Kafa (kafí noonoó / የከፋ-ቋንቋ)

Kafa is a member of the North Omotic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. It is spoken in the Keffa Zone in the South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region in the south west of Ethiopia by about 830,000 people, particularly in and around the town of Bonga (ቦንጋ).

Kafa is also known as Kefa, Käfa, Kaffa, Keffa, Caffino, Kaficho or Kafi noono. Native speakers call their language kafí noonoó ("Kafa language/mouth"). There are six dialects: Gimbo, Deechi, Xal-loo, Manjiyoo, Canni, and Geeshi. It is related to Shekkacho, which is spoken in the same region of Ethiopia.

A way to write Kafa with the Latin alphabet was devised by a group of Kafa teachers and language experts in Awasa in 1994. Other Latin-based spelling systems are available. There is also a way to write Kafa with the Ethiopic script.

Kafa alphabet

Download an alphabet chart for Kafa (Excel)

Samplet text in Kafa

Ubbe ashi bushoo shiijjeto tatoonaa ame megoona aalloon, oogoonaa wuroonon yechiiniye. Ikkoo baroona manittine shalligoonaa naboona yeshet shalligoon boono shaddeyoo hakkiimm qello boonoshich ichete.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Videos in Kafa

Links

Information about Kafa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kafa_language
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffa_(Sprache)
https://www.academia.edu/338464/Kafa_Phonology
https://en.sewasew.com/p/ka-fa-language-(የከፋ-ቋንቋ)
http://www.language-archives.org/language/kbr

Omotic languages

Aari, Bambassi, Bench, Dizin, Hamer(-Banna), Kafa, Sheko, Wolaytta

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 05.07.23. Last modified: 05.07.23

[top]

You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, and if you like what you see on this page, you can use the buttons below to share it with people you know.

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.

[top]