LEVELS OF LANGUAGE SHIFT AND LANGUAGE ENDANGERMENT IN THE GURAGE VARIETIES OF MUHER AND EZHA

Abstract

Gurage is a multilingual area located about 150 km in western parts of the capital of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Muher and Ezha are language varieties of Gurage. They are neighbors and share common cultural values. The Muher community is found in the north-western part of the Gurage Zone. It shares a border with Ezha in the west, Mesqan and Dobbi in the southeast, Wolene in the northeast, K’abeena in the northwest and Silt’e in the southeast. The Ezha district is located southwest of Muher, northwest of Chaha and northeast of Gumer. Many of the Muher and Ezha speakers are bilingual in one of their neighboring languages. This study investigates the level of language shift and language endangerment in Muher and Ezha. Mixed research methods (questionnaire, interview, participant observation, UNESCO vitality index and EGIDS (expanded Graded integration disruption scale)) are used as research tools. The findings show that Muher is the most endangered language and Muher and Ezha are also highly influenced by the dominant official working language of the country, Amharic. Amharic is used in all official settings in Muher and Ezha, such as in schools, in court, in health centers and in administration. Elders tend to use their mother tongues, while young people mix their mother tongue with the dominant language, or tend to speak Amharic. Generational transformation of Muher and Ezha is decreasing in urban areas.