Meru language

Meru is the language spoken by the Meru people (Ameru) who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya, Kenya, Africa and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration from the north.

For the language spoken in Tanzania and sometimes known as Meru, see West Kilimanjaro language.
Meru
Kîmîîrû
Native toKenya
RegionMount Kenya and Eastern Province
Native speakers
2.0 million (2009 census)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3
mer – Meru
GlottologMeru  Meru
E.53,531,54,541[2]

The Meru people are a fairly homogeneous community and all share a common ancestry. They speak the same language, Kimeru, but there are some slight regional differences, in accent and local words. The community comprises the following subdivisions; from the north to south:

  • Igembe
  • Tigania (Tiania) (culture close to neighbouring Cushitic and Nilotic communities)
  • Imenti
  • Tharaka (Saraka)
  • Igoji
  • Mwimbi–Muthambi
  • Chuka (Gicuka) (marginal intelligibility with Meru proper and with Gikuyu.

As the Meru language is similar to its surrounding neighbors, the Kikuyu and Embu could have possibly adopted parts of Meru.

Sample phrases
EnglishKimeru
How are youMuuga
Give me waterMpa rũũji/rũi
How are you doing?Ûrĩ o mwega?
I am hungryNdîna mpara
Help meNteithia/Ntethia
I am goodNdĩ mwega
Are you a friend?Wĩ mũcore?
Bye, be blessedTigwa bwega, tharimwa.
I love youIkwendete.
Come hereîja aja/ Iyu aa
I will phone youNgakũringira thimû

Dialects

Kimeru has seven main mutually intelligible dialects. The dialects include kiimenti widely used by the Imenti section of the Ameru, Tiania/gitiania used by the tigania, kiigembe used by the Igembe, kimwimbi and Muthambi used by the Igoji and Chogoria, Gicuka used by the Chuka and Kitharaka used by the Tharaka.

Imenti dialect

It is the commonly used dialect in meru. The dialect acts as the lingua franca between all the nine sub tribes of meru. It is the official dialect used in the kimeru Bible translations. Unlike other Meru dialects, the Imenti dialect is usually not entirely sing-song and bit slow. Its commonly used in Nkubu, Timau, Kibirichia, Meru town and Ruiri areas of Meru County.

Sample phrases
EnglishImenti
How are youNîatîa ûrî? Muuga?
Give me waterMpa rûũji
Homenja/Mûciî
Get outuma njaa/ome
Get Insidekûrûka/Tonya/
TodayNaarua
Tomorrowrûjo
Come hereîja aja/
I will phone youNgakũringira thimû

The Chuka, Muthambi and Mwimbi dialects

The dialects are more related to Gikuyu and Meru proper, and are common in Igoji, Chogoria and Chuka regions of Meru County and Tharaka Nithi County.

Sample phrases
EnglishChuka/Muthambi/Mwimbi
How are youMuuga
Give me waterMpa maaî/rûnjî
Homemûcii
Get outuma nja
Get Insidekûrûka/Tonya/Thungira
Todayûmûnthi
Tomorrowrûjû/rûû
Come hereûka aja/
I will phone youNgakũringira/ngakubûrira thimû

TIgania and Igembe dialects

The dialects can be identified by its unmistakable sing-song and fast spoken intonations. It can be heard mostly in Miraa or khat growing areas of Muthara, Karama, Kangeta, Maua, Laare and Mutuati in Meru County.

Sample phrases
EnglishTIgania/Igembe
How are youMuua
Give me waternthaania roe/rũî
HomeMucie/Mucii
Get outTũra
Get Insideunkuma
TodayNaarua/Ruarii
Tomorrowrûû/rûyũ
Come hereîya haa
I will phone youNgakũringira thimû

Tharaka dialect

The dialect is more closely related to the kamba and Tigania dialects. It mostly common in Tharaka areas of Tharaka nithi County.

Sample phrases
EnglishTharaka
How are youMuuga
Give me waterMpa rûûyî
HomeMûciî
Get outuma nja
Get InsideThûngîra
TodayÎmunthî
Tomorrowrûũ
Come herencû aga
I will phone youNgakũringîra thimû

Alphabet

Kimeru is written in a Latin alphabet. It does not use the letters f p q s v x z, and adds the letters ĩ and ũ. The Kimeru alphabet is:

'a b c d e g h i ĩ j k m n o r t u ũ w y[3]

A Kenyan musical group known as High Pitch Band Afrika based in Meru County has done a cover of the Luis Fonsi's popular hit single Despacito in Kimeru language. The Kimeru cover was uploaded on YouTube on July 10 2017 and has generated over 500,000 views since then.

In Media the Kimeru language is used as the primary broadcast language of several Radio and TV stations in Kenya. Some include: Meru Fm, Muuga Fm, Weru Fm, Weru TV, Baite Tv, Thiiri Fm among many others.

References
  1. Meru at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
  2. Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. "5 Steps to get you Writing Kimeru like a Njuri Ncheke Editor - The Ameru". The Ameru. 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
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