Mijikenda language

{{Short description|Bantu language spoken in Kenya and Tanzania}} {{Distinguish|Nyika language|old Degere language}} {{Infobox language | name = Mijikenda | states = [[Kenya]], [[Tanzania]] | ethnicity = [[Mijikenda peoples|Mijikenda]], [[Chonyi people|Chonyi]], [[Digo people|Digo]], [[Giriama people|Giryama]], [[Jibana people|Jibana]], [[Duruma people|Duruma]], [[Kambe people|Kambe]], [[Kauma people|Kauma]], [[Ribe people|Ribe]], [[Rabai people|Rabai]] | region = [[Mombasa District|Mombasa]] and [[Kwale District|Kwale]] districts in Kenya; [[Muheza]] and [[Tanga, Tanzania|Tanga]] districts in Tanzania | speakers = {{sigfig|2.624200|2}} million | date = 2019 census | ref = e26 | familycolor = Niger-Congo | fam2 = [[Atlantic–Congo languages|Atlantic–Congo]] | fam3 = [[Volta-Congo]] | fam4 = [[Benue–Congo languages|Benue–Congo]] | fam5 = [[Bantoid]] | fam6 = [[Southern Bantoid]] | fam7 = [[Bantu languages|Bantu]] | fam8 = [[Northeast Bantu]] | fam9 = [[Northeast Coast Bantu languages|Northeast Coast Bantu]] | fam10 = [[Sabaki languages|Sabaki]] | lc1 = coh | ld1 = Chonyi | lc2 = dig | ld2 = [[Digo language|Digo]] | lc3 = dug | ld3 = Duruma | lc4 = nyf | ld4 = [[Giryama dialect|Giryama]] | lc5 = seg | ld5 = Segeju | guthrie = E.72,73,731,732 | glotto = miji1238 | glottorefname = Mijikenda | ELP = 5071 | ELPname = Segeju }}

'''Mijikenda''' is a [[Bantu languages|Bantu]] [[dialect cluster]] spoken along the coast of East Africa, mostly in [[Kenya]], where there are 2.6 million speakers (2019 census) but also in [[Tanzania]], where there are 166,000 speakers. The name ''Mijikenda'' means "the nine settlements" or "the nine communities" and refers to the multiple language communities that make up the group.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Language and Dialect Atlas of Kenya vol 1|last=Heine|first=Bernd|last2=Möhlig|first2=Wilhelm J.G.|publisher=Dietrich Reimer Verlag|year=1980|isbn=3-496-00144-5|location=Berlin|pages=17–22}}</ref> An older, derogatory term for the group is ''Nyika'' which refers to the "dry and bushy country" along the coast.<ref name=":0" />

==Varieties== The New Updated Guthrie List from 2009<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://brill.com/fileasset/downloads_products/35125_Bantu-New-updated-Guthrie-List.pdf|title=New Updated Guthrie List|last=Maho|first=Jouni Filip}}</ref> lists the following varieties and Guthrie codes as part of the Mijikenda cluster:

* E72 – North Mijikenda (Nyika) ** E72a – [[Giryama dialect|Giryama]] [nyf] ** E72b – Kauma ** E73c – [[Chonyi language|Chonyi]] [coh] ** E73d – [[Duruma language|Duruma]] [dug] ** E73e – [[Rabai]] ** E73F – Jibana ** E72G – Kambe ** E72H – Ribe * E73-732 – South Mijikenda ** E73 – [[Digo language|Digo]] [dig] ** E731 – [[Segeju people|Segeju]] [seg] ** E732 – Degere

The [[Degere]] are former hunter-gatherers like the Cushitic [[Waata]], and are said to have once spoken a [[Cushitic language]].

The Ethnologue<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/subgroups/e|title=Ethnologue}}</ref> lists the following variety groupings:

* [<nowiki/>[[Chonyi language|coh]]] – Chonyi, Jibana * [<nowiki/>[[Duruma language|dug]]] – Duruma * [<nowiki/>[[Digo language|dig]]] – Digo * [<nowiki/>[[Giryama language|nyf]]] – Giryama, Ribe, Kambe, Chwaka, Rabai, Kauma * [<nowiki/>[[Segeju language|seg]]] – Segeju

''Ethnologue's'' 'Duruma' may refer to the same thing as Maho's 'Degere', as the Degere are variously reported to speak Duruma, Digo, or a similar dialect of their own.

==Clicks== Clicks have been reported in [[ideophone]]s from two dialects of Mijikenda: [[Digo language|Digo]] and Duruma. (It is not known if they occur in the others.) These are ''tsya!'' {{IPA|/ʇ̃ǎ/}} 'scram!' and {{IPA|/ʇ̃akule/}} 'minute'. It is not known if these have any connection with the neighbouring Cushitic language [[Dahalo language|Dahalo]].

==References== {{Reflist}} * Walsh, M.T. (2006). [https://www.scribd.com/doc/14444122/A-Click-in-Digo-and-its-Historical-Interpretation "A Click in Digo and its Historical Interpretation"], ''Azania'', 41.

[[Category:Northeast Coast Bantu languages]] [[Category:Click languages]]