Kwavi language

   

The Kwavi language is the language or dialect of Maasai spoken by the Kwavi or Parakuyo (aka Baraguyu) sub-tribe of the Maasai in Tanzania. It is listed by the Ethnologue as unclassified[1] (http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=CKG), but this appears to be an accidental omission. A variety of sources confirm that it is Maasai, or at least a dialect thereof.

According to Hurskainen (1994), "The Parakuyo (earlier also called Ilparakuyo, Baraguyu, Kwavi, Lumbwa, and Iloikop) are a Maa-speaking ethnic group scatttered over a large area in the northeastern and central parts of Tanzania", while Beidelman (1960) confirms that "Kwavi" and "Baraguyu" are indeed synonymous. Legère (2002) says, while discussing inconsistencies in the SIL reports on which the Ethnologue entries are based, that "Baraguyu is included under Maasai dialects, while Kwavi and Parakuyo (which is an alternative form of Baraguyu) are claimed to be unclassified", and the Ethnologue itself notes that "Kwavi may be a dialect (of Maasai)."[2] (http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=MET)

Linguasphere lists it as a member of the Maasai-Ongamo chain[3] (http://www.linguasphere.net/secure/ip/pdf/zones/04.pdf), and a "peripheral" Maasai community, and Jouni Maho lists it as East Nilotic[4] (http://www.african.gu.se/tanzania/weblinks.html).

Bibliography

  • T.O. Beidelman. "The Baraguyu", in Tanganyika notes and records, 1960, no. 55, p. 244-278.
  • Arvi Hurskainen. "Plant taxonomy of the Parakuyo (Tanzania)" in Nordic Journal of African Studies, 1994, vol. 3, no. 2, p. 117-162
  • Karsten Legère. 2002. The "Languages of Tanzania" Project: background, resources and perspectives (http://www.african.gu.se/aa/pdfs/aa02legere.pdf). Africa and Asia, No. 2, 2002.


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