Kule, S’amai, Tamaha, Ts’amay, Tsamakko, Tsamako
Dialects	The Tsamai say Gawwada [gwd] is difficult to understand. Possibly related to Birale [bxe]. The most aberrant variety in the Dullay classification. Lexical similarity: 56%–73% with Gawwada dialects, 61% with Bussa [dox], 31% with Konso [kxc].
Classification	Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Dullay
Language use	1,200 L2 speakers. Positive attitude. Also use Konso.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 3%.
Comments	SOV. Peasant agriculturalists.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

GIRARD, Tim, author. 2002. "Sociolinguistic survey report of the Werizoid dialect chain."  

KUSIA SHENKERE, Dinote; SIEBERT, Ralph, authors. 1994. "Second survey of language of the Gawwada, Tsamay and Diraasha areas with excursions to Birayle (Ongota) and Arbare (Irbore)."

WEDEKIND, Klaus, author. 2002. "Sociolinguistic survey report of the languages of the Gawwada, Tsamay and Diraasha areas with excursions to Birayle (Ongota) and Arbore (Irbore) part II."  

WITTERSØ, Karen Elisabet, author. 2009. A Brief Grammar of the Ts'amakko Language.