Mashi language

9.9

A Bantu language spoken mainly in Zambia and Angola

noun

: idioma Mashi

Many people in rural western Zambia speak Mashi language as their primary means of communication.

Examples

Linguists are studying the grammar of the Mashi language to document its structure.
Many people in Zambia speak the Mashi language.
Efforts to preserve Mashi language are ongoing as younger generations adopt other languages.
The Mashi language is rich in cultural expressions.
Many people in rural western Zambia speak Mashi language as their primary means of communication.
Efforts to preserve Mashi language are ongoing as younger generations adopt other languages.
Linguists are studying the grammar of the Mashi language to document its structure.

Synonyms

Mashi

vsMashi language

Specialized

9.9

A Bantu language spoken in Zambia and Angola

is mainly spoken in those countries rather than equally elsewhere

Surface Forms

Mashi language singular

Mashi languages plural

Morphology

Mashi + language

This is a straightforward composition of a proper name 'Mashi' plus the noun 'language', so the phrase simply denotes the language called Mashi. The naming pattern (NAME + language) is cross-linguistically common and directly inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Mashi language likely takes its name from the Mashi people of western Zambia and northern Angola. The word language simply means their way of speaking, so Mashi language means 'the language spoken by the Mashi people'.