Mbugu (language)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mbugu (Ma'a)

Spoken in

Tanzania
speaker approx. 7,000 (as of 1997)
Linguistic
classification

Mixed language from a Bantu language and a Kushitic language

  • Mbugu
Language codes
ISO 639-3

mhd

Mbugu (own name: Ma'a , not to be confused with Maa ) is a mixed language that is spoken by around 7000 people (as of 1997) in the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania . The ethnic population of the Mbugu, however, comprises around 32,000 people.

The peculiarity of this language is that, in terms of the sound system and grammar, it is more likely to be classified as a Bantu language ( closest to the Pare ), but in terms of vocabulary it is closer to the South Cushitic languages . This state of affairs is the result of a mixture of languages.

Theoretically, the Mbugu poses a problem because it is difficult to decide which language family it is genetically assigned to.

It is assumed that the Bantu language represents the older layer, the so-called substrate .

swell

  • Herrmann Jungraithmayr u. Wilhelm JG Möhlig (Ed.): Lexicon of African Studies . Reimer, Berlin 1983.
  • Maarten Mous: The making of a mixed language: the case of Ma'a / Mbugu . Benjamin, Amsterdam 2003.

Web links