Mbugu language
Maʼa is a Bantu language of Tanzania.
| Mbugu | |
|---|---|
| Kimbugu | |
| Native to | Tanzania |
| Region | Usambara Mountains |
| Ethnicity | 32,000 |
Native speakers | (7,000 cited 1997) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | mhd |
| Glottolog | mbug1240 |
G.221 | |
| Maʼa | |
|---|---|
| Kimaʼa | |
| Native to | Tanzania |
| Region | Usambara Mountains |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | None (mis) |
| Glottolog | None |
G.20A | |
| ELP | Mbugu |
The Mbugu people speak two divergent registers, which have been treated as separate languages by some authorities (e.g. Tucker and Bryan): Mbugu or "Normal Mbugu" (autonym kiMbugu) is purely Bantu, with vocabulary closely related to Pare, while Maʼa or "Inner Mbugu" (autonym kiMaʼa) consists of an inherited Cushitic vocabulary with Bantu morphology similar to that of Shambala and Pare. They share a grammar, to the point that their syntax is identical and a passage in one can be translated to the other simply by changing the content words.
The Cushitic element was identified as South Cushitic by Ehret. However, Kießling (2001) notes a large East Cushitic admixture. Mous presents the Cushitic element as a register of a Bantu language, and identifies it as largely East Cushitic rather than South Cushitic.