Mursi

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A language of Ethiopia

ISO 639-3
muz
Alternate Names
Dama, Merdu, Meritu, Mursinya, Murzi, Murzu, Nyikalabong
Autonym
ሙነን‎ (munɛn)
User Population

8,390, all users. L1 users: 7,390 (2007 census). L2 users: 1,000 (Mütze 2014). 7,000 monolinguals (2017 M. Bryant). Ethnic population: 7,480 (2007 census).

Location

Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: central Omo area, lowlands southwest of Jinka.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Southern (n languages), Surmic, South, Southeast, Pastoral, Suri
Dialects

Closely related to the Chai dialect of Tirmaga-Chai Suri [suq].

Typology

SVO; postpositions; verb affixes show case, person, and number; question words final; lexical and grammatical tone.

Language Use

Home, daily life. Used by all. Also use Amharic [amh], but only in situations of contact with other people groups, such as trading and tourism. Used as L2 by Kwegu [xwg].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 2% in Amharic [amh].

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mursi
Writing

Ethiopic script [Ethi], limited usage. Latin script [Latn], limited usage.

Other Comments

Traditional religion.