Burunge

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A language of Tanzania

ISO 639-3
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Alternate Names
Bulunge, Burunga Iso, Burungee, Burungi, Kiburunge, Mbulungi, Mbulungwe
Autonym
Burungaisoo
User Population

28,000 (Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania 2009). Ethnic population: 30,000 (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007).

Location

Dodoma region: Kondoa district, Chambalo, Goima, and Mirambu villages; Manyara region.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, South
Dialects

None known. Lexically similar with Gorowa [gow] and Iraqw [irk], 65% with Alagwa [wbj] (Aweki 1996); relatively high similarity between Alagwa and Burunge, despite their belonging to separate branches of the same language family according to their grammars (Kiessling and Mous 2003).

Typology

SOV; prepositions, genitives, articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; 5 suffixes; verbal suffixes mark person, number, gender of subject; preverbal clitics mark person of subject; causatives; CV, CVV, CVC (restriction on second CCV); tonal.

Language Use

Formerly felt inhibited to speak Burunge in public, but now less common as more and more publications are printed in Burunge. Home, field, some in churches. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Langi [lag]. Also use Swahili [swh].

Language Development

No L1 literacy rate reported. Transitional and basic literacy taught for about 10 years. Literature. Newspapers. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2016.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Burunge
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.