Qimant

Facts

  • Language: Qimant
  • Alternate names: Kimanteney, Western Agaw
  • Language code: ahg
  • Language family: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, Agaw, Northern-Eastern-Western Agaw
  • Dialects: Kayla.
  • Number of speakers: 1650
  • Vulnerability: Endangered [Read more...]
  • Script: Ethiopic?

More information:

    Introduction

    The Qimant language is a highly endangered language spoken by a small and elderly fraction of the Qemant people in Northern Ethiopia mainly in Chilga Woreda in Semien Gondar Zone between Gondar and Metemma.

    It is not clear to what extent Kayla, Qwara and Qimant have been dialects of the same Western Agaw language, or were languages distinct from each other.

    Qimant Verb

    On the verb, all inflectional categories are marked by suffixes. There are three different aspect forms in Qimant: Perfective, Imperfective and Progressive.

    Sample verb: 'to be'

    Present Past
    Sg.1 an gayl sïmbequ
    Sg.2m ïntï gayla sïmbequ
    Sg.2f ïntï gayla sïmbequ
    Sg.2 res. nay gaɂla sïmbinäqu
    Sg.3m ni gala sïmbequ
    Sg.3f ni gala sïmbitï
    Pl.1 annew gaɂlï sïmbïnequ
    Pl.2 ïntändew gaɂiyla sïmbinequ
    Pl.3 naydew gaɂla sïmbinäqu

    External Links