Mao languages


The Mao languages are a branch of the Omotic languages spoken in Ethiopia. The group had the following categories:
It is estimated that there are 5,000 speakers of Bambasi, 3,000 speakers each of Hozo and Seze and a few hundred Ganza speakers. During recent political upheavals, a few thousand Bambassi speakers established themselves in the valley of the Didessa River and Belo Jegonfoy woreda. Much of the Mirab Welega Zone was once the home of Mao languages, but they have lost speakers because of the increasing influence of Oromo.

Contact

Mao languages are in close contact with Koman languages. Some Koman-speaking groups in Ethiopia consider themselves to be ethnically Mao.

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:
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ʔìʃì kwéʔènmámbútʼízímás’ík’wísʼíʔìʃkìbínmámpʰìnwòbóʃèlékónsó-bá
ʔìʃì kwéʔènmámbútʼízímás’ík’wísʼíʔìʃkìbínmámpʰìnwòbóʃèlékónsó-bá
ʔíʃkúwéénmámbùʔtíízìʔmás’s’ìʔk’wíssíʔʔíʃkípínmámpínwóp’òʃéléʔkónsóbààʔ
ʔónnàdòmbósìjázìbétsʼìkwítsʼì kwítsʼì ʔòttá ʔónnà kwítsʼì ʔòttá dòmbó kwítsʼì ʔòttá sìjázì kwítsʼì ʔòttá bétsʼì pʼóʃì
ʊnːa / onnadʊmbo / dombosìɑːsi /siyazibɛtsíː / betsʼikʷɪtsí / kʼwitsi kɛniː / ota-onna ʔɔːta / ota-dombo ʔɔ̀ːtá / ota-siyazi ʔɔ̀ːtì / ota-beːtsi pʼɔ́ːʃi / poːši
hishkìnumboteezèmesʼekʼwíssíkyaansèkúlùmbò kúteezé kúsmésʼe kúúsú
ʔìʃílènòmbésììzébesʼsʼékʼwíssé kʼwíssé ʔòòt ʔìʃílè kʼwíssé ʔòòt nòmbé kʼwíssé ʔòòt sììzé kʼwíssé ʔòòt besʼsʼé kúúsé
ɪ̀ʃìlɛ / ɪšilɛnɔ̀mbɛ́ / noːmbɛsìːzí /siːzɛbɛ̀sʼɛ́ / bɛtsʼɛkʼúsɛ́ / kʼʊsse dʒɑ;j / ot-šilɛʔɔːt nɔ̀mbɛ́ / ot-nombɛʔɔ̀ːt síːzí / ota-siːzɛʔɔ̀ːt bèːtsʼé / ota-bɛːsʼɛ̞kʊ́ːsɛ̀ / kʊːsɛ