Zay language

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title: "Zay language" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["transverse-ethiopian-semitic-languages", "languages-of-ethiopia", "subject–object–verb-languages", "endangered-languages-of-africa", "severely-endangered-languages"] description: "Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Ethiopia" topic_path: "linguistics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zay_language" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Ethiopia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox language"]

Field	Value
name	Zay
nativename	ዛይኘ, የዛይ አፍ
states	Ethiopia
region	Lake Zway
ethnicity	Zay
speakers
date	2005
ref	e27
familycolor	Afro-Asiatic
fam2	Semitic
fam3	West Semitic
fam4	South Semitic
fam5	Ethiopic
fam6	South
fam7	Transversal
fam8	Harari–East Gurage
fam9	East Gurage
script	Geʽez script
iso3	zwa
glotto	zayy1238
glottorefname	Zay
map2	Lang Status 40-SE.svg
mapcaption2
::

| name = Zay | nativename = ዛይኘ, የዛይ አፍ | states = Ethiopia | region = Lake Zway | ethnicity = Zay | speakers = | date = 2005 | ref = e27 | familycolor = Afro-Asiatic | fam2 = Semitic | fam3 = West Semitic | fam4 = South Semitic | fam5 = Ethiopic | fam6 = South | fam7 = Transversal | fam8 = Harari–East Gurage | fam9 = East Gurage | script = Geʽez script | iso3 = zwa | glotto = zayy1238 | glottorefname = Zay | map2 = Lang Status 40-SE.svg | mapcaption2 =

Zay (Oromo: Lak'i, Laqi) is an Afroasiatic language of the Semitic branch spoken in Ethiopia. It is one of the Gurage languages in the Ethiopian Semitic group. The Zay language has around 14,000 speakers known as the Zay, who inhabit Gelila and the other five islands and shores of Lake Zway in the southern part of the country.

Language situation

| width = 200 | float = right | caption = Map of Ethiopia Showing where Zay is spoken | alt = Map of Ethiopia with mark showing location of Lake Zway | label = Lake Zway | lat_deg = 8.00 | lon_deg = 38.50 Zay is an unwritten language. Most speakers are multilingual in other Gurage languages, in the Oromo language, and in Amharic. The language is geographically concentrated around Lake Zway; specifically, in Herera, Meki, Ziway, and the five islands: Fundurro Island (Famat or Getesemani Island) the smallest island; Tsedecha Island (Aysut Island), next to the biggest island; Debre-Tsion Island, the largest island; Gelila Island; and Debre Sina Island. It is an endangered language, with speakers migrating to the mainland adopting the Oromo language, and increasing use of Oromo by the younger generations on the Zay islands.

Zay is 70% lexically similar with the Siltʼe language, and 60% with Harari.

Grammar

The word order of Zay is SOV (subject–object–verb). Attributive adjectives precede the nouns they modify. Possessives also precede nouns. Zay is a pro-drop language, with required subject-marking on the verb.

Zay has been greatly affected by contact it has had with the Gurage languages. This contact has created a significant amount of lexical and grammatical change in Zay.

References

References

1. Meyer, R. (2006). "The Zay Language (East-Gurage, Ethiopia)". Mainz University.
2. Jordan, Linda; Netzley, Jillian; & Mohammed, Hussein (2011). "A Sociolinguistic Survey Report of the Zay People in Ethiopia". SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2011-046: 43, 2011-046
3. Hayward, Richard J. (1990). "Notes on the Zayse Language". Hayward, Richard J.(ed.). London: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
4. Meyer, R. (2006). "The Zay Language (East-Gurage, Ethiopia)". Mainz University.

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