Meru language

For the language spoken in Tanzania and sometimes known as Meru, see West Kilimanjaro language.

Meru
Kimîîru
Native to	Kenya
Region	Mount Kenya and Eastern Province
Native speakers	2.0 million (2009 census)
Language family	Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu Northeast Bantu Kikuyu–Kamba Meru
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Variously: mer – Meru thk – Tharaka mws – Mwimbi-Muthambi cuh – Cuka
Glottolog	nort3214  (Meru–Tharaka–Cuka) mwim1241
Guthrie code	E.53,531,54,541

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.

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.

External links

• PanAfrican L10n page on Meru
• "page on Meru History