Alternate Names: Atrato, Chocó, Cholo, Darien, Darien Emberá, Ebera Bedea, Empera, Panama Embera
Dialects: Related languages in order of closeness: Emberá-Catíoc,, Emberá-Baudó ,, Emberá-Tadó ,, Epena ,, Emberá-Chamí ,, and Wounmeu ,. Panama and Colombia dialects are inherently intelligible. Northern Embera of the Upper Baudó area and downriver Emberá-Baudó are inherently intelligible.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 22,500 in Panama (2012 SIL). Population total all countries: 72,200.
Language Use: Home, friends, some churches. Positive attitudes. N. Emberas in Panama Province are bilingual in Spanish [spa]; those under 30 may speak only Spanish but understand Embera to some extent. In the Darien Province, men as well as women under 30 speak Spanish to a lesser degree.
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 10%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%. Bible reading is primary motivation for L1 literacy. Poetry. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1991–2011.
Typology: SOV; postpositions; noun head both initial and final; 2 (human, non-human); content q-word initial; no prefixes, up to 5 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks number; ergativity; both tense and aspect; passives and voice (by switching order of S and O); nontonal; 20 consonant and 12 vowel phonemes (6 vowels plus autosegmental nasalization).
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Panama
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian.