Ongota (also known as Birale/Birayle) is a moribund language of southwest Ethiopia. In 2000, it was said to be in a state of decline with only 8 elderly mother tongue speakers, most other speakers having adopted the Ts'amakko language instead. The grammar follows a Subject Object Verb word order. It is probably Afroasiatic, but has not been definitively classified. As of 2004, it is being studied by Aklilu Yilma of Addis Ababa University.
Bibliography
Fleming, Harold 2002. "Ongota Lexicon: English-Ongota". Mother Tongue, VII, pp. 39-65.
Mikesh, P. and Seelig, J.M. 1992. "Ongota or Birale: a moribund language of Gemu-Gofa (Ethiopia)". Journal of Afroasiatic Languages, 3,3:181-225.
Savā, Graziano and Mauro Tosco 2000. A sketch of Ongota, a dying language of southwest Ethiopia. Studies in African Linguistics 29.2.59-136.
External links
Ethnologue on Ongota (http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=BXE)
Ongota (also known as Birale/Birayle) is a moribund language of southwest Ethiopia.
In 2000, it was said to be in a state of decline with only 8 elderly native speakers, the rest of their small village on the west bank of the Weyt'o River having adopted the Ts'amakko language instead.
'Ongota is in an advanced process of extinction due to several socio-economic reasons.
The small 'Ongota settlement in the forest on the west bank of the Weyt'o River in Ethiopia is surrounded by Ts'amakko people, a bigger community speaking a Dullay language.
The 'Ongotalanguage is havily influenced by the Ts'amakko language, Ts'amakko borrowings being more and more absorbed without any adaptation.
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