Aja

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A language of Benin

ISO 639-3
ajg
Alternate Names
Adja, Hwè
Autonym
Ajagbe
Population

591,000 (2014 J. Leclerc). Total users in all countries: 781,000.

Location

Coufou department: Aplahoué, Djakotomè, Dogbo, Klouékanmè, Lalo, and Tovinklin communes on Mono river; Mono department: Athiémè, Houéyogbé communes; Zou department: Agbangnizoun and Djidja communes; Cotonou and many southern mixed-language towns.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe, Aja
Dialects

Dogbo, Hwe (Ehoue), Tado (Tadou), Sikpi (Shikpi), Tala. The Hwe, Sikpi, and Tado dialects are linguistically very similar; Dogbo and Tala distinct from the other 3. Lexical similarity: 92% with Hwe-Sikpi dialect, 89% with Hwe-Dogbo dialect, Hwe-Tado dialect, and Hwe-Tala dialect.

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, neighborhood, work. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use French [fra], Gen [gej], Éwé [ewe]. Used as L2 by Saxwe Gbe [sxw].

Language Development
Taught in primary schools in small-scale multilingual education program since 2013. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 2010–2014.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Aja
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Tado and Tala speakers are mainly in Togo. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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