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Sidamo

Sidamo is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Ethiopia, by about 1.8 million people.

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Sidamo · 6.7°N 38.4°E

Sidama or Sidaamu Afoo is an Afroasiatic language belonging to the Highland East Cushitic branch of the Cushitic family. It is spoken in parts of southern Ethiopia by the Sidama people, particularly in the densely populated Sidama National Regional State (SNRS). Sidaamu Afoo is the ethnic autonym for the language, while Sidaminya is its name in Amharic. It is not known to have any specific dialects. The word order is typically SOV. Sidama has over 100,000 L2 speakers. The literacy rate for L1 speakers is 1%-5%, while for L2 speakers it is 20%. In terms of its writing, Sidama used an Ethiopic script up until 1993, from which point forward it has used a Latin script.

From Wikipedia · Sidama language · CC BY-SA 4.0

Written down

Manchi beetti kalaqamunni wolaphinoho. Ayirrinyunninna qoossotennino taaloho. Huwatanno tiiano kalaqamunni ba’raarinoha ikkasinni mittu wolu ledo rodiimmate ayyaaninni hee’ra noosi.

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR in Unicode).

Words in Sidamo

MeaningWordRomanization
motherama
fatheranna
womanmeaa
namesuʼma
eyeille
earmacca
nosesano
toothhinko
tonguearrawo
handanga
heartwodana
headumo
waterwaa
firegira
sunarrisho
moonagano
skygordo
rainxeena
stonekina
riverlaga
treehaqqe
nighthashsha
dogwoshichcho
fishqilximme
birdceʼa
horsefarado
cowsa'a
snakehamaso
onemitte
twolame

Most similar languages

Vocabulary

Grammar

Vocabulary compares 40 basic words (ASJP); grammar compares 195 features (Grambank). Similar is not always related.

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Glottolog · sida1246 · Wikipedia (English) · Ethnologue · sid