Anfillo language

Anfillo (also known as Mao or Southern Mao) is a Northern Omotic language spoken in western Ethiopia by a few hundred people. The term Anfillo is used to refer both to the language and the people found in a small community in the Anfillo woreda, part of the Mirab Welega Zone. The language is on the verge of extinction as it is spoken only by adults above the age of sixty. All younger generations have shifted to Western Oromo.^[1]

Anfillo has five vowels and about 22 consonants. Long vowels and consonants do occur and may have phonemic value. The basic word order is subject–object–verb. Nouns follow their modifier. Verbs are inflected for tense, aspect and mood. Three tenses are marked morphologically: present, past, and future. Gender and number are expressed lexically.

Notes

References

• Amanuel Alemayehu (2001) 'Noun Phrase in Anfillo' (unpublished B.A. thesis, Addis Abeba University)
• Gebre Bizuneh (1994) 'The Phonology of Anfillo' (unpublished M.A. thesis, Addis Abeba University)
• Goshu, Debela & Demeke, Girma Awgichew [2005] 'Some points on Anfillo' (unpublished handout, International Conference on Endangered Ethiopian Languages, Addis Ababa 27–30 April 2005).
• Grottanelli, Vinigi L. 1940. I Mao (Missione etnografica nel Uollega occidentale). Rome: Reale Accademia d'Italia.
• Yigezu, Moges & Yehualashet (1995) 'Anfillo: a sketch of grammar and lexicon', Afrikanistisch Arbeitspapiere, 43. Cologne: University of Cologne/Institute of African Studies.
• Yigezu, Moges (1995b) 'Dying twice: the case of Anfillo languages', Afrikanistisch Arbeitspapiere, 43. Cologne: University of Cologne/Institute of African Studies.
• Wedekind, Klaus & Wedekind, Charlotte (2002) 'Sociolinguistic Survey Report on Languages of the Asosa-Begi-Komosha area, Part II' (SIL Electronic Survey Report 2002-055). [contains a map]

Languages of Ethiopia Official language Amharic Regional languages Semitic Argobba Ge'ez Gurage Harari Inor Mesqan Muher Sebat Bet Gurage Silt'e Soddo Tigrinya Zay Cushitic Afar Alaba Arbore Awngi Baiso Bussa Burji Daasanach Dirasha Gawwada Gedeo Hadiyya Kambaata Konso Libido Oromo Qimant Saho Sidamo Somali Tsamai Xamtanga Omotic Aari Anfillo Bambassi Basketo Bench Boro Chara Dime Dizi Dorze Gamo-Gofa-Dawro Ganza Gayil Hamer-Banna Hozo Kachama-Ganjule Kafa Karo Koorete Maale Melo Nayi Oyda Seze Shekkacho Sheko Wolaytta Yemsa Zayse-Zergulla Nilo-Saharan Anuak Berta Daats'iin Gumuz Kacipo-Balesi Komo Kwama Kwegu Majang Me'en Murle Mursi Nuer Nyangatom Opuuo Shabo Suri Uduk