Omotic

Omotic refers to a group of languages spoken in southwestern Ethiopia, named after the Omo River region. The term is used for a branch of the Afroasiatic language family to which these languages belong. For much of the 20th century, Omotic was proposed as the most divergent branch of Afroasiatic, highlighting deep historical questions. In contemporary scholarship, Omotic is generally regarded as Afroasiatic, but the internal subgrouping and even the status of some languages remain debated.

Geographic distribution and languages: Omotic languages are spoken primarily in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region and adjacent areas in Ethiopia. The group is diverse, with roughly twenty languages. The largest by number of speakers is Wolaytta; other well-known Central/Southern Omotic languages include Gamo, Gofa, Dawro, Basketo, and Sheko. North Omotic languages include Anuak and Majang.

Linguistic status and vitality: Many Omotic languages have relatively small speaker populations and face pressure from dominant regional languages. Several are considered endangered or vulnerable as younger generations shift to Amharic, Oromo, or other languages. Efforts to document, standardize orthographies, and promote literacy vary by language community and government policy.

Writing systems and research: Some Omotic languages use Latin-based alphabets in literacy projects; others have used the Ethiopic script or lack a widely accepted writing system. Omotic remains a focus of linguistic research because of its controversial position within Afroasiatic and its high internal diversity.