Alternate Names: Barta, Beni Shangul, Bertha, Burta, Jebelawi, Wetawit
Dialects: Bake, Dabuso, Fadashi, Mayu, Shuru, Undu. Probably more than one language.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 187,000 in Ethiopia (2007 census), increasing. 3,450 Fadashi. Population total all countries: 209,000. 99,700 monolinguals. L2 users: 16,500 in Ethiopia.
Language Use: All domains, except for religion (which is in Arabic [arb]). All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Amharic [amh].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 10%. Taught in primary schools. Dictionary.
Typology: SVO; case suffixes, passive, causative; prepositions; tonal.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Ethiopia
Other Comments: ‘Beni Shangul’ is the Arabic name. Muslim.