Page Type: languageMaay | Ethnologue

YMM ISO 639-3

Maay

Af-maay Autonym

A language of Somalia

ISO 639
ymm
Alternate Names
Af-Maay, Af-Maay Tiri, Af-May, Af-Maymay, Maay Maay, Mai Mai, Rahanween, Rahanweyn
Autonym
Af-maay
Population
2,500,000 in Somalia (2019). Total users in all countries: 2,608,000.
Location:
Bakool, Bay, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, and Shabeellaha Hoose regions. Bakool and Bay regions (Maay Erte dialect); Jubbada Dhexe and Jubbada Hoose (Maay Dhete dialect).
Language Status
5* (Developing).
Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
Dialects
Maay Erte (Central Somali), Maay Dhete (Af-Goshe, Af-Shambarro, Lower Juba Maay, Mahaway), Af-Helledi. May be more than 1 language; dialects form a continuum. Within the Maay dialect continuum, at least two dialect groupings may be discerned, largely between the Digil clans (e.g. Wenle Weyn) and the Mirifle clans (based on Bay Bakool). The Digil consider themselves the ‘royal clan class’ of the Maay-speaking Rahanweyn. Somali [som] is difficult or unintelligible to Maay speakers, except when learned through mass communications, urbanization, and internal movement. Different sentence structure and phonology from Somali. Af-Helledi is a Maay secret language used by hunters. The Maay Erte dialect is more developed, with an orthography and a dictionary (2020 D. Rossbach).
Language Use
Used as L2 by Boon [bnl], Dabarre [dbr], Garre [gex], Jiiddu [jii], Mushungulu [xma], Tunni [tqq].
Language Development
Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Bible portions: 2006–2007.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Maay
Writing
Latin script [Latn], used by Maay Erte dialect.
Other Comments
Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Maay
User Population
108,000 in Kenya (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Kenya

Map

Location: Bakool, Bay, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, and Shabeellaha Hoose regions. Bakool and Bay regions (Maay Erte dialect); Jubbada Dhexe and Jubbada Hoose (Maay Dhete dialect).