ISO 639-2 / 5: kln | Glottolog: kale1246 | |
Geographic
distribution: western Kenya, eastern Uganda, northern Tanzania Linguistic classification: Nilo-Saharan?
Eastern Sudanic
Nilotic
Southern Nilotic
Kalenjin Subdivisions: Elgon
Nandi–Markweta
Okiek–Mosiro
Pökoot | ||
The Kalenjin languages are a family of a dozen Southern Nilotic languages spoken in Kenya, eastern Uganda and northern Tanzania. The term Kalenjin comes from a Nandi expression meaning 'I say (to you)'. Kalenjin in this broad linguistic sense should not be confused with Kalenjin as a term for the common identity the Nandi-speaking peoples of Kenya assumed halfway through the twentieth century; see Kalenjin people and Kalenjin language.
The Kalenjin languages are generally distinguished into four branches. There is less certainty regarding internal relationships within these.
References
Kalenjin languages Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA