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Glite Dictionary
Masai language

Masai language

8.9
A language spoken by the Masai people in Kenya and northern Tanzania
  • noun
  • Specialized
: idioma masai
  • He translated the health brochure into Masai language for the local villagers.

Examples

  • Many children in Kenya grow up speaking both Swahili and Masai language.

  • Linguists have studied the Masai language to understand its unique grammar.

  • The Masai language is rich in proverbs.

  • Many children in Kenya learn the Masai language at school.

  • Linguists have studied the Masai language to understand its unique grammar.

  • Many children in Kenya grow up speaking both Swahili and Masai language.

  • The Masai language is rich in proverbs.

Synonyms

Masai
vsMasai language
  • Specialized
3 9.1

A language spoken by the Maasai people in Kenya and northern Tanzania

states it is spoken there without saying it is mainly concentrated
Maasai
vsMasai language
1 9.5

A language spoken by people in Kenya and Tanzania who keep their own culture

uses the general Nilotic label rather than the Eastern subbranch

Surface Forms

Masai language singular
Masai languages plural

Morphology

Masai + language

The phrase is a straightforward composition of a proper noun denoting an ethnic group ('Masai') and the noun 'language', so its meaning — the language spoken by the Masai people — is directly derivable from its parts. The proper-noun + language pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows an obvious naming convention, making it immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

Masai language is named after the Masai people who live in Kenya and northern Tanzania. It simply means 'the way the Masai speak', so the phrase refers to the language used by that community.