Alternate Names: Churi, Dhuri, Eastern Suri, Shuri, Shuro, Surma
Dialects: Chai (Caci, Cai), Tirmaga (Cirma, Dirma, Terema, Terna, Tid, Tirima, Tirma, Tirmagi). Lexical similarity: 81% with Mursi ,.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 26,900 (2007 census), increasing. 18,700 monolinguals.
Language Use: Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Amharic [amh]. Used as L2 by Kacipo-Balesi [koe].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: Below 2%. Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%. Not used as a medium of instruction in the schools, after-school Suri literacy classes teach some school subjects in Suri. Radio programs. Dictionary. Bible portions: 2007.
Typology: SVO.
Writing System: Ethiopic, Latin
Nation of Origin: Ethiopia
Other Comments: ‘Suri’ is an ethnonym for speakers of the Tirmaga, Chai and Baale (see Kacipo-Balesi) speech varieties. Tirmaga and Chai speakers can understand each other, but Baale , is a separate language (Dimmendaal and Yigezu 1998). Dama is the Me’en , name for Suri. Traditional religion, Christian.