Maasai Language
/ˈmɑːsaɪ ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/noun
The Maa language spoken by the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania.
Did you know?Maa is a Nilotic language, and its closest well-known relative is Samburu, spoken by a neighboring East African people—not a language descended from European roots.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient linguistic prehistory
Proto-Nilotic
*maa-
“A reconstructed root associated with speech or language in the Nilotic family; exact reconstruction and interpretation remain debated.”
Precolonial East Africa
Maa
Maa
“The language spoken by the Maasai and related communities.”
Precolonial East Africa
Maa
Il-Maa
“A traditional self-designation connected with Maa-speaking people; il- is a noun-class element in the language.”
19th Century
English
Masai / Maasai
“English forms used for the East African pastoral people and their language; spelling with double “a” became standard.”
Modern English
English
Maasai language
“A descriptive English phrase referring to Maa, the language of the Maasai.”