Maasai

Maasai (ɔl Maa)

The Maasai, Masai or Maa language is a member of the East Niolitic branch
of the Nilo-Saharan language family spoken by about 900,000 people
in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The term Maasai refers to
“one who speaks the Maa language”.

Maasai is taught in schools to some extent, though the languages of instruction
are Swahili and English. There is a Maasai dictionary, a Maasai translation
of the Bible, and a few other publications, but generally the language is not used
in writing very much.

Maasai pronunciation

Masai pronunciation

Tones indication

á rising tone
a level tone
à falling tone
â falling tone

Sample text in Masai

órè dúó apá ánaa
enáyyólo naá órè taá,
órè taá náají, órè
dúó énaa enapákátá earây,
náa káytírríshíákì
náají ìnè wwéjì amû
órè apá, néetây apá,
néetây apá oltuŋánì ojî
apá Inkimís.

Translation

As far as what I know from a long time ago, like the time there was
fighting I can remember a lot about that time because a long time ago,
there was…At that time there was a person named Inkimis.

Source: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~maasai/Maa Language/matext.htm

Links

Information about the Maasai language and peoples
http://www.uoregon.edu/~maasai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasai_language
http://www.laleyio.com/maasai.html

Online Maa (Maasai) dictionary
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~maasai/Maa Language/matext.htm

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