בלין

Bilen (Bilin, ብሊን) is a Central Cushitic (Agaw) language spoken by the Bilen people of Eritrea's Anseba region, centered on Keren, Halhal and Hagaz, with ~140K speakers. It is the northernmost surviving member of the Agaw branch (which once dominated the Ethiopian Highlands before Semitic Ge'ez/Amharic expansion), other Agaw languages being Awngi (awn) in Ethiopia and the endangered Xamtanga (xan), Qimant (ahg), Kemant. Bilen society is traditionally divided between Christian (Eritrean Catholic and Orthodox Tewahedo) and Muslim Bilen. Both Ethiopic Ge'ez fidäl script and Latin orthography are in use, with active religious and educational publications since the late 19th century.