Okiek
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A language of Kenya
50 L1 speakers in Kenya and Tanzania (Austin 2008). Spoken by a small number of people (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007). Ethnic population: 52,600 (2019 census). Total users in all countries: 250.
Nakuru county: east Mau escarpment. Mau forest between Amala and Ewas Ng’iro rivers near Nosogami stream (Sogoo dialect).
8b (Nearly extinct).
VSO; case-marking on nouns and adjectives (2 cases: nominative and accusative); verb affixes mark person and number of subject and object; aspect and tense affixes on verbs; 17 consonants and 10 vowels; tonal (3 - high, mid, low).
Some languages associated with Okiek have few remaining speakers. Akiek in northern Tanzania now speak Maasai [mas]. Those of Kinare in Kenya now speak Gikuyu [kik]. Those in Tanzania and Kenya are not in contact with each other. Sogoo dialect may be extinct. Home, social gatherings. Many shifted to Maasai [mas] (Sommer 1992). Many shifted to Swahili [swh] (Sommer 1992). Also use English [eng].
“Ndorobo” is a pejorative term for several hunter or forest groups that are not linguistically related (El Molo, Yaaku, Okiek, Omotik, Aasáx). Christian.