Maasai Language (mas)

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Also Known As: Maa,Masai,Lumbwa,Maasai,Kimaasai


Description:

The Maasai language (autonym: ɔl Maa) is an Eastern Nilotic language spoken in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania by the Maasai people, numbering about 800,000. It is closely related to the other Maa varieties Samburu (or Sampur), the language of the Samburu people of central Kenya, Chamus, spoken south and southeast of Lake Baringo (sometimes regarded as a dialect of Samburu); and Parakuyu of Tanzania. The Maasai, Samburu, il-Chamus and Parakuyu peoples are historically related and all refer to their language as ɔl Maa. Like the other Maa languages, Maasai has Advanced Tongue Root vowel harmony. There are nine contrastive vowels, with the vowel /a/ being "neutral" for harmony. For some speakers the voiced stops may be realized as implosive consonants, but often the implosion is very light to non-existent. Tone is extremely important for conveying correct meaning.

Word order is usually Verb Subject Object, though order can vary because tone is the most important indicator of Subject versus Object. What really determines order in a clause is topicality; thus order in most simple clauses can be predicted according to the information structure pattern: [Verb - Most.Topical -..... full article at Wikipedia

Location of Maasai Language Speakers

http://llmap.org/languages/mas/static_map.png?width=400&height=300&kilroywashere=.png

Rosetta Document Collection

Detailed Description:
1(download)(browse)
Genesis Translation:
1(download)(browse)
Phonology:
1(download)(browse)

Overview

Main Country: Kenya
Spoken In:

Countries: Tanzania, Kenya Regions: Africa

ISO 639-2 Code: mas
ISO 639-3 Code: mas

Classification Taxonomy

All Languages

  Nilo-Saharan Group

    Eastern Sudanic Group

      Nilotic Group

        Eastern Nilotic Group

          Lotuxo-Teso Group

            Lotuxo-Maa Group

              Ongamo-Maa Group

                Maasai Language