Massa language

Massa (or Masana, Masa) is a Chadic language spoken in southern Chad and northern Cameroon by the Masa people. It has approximately 200,000 speakers.

Not to be confused with Limassa language.
Massa
Masana
Native toChad, Cameroon
Native speakers
(230,000 cited 1982–2006)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3mcn
Glottologmasa1322  Masana
gize1234  Gizey
hama1241  Ham

Dialects are Bongor, Bugudum (Budugum), Domo, Gizay, Gumay, Ham, Walia, Wina (Viri), Yagwa.

Kim, a neighbouring language, was once misclassified as Masa.

Phonology

Consonants
Labial Alveolar Lateral Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p t tʃ k ʔ
voiced b d dʒ ɡ
implosive ɓ ɗ
Fricative voiceless f s ɬ h
voiced v z ɮ ɦ
Nasal m n ŋ
Trill r
Approximant w l j

Vowels
Front Central Back
Close i iː u uː
Mid e eː o oː
Open a aː

[2]

References
  1. Massa at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
  2. De Dominicis, Amedeo (2001). The Masa tonal system. University of Tuscia, Viterbo (Italy).


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