The Mao languages are a branch of the Omotic languages spoken in Ethiopia and parts of Sudan. The group had the following categories:

Quick Facts Geographic distribution, Linguistic classification ...
Mao
Blue Nile Mao
Geographic
distribution
Ethiopia, Sudan[1]
Linguistic classificationAfro-Asiatic
Language codes
Glottologmaoo1243
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It is estimated that there are 5,000 speakers of Bambasi, 3,000 speakers each of Hozo and Seze and a few hundred Ganza speakers (Bender, 2000). During recent political upheavals, a few thousand Bambassi speakers established themselves in the valley of the Didessa River and Belo Jegonfoy woreda. Much of the Mirab Welega Zone was once the home of Mao languages, but they have lost speakers because of the increasing influence of Oromo.

Contact

Mao languages are in close contact with Koman languages. Some Koman-speaking groups in Ethiopia consider themselves to be ethnically Mao.[2]

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:[3]

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Ganza (Gwàmì Nánà) (1)ʔìʃì kwéʔènmámꜜbútʼíꜜzímáꜜs’ík’wísʼíʔìʃkìbínꜜmámpʰìnwòbóꜜʃèléꜜkónsó-báꜜ (litː 'hand-pair')
Ganza (Gwàmì Nánà) (2)ʔìʃì kwéʔènmámꜜbútʼíꜜzímáꜜs’ík’wísʼíʔìʃkìbínꜜmámpʰìnwòbóꜜʃèléꜜkónsó-báꜜ (litː hand-pair)
Ganza (3)ʔíʃkúwéénmámbùʔtíízìʔmás’s’ìʔk’wíssíʔʔíʃkípínmámpínwóp’òʃéléʔkónsóbààʔ
Hozo (1)ʔónnàdòmbósìjázìbétsʼìkwítsʼì (lit: 'hand')kwítsʼì ʔòttá ʔónnà (5 + 1)kwítsʼì ʔòttá dòmbó (5 + 2)kwítsʼì ʔòttá sìjázì (5 + 3)kwítsʼì ʔòttá bétsʼì (5 + 4)pʼóʃì
Hozo (2)ʊnːa / onnadʊmbo / dombosìɑːsi /siyazibɛtsíː / betsʼikʷɪtsí / kʼwitsi (lit: 'hand', kutsi)kɛniː / ota-onna (5 + 1)ʔɔːta / ota-dombo (5 + 2)ʔɔ̀ːtá / ota-siyazi (5 + 3)ʔɔ̀ːtì / ota-beːtsi (5 + 4)pʼɔ́ːʃi / poːši
Northern Maohishkìnumboteezèmesʼekʼwíssíkyaansèkúlùmbò (litː hand-two ?)kúteezé (litː hand-three?)kúsmésʼe (litː hand-four ?)kúúsú
Sezi (Seze / Sezo) (1)ʔìʃílènòmbésììzébesʼsʼékʼwíssé (lit: 'hand', kusɛ)kʼwíssé ʔòòt ʔìʃílè (litː 5 remaining 1)kʼwíssé ʔòòt nòmbé (litː 5 remain. 2)kʼwíssé ʔòòt sììzé (litː 5 remaining 3)kʼwíssé ʔòòt besʼsʼé (litː 5 remain. 4)kúúsé
Seze (Sezo) (2)ɪ̀ʃìlɛ / ɪšilɛnɔ̀mbɛ́ / noːmbɛsìːzí /siːzɛbɛ̀sʼɛ́ / bɛtsʼɛkʼúsɛ́ / kʼʊsse (lit: 'hand', kusɛ)dʒɑ;j / ot-šilɛʔɔːt nɔ̀mbɛ́ / ot-nombɛʔɔ̀ːt síːzí / ota-siːzɛʔɔ̀ːt bèːtsʼé / ota-bɛːsʼɛ̞kʊ́ːsɛ̀ / kʊːsɛ
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See also

Further reading

  • Küspert, Klaus-Christian (2015). "The Mao and Komo Languages in the Begi–Tongo area in Western Ethiopia: Classification, Designations, Distribution". Linguistic Discovery. 13 (1). doi:10.1349/PS1.1537-0852.A.447.

References

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