Masalit | Ethnologue

A language of Sudan

ISO 639: mls
Alternate Names: Kana Masalaka, Kana Masaraka, Kanaa Masaraka, Masaraka, Massalit, Mesalit
Autonym: Kanaa Masarak, Masarak
Population: 350,000 in Sudan (2011 SIL). Total users in all countries: 462,000.
Location:: South Darfur state: scattered; West Darfur state: Geneina and Habila districts. North and east of Geneina (Northern Masalit dialect).
Language Status: 6a (Vigorous).
Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Satellites, Maban, Masalit
Dialects: Dialect in West Darfur differs from that in South Darfur. Lexical similarity: 36% with Karanga [kth], 42% with Maba [mfz], 45% with Marfa [mvu].
Typology: SOV; verbal affixation marks person, tense-aspect, subject number, negation, interrogation, participle, causative, verbal number, voice, and mood; vowels: 10 (-ATR: 5 and +ATR: 5).
Language Use: Used by all. Most also use Sudanese Spoken Arabic [apd], however, people in the central area and women have limited proficiency.
Language Development: Literature. Radio. Grammar. Texts.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Masalit
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Many fled to Chad due to war in Darfur (2011).

Chad

Location: Ouaddaï region: Assoungha department, Adré area; Sila region. Ouaddaï region (Western Masalit dialect).
Dialects: Northern Masalit, Western Masalit, Southern Masalit, Masaltang.
Language Status: 5 (Developing)
Other Comments: Masalit speakers in the Sila region are refugees. Muslim.

Location: South Darfur state: scattered; West Darfur state: Geneina and Habila districts. North and east of Geneina (Northern Masalit dialect).