East Cushitic languages

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East Cushitic
Geographic distribution:	Ethiopia
Genetic classification:	Afro-Asiatic Cushitic East Cushitic
Subdivisions:	Boon Yaaku Dullay group Highland East Cushitic group Konso-Gidole group Oromo group Rendille-Boni group Saho-Afar group Somali group Western Omo-Tana group

The East Cushitic languages comprise more than thirty languages belonging to the Cushitic family within the Afro-Asiatic phylum. East Cushitic languages are spoken mainly in Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti, but also in parts of Kenya.

The most prominent East Cushitic language is Oromo, with about 21 million speakers. Other prominent languages include Somali (spoken by ethnic Somalis in Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Djibouti, and Kenya) with about 15 million speakers, Sidamo (in Ethiopia) with about 2 million speakers, and Afar (in Eritrea and Djibouti) with about 1.5 million.

In the internal classification of East Cushitic, the most common major division is between Highland East Cushitic and Lowland East Cushitic. Western Omo-Tana is a distinct branch, as are the two branches represented by Yaaku (extinct) and Boon (endangered).

[edit] List of Eastern Cushitic languages

Highland East Cushitic
- Alaba (or Alaaba)
- Burji
- Gedeo
- Hadiyya (or Hadiya)
- Kambaata
- Libido
- Sidamo
Lowland East Cushitic
- Rendille-Boni (Rendille and Boni)
- Somali languages
  - Somali
  - Af-Maay
- Saho-Afar languages
  - Saho
  - Afar
- Konso-Gidole
  - Konso (or Komso)
  - Dirasha (or Gidole, Kidole, Diraytata)
- Oromo
- Dullay
  - Bussa (endangered)
  - Gawwada
  - Tsamai
Western Omo-Tana
- Arbore
- Baiso
- Daasanach
- El Molo/Elmolo (extinct; all speakers have shifted to Elmolo-Samburu)
Yaaku (moribund; all speakers have shifted to Mukogodo-Maasai, only three fluent speakers left)
Boon (endangered, possibly extinct)