1. Introduction Oromo is one of the largest ethnic groups living in Africa (Bender et al, 1976) grouped under the Cushitic speaking people living in Eastern and North Eastern Africa. According to the 2007 census, being more than 25...
more1. Introduction Oromo is one of the largest ethnic groups living in Africa (Bender et al, 1976) grouped under the Cushitic speaking people living in Eastern and North Eastern Africa. According to the 2007 census, being more than 25 million in number, Oromo accounts for 34.4 percent of the total population in Ethiopia. Oromo is one of the Cushitic languages of the Afro-asiatic phylum which is widely spoken in Ethiopia. Oromo, which is predominantly spoken in Ethiopia with several dialects (Baye, 1986; Mekonnen, 2002) ranging from three to eight, is among the lowland east Cushitic group under the Oromoid languages. It is also spoken outside Ethiopia in neighboring countries mainly in Kenya and Somalia. The speakers of the language call themselves Oromo and their language Afan Oromo. Different scholars, however, often use different names for the language: Oromo, Afan Oromo and Oromiffa (Fikadu, 2010; Tekabe, 2010). In this work, Oromo refers to both the language and the people depending on the context. A phonological process of a given language needs to be carefully described and studied in detail to make the language use of different technologies. Intellectuals have studied Oromo phonology in general and the phonological process in particular. Gragg (1976) and Waqo (1981), Binyam (1988), Kebede (1994), and Dejene (2010) have studied the Mecha, the Rayya, the Baatee (Wello) and the Kemise Oromo phonology respectively. These studies focused on varieties than detailed descriptions of the phonological processes, and on phonological processes found in different dialects of the language without giving due attention to the language in general. Though not well captured, what is so far addressed by the scholars regarding dissimilation process in Oromo is length dissimilation, a process by which vowels dissimilate in length. The present study differs from the previous works in that it provides detailed account of the processes which were overlooked by the previous studies. In addition, the previous works reported on dialect specific dissimilatory processes while the present study depicts the detailed description of the processes in the language in general. The present undertaking has two major significances. First, it develops the grammar of the language so as to develop computer based morphological synthesizers which is fundamental to develop computer based grammatical sketch of the language; and second it contributes to the phonological theory of the language by providing descriptive facts. Unless the phonological processes occur in the language is studied to the maximum limit by the concerned scholars, it is challenging for technology developers to compute the language. In this regard what Dejene et al (2013) have contributed on assimilation in Oromo is significant and lays foundation for further similar investigations. For the purpose of this study, the data have been elicited from eight less educated speakers of the dialects of the language who were not away from their home villages for a long time at the time this study has been carried out. Library work and teaching experiences of the researcher as a lecturer at least for the last four years also supplemented the data. Data obtained during the library work and
