Alternate Names: Gelilla, Lak’i, Laqi, Zway
Dialects: None known. Lexical similarity: 61% with Harari ,, 70% with Silt’e , (Bender 1971).
Genealogy:
Demographics: 4,880 (1994 SIL), decreasing. Ethnic population: 4,880.
Language Use: Use of Zay is decreasing due to migration from the islands (the traditional homeland) to the lakeshore, where they become Oromo [orm] speakers. Oromo is also taught in island schools. Speaker number decrease also attributed to dominant role of Amharic [amh] (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007). Island children learn Zay; lakeshore children learn Oromo [orm]. Also use Amharic [amh].
Language Development: Grammar.
Writing System: Unwritten
Nation of Origin: Ethiopia
Other Comments: Zway refers to the lake and town. Ethnic autonym: Zay; Lak’i (Laqi) is the Oromo name for the people.