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Glite Dictionary
Mari language

Mari language

9.9
A language spoken by the Mari people in the Mari El region of Russia
  • noun
: idioma mari
  • Many children in the Mari El republic learn the Mari language in school.

Examples

  • Linguists have documented traditional songs in the Mari language.

  • He is fluent in both Russian and the Mari language.

  • The Mari language is rich in folklore.

  • Many children in the Mari El republic learn the Mari language at school.

  • He is fluent in both Russian and the Mari language.

  • Many children in the Mari El republic learn the Mari language in school.

  • Linguists have documented traditional songs in the Mari language.

Synonyms

Mari
vsMari language
1 9.9

A language the Mari people speak in central Russia

is the official regional name emphasising the people and region
Cheremis
vsMari language
  • Archaic
9.9

A language of the Mari people spoken in the Volga region of Russia

is the modern preferred name used today
Cheremiss language
vsMari language
  • Archaic
9.9

A language that the Mari people in Russia speak and now call Mari

is the accepted contemporary name for general use
Cheremis language
vsMari language
  • Archaic
9.9

A language spoken by the Mari people in the Mari El region of Russia

is the standard name highlighting the republic where it is spoken
Cheremiss
vsMari language
  • Archaic
9.9

A language like Finnish that the Mari people speak in central Russia

is the neutral modern term preferred over older ethnonyms

Surface Forms

Mari language singular
Mari languages plural

Morphology

Mari + language

This is a straightforward proper-name + noun composition: 'Mari' (the name of the people/language) + 'language' yields 'the language of the Mari people.' The meaning is directly derivable and follows a common cross-linguistic naming pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand it.

Etymology

Mari language gets its name from the people called the Mari, who have lived for centuries in the area now called Mari El in Russia. So it simply means 'the language of the Mari people'.