Meru is a Bantu language spoken by the Meru people (Ameru) who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration from the north.
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:
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 dialectedit
It is the commonly used dialect in Meru. The dialect acts as the lingua franca between all the nine subtribes of Meru. It is the official dialect used in the Kimeru Bible translations. It is commonly used in Nkubu, Timau, Kibirichia, Meru town and Ruiri areas of Meru County.
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.
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For the language spoken in Tanzania and sometimes known as Meru see West Kilimanjaro language Meru is a Bantu language spoken by the Meru people Ameru who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya and on the Nyambene ranges They settled in this area after centuries of migration from the north MeruKĩmĩĩrũNative toKenyaRegionMeru County and Tharaka Nithi CountyEthnicityAmeruNative speakers2 0 million 2019 census 1 Language familyNiger Congo Atlantic CongoVolta CongoBenue CongoBantoidSouthern BantoidBantuNortheast BantuThagiicuNorth ThagiicuMeruDialectsIgembe Igoji Imenti Miutini Nuclear Meru TiganiaLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code mer class extiw title iso639 3 mer mer a MeruGlottologmeru1245 MeruGuthrie codeE 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 Contents 1 Sample phrases 2 Dialects 2 1 Imenti dialect 2 1 1 Sample phrases 2 2 The Chuka Muthambi and Mwimbi dialects 2 2 1 Sample phrases 2 3 Tigania and Igembe dialects 2 3 1 Sample phrases 2 4 Tharaka dialect 2 4 1 Sample phrases 3 Alphabet 4 In Media and Popular Culture 5 References 6 External linksSample phrases editEnglish KimeruHow are you MuugaGive me water Mpa rũũji rũiHow are you doing Ũrĩ o mwega I am hungry Ndĩna mparaHelp me Nteithia NtethiaI am good Ndĩ mwegaAre you a friend Wĩ mũcore Bye be blessed Tigwa bwega tharimwa I love you Ikwendete Come here Ĩja aja Iyu aaI will phone you Ngakũringira thimũI want a cassava Ndũmia mũkwanga mĩkwangaDialects editKimeru 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 edit It is the commonly used dialect in Meru The dialect acts as the lingua franca between all the nine subtribes of Meru It is the official dialect used in the Kimeru Bible translations It is commonly used in Nkubu Timau Kibirichia Meru town and Ruiri areas of Meru County Sample phrases edit English ImentiHow are you Nĩatĩa ũrĩ Muuga Give me water Mpa rũũjiHome Nja MũciĩGet out Uma njaa omeGet Inside Kũrũka TonyaToday NaaruaTomorrow RũjoCome here Ĩja ajaI will phone you Ngakũringira thimũThe Chuka Muthambi and Mwimbi dialects edit Chuka dialectLanguage familyNiger Congo Chuka dialectLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code cuh class extiw title iso639 3 cuh cuh a Glottologchuk1274 ChukaMuthambi dialectLanguage familyNiger Congo Muthambi dialectLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code mws class extiw title iso639 3 mws mws a Glottologmuth1242 MuthambiMwimbi dialectLanguage familyNiger Congo Mwimbi dialectLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code mws class extiw title iso639 3 mws mws a Glottologmwim1242 MwimbiThe 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 edit English Chuka Muthambi MwimbiHow are you MuugaGive me water Mpa maaĩ rũnjĩHome MũciiGet out Uma njaGet Inside Kũrũka Tonya ThungiraToday ŨmũnthiTomorrow Rũjũ RũũCome here Ũka ajaI will phone you Ngakũringira Ngakubũrira thimũTigania and Igembe dialects edit Tigania dialectLanguage familyNiger Congo Tigania dialectLanguage codesISO 639 3 Glottologtiga1244 TiganiaIgembe dialectLanguage familyNiger Congo Igembe dialectLanguage codesISO 639 3 Glottologigem1238 IgembeThe dialects are mostly spoken in Miraa or Khat growing areas of Muthara Karama Kangeta Maua Laare and Mutuati in Meru County Sample phrases edit English TIgania IgembeHow are you MuuaGive me water Nthaania mpa RũĩHome Mucie MuciiGet out TũraGet Inside UnkumaToday RuariiTomorrow Rũũ RũyũCome here Ĩya haa iyu haaI will phone you Ngakũringira thimũTharaka dialect edit Tharaka dialectLanguage familyNiger Congo Tharaka dialectLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code thk class extiw title iso639 3 thk thk a Glottologthar1283 TharakaThe dialect is more closely related to the Kamba and Tigania dialects It is most common in Tharaka areas of Tharaka Nithi County Sample phrases edit English TharakaHow are you MuugaGive me water Mpa rũũyĩHome MũciĩGet out Uma njaGet Inside ThũngĩraToday ĨmunthĩTomorrow RũũCome here Ncũ agaI will phone you Ngakũringĩra thimũAlphabet editKimeru 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 3 The Kimeru alphabet is Majuscule forms also called uppercase or capital letters A B C D E G H I Ĩ J K M N O R T U Ũ W YMinuscule forms also called lowercase or small letters a b c d e g h i ĩ j k m n o r t u ũ w yIn Media and Popular Culture editA 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 edit Meru at Ethnologue 26th ed 2023 nbsp Jouni Filip Maho 2009 New Updated Guthrie List Online 5 Steps to get you Writing Kimeru like a Njuri Ncheke Editor The Ameru The Ameru 2017 11 08 Retrieved 2018 04 30 External links editMeru dictionary PanAfrican L10n page on Meru page on Meru History nbsp This Bantu language related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Meru language amp oldid 1211584772, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
