Kayliñña (
Tigrinya and
Amharic: ካይልኛ,
romanized: kāyliññā) is one of two
Agaw languages formerly spoken by a subgroup of the
Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews). It is a dialect of
Qimant. The name Kayla (ካይላ) is sometimes also used as a cover term for both Beta Israel dialects. It is known only from unpublished notes by
Jacques Faitlovitch written in the
Ge'ez script, recently studied by
David Appleyard. It is preserved by the Beta Israel today.
Appleyard, David (1996), "Kaïliña – a 'new' Agaw dialect and its implications for Agaw dialectology", in Hayward, R.J.; Lewis, I. (eds.), Voice and Power: The Culture of Language in North-East Africa, London: SOAS, pp. 1–19,
ISBN0-7286-0257-1
David Appleyard, "Preparing a Comparative Agaw Dictionary", in ed. Griefenow-Mewis & Voigt, Cushitic & Omotic Languages: Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium Berlin, Mar. 17-19, 1994, Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, Köln 1996.
ISBN3-927620-28-9.