The individual interviewees in Yeri suggested that they would like their children to learn both Amharic and Majang.
The individual interviewees in Dushi expressed a positive attitude toward Majang and Amharic, while all the individual interviewees in Yeri indicated a positive attitude toward Majang and Shabo.
However, the status they ascribe to Shabo and Majang differs. Only two interviewees give higher status to Shabo. One woman gives the same weight to both Majang and Shabo, and seven of them give higher
status to Majang.
4.1.4 Attitudes to dialects
There is little or no dialect variation in Shabo. According to the group interviewees, varieties spoken in different areas of the Shabo Forest are the same. Three interviewees who have spent a year or more in
Godere stated that the Shabo variety spoken in Dushi is similar to what is spoken in Godere. Since the Shabo live in a relatively small area, it seems that dialect variation is not a major issue.
4.1.5 Social interaction patterns
The Shabo celebrate Christian holidays with other Christians in the area. The group and individual interviewees in Dushi also said that Shabo people interact with Majang or Shekkacho friends in different
ceremonies like weddings and funerals. The Shabo of Dushi trade with Gemadiro, Gecha, Tepi, Meti and Kabo. Those in Yeri trade with Tepi
Kobito, Meti and Kabo. Depending on whom they meet, the Shabo of both Dushi and Yeri use Majang, Shekkacho or even some Amharic for communication when they go to other villages to trade.
According to the group interviewees, most wives come from surrounding Shabo villages. However, seven of ten interviewees in Dushi have Majang blood through their mothers or grandmothers, and one
interviewee has a Majang wife. They said that they communicate with their Majang relatives in the Majang language. Likewise, eight of ten interviewees in Yeri have Majang blood through their parents or
grandmothers, and one has a Majang wife.
4.1.6 Language vitality
The group agreed that Shabo is “alive.” However, they claimed that the use of Shabo is decreasing because of the influence of the surrounding languages, namely Majang and Shekkacho. Furthermore,
they pointed out the tendency to learn Amharic as another factor that could affect Shabo’s vitality. The members of the group and six of the individual interviewees in Dushi doubt that their children
will keep using the Shabo language. Three individuals in Dushi expect that their children will continue to use it, and one said that he could not predict what would happen in the future. Five of them said that
they would not mind if the generation to come stops using Shabo. In Yeri, however, the people seem to be more positive about the vitality of Shabo. Nine interviewees there believe that their children will
maintain the language, but the tenth interviewee doubts that the generation to come will use it.
4.1.7 Language development
