Ikoma-Nata-Isenye | Ethnologue

A language of Tanzania

ISO 639: ntk
Autonym: Eghiikoma
Population: 34,700 (Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania 2009). 19,400 Ikoma, 7,100 Nata, 8,200 Isenye (Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania 2009).
Location:: Mara region: Serengeti district, Gurumeti division.
Language Status: 6b (Threatened).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Logooli-Kuria (E.45)
Dialects: Ikoma (Egiikoma, Ghiikoma, Kiikoma, Koma), Nata (Ekinaata, Ekinata, Ikinata, Kinata, Kinatta, Natta), Isenye (Eghiishenyi, Ikisenyi, Isenyi, Issenye, Kiisenye, Kiissenye). Lexical similarity: 81% with Zanaki [zak], 73% with Ngoreme [ngq], 68% with Kuria [kuj], 44% with Gusii [guz]. Dialect similarity: Ikoma 85% with Isenye and 89% with Nata; Isenye and Nata share 88%.
Typology: 7 vowel system.
Language Use: Strong Swahili [swh] use among Nata dialect speakers. Many Nata children learn Swahili as L1. All domains, if no speakers of other languages are present. Some young people, all adults.
Language Development: Bible portions: 2009–2015.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Ikoma-Nata-Isenye
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Ikoma, Nata and Isenye are 3 different ethnic groups. They consider their 3 speech varieties different, but similar enough to use the same written material. Nata seems more endangered with many children speaking more Swahili [swh] than Nata. Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.

Location: Mara region: Serengeti district, Gurumeti division.