Saaho

Abstract

Abstract This chapter focuses on the Saaho language. It emphasizes that Saaho is the term used for the varieties spoken by the Saaho of Eritrea and the Irob of Ethiopia. Saaho and Afar form a dialect continuum, regarded as a subgroup of Lowland East Cushitic. A large number of Saaho are now living in the diaspora where their language is still widely spoken and is also commonly used on the internet and social networks. The three major dialect groups within Saaho are briefly discussed: (i) Northern, mainly spoken by the Tʼaruuʕa and the ʕAsawurta, (ii) Central, mainly spoken by the Minifire and the Dabrimeela, and (iii) Southern, mainly used by the Ħado and the Irob. This chapter then shifts to elaborate on the different aspects of Saaho grammar, dialectology, and lexicography. After identifying the major phonological, grammatical, and lexical isoglosses that distinguish the main Saaho and Afar dialects, the phonology of Saaho is analyzed. This is followed by a discussion of the main word classes of this language and their morphological peculiarities. Finally several aspects of Saaho syntax and pragmatics are outlined, such as the structure of simple sentences, comparison and possession, negation, coordination and subordination, direct and indirect speech, definiteness, focus and topic, as well as allocutives.