LINGUISTICS: A Structural Analysis of Maasai Language and the Comparison of its Structure with English Language Structure

Maasai or Masai is an Eastern Nilotic language spoken in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania by the Maasai people, numbering about 800,000. It is closely related to the other Maa varieties: Samburu (Sampur-the language of the Samburu people of central Kenya), Chamus, spoken south and southeast of Lake Baringo (sometimes regarded as a dialect of Samburu); and Parakuyo of Tanzania. The Maasai, Samburu, il-Chamus and Parakuyo peoples are historically related and all refer to their language as Ol Maa. Maasai language is basically found Within Nilo-Saharan language family in which the Nilotic sub-family is contained.

The relationship between Nilo-Saharan and Nilotic sub-family might be roughly comparable to the relationship between Indo-European and West Germanic; the latter being comprised of English, Frisian, Flemish, Dutch and Afrikaans.

It is within the Nilotic family that we ultimately locate the Maa language.

However, Linguist-Rainer Vossen distinguishes three sub-branches within the Nilotic family. These have been designated "Southern," "Western," and "Eastern." (The labels refer to linguistic groupings, and not primarily to geographical distribution.)  Some Western Nilotic languages include Shilluk, Acholi, Dinka, Dholuo and Lango. Some Southern Nilotic languages include Datoga, Pakot, Endo, Saboat, and Nandi. (The term "Kalenjin" is commonly applied to some of these languages, though this term is more political or geographical, than linguistic). Vossen, Heine, Dimendaal, and others have suggested that Eastern Nilotic contains the languages in Figure 2, in the indicated groupings.

Maasai language therefore, has the following structure discussed through phonological, morphological and syntactic levels of linguistics and its comparison with English language.

PHONOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF MAASAI LANGUAGE

Phonology is defined as the description of the system and patterns of sounds in a language (Yule, 1996). Since phonology deals with the pattern of sounds in a certain language, Hinde, (2014:1) said that Maasai has 25 consonants which are: /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/, /mb/, /nd/, /nj/, /ng/, /s/, /sh/, /c/, /j/, /m/, /n/, /ny/, / ŋ/, /l/, /r/, /rr/, /y/, /yy/, /w/, and /ww/.

Maasai language have nine distinct vowels which are advanced tongue root /i/, /e/, /o/, /u/; non-advanced tongue root /I/, /ɛ/, /ɔ/, /ʊ/; and neutral /a/. The spelling adopted is as that as phonetic and the accent merely the short and long. It is therefore impossible to present many words in Masai without accents, or to give any adequate idea of the pronunciation, without occasionally using aspiration.

/b/ and /p/ are almost similar in pronunciation and are practically interchangeable, as are also /g/ and /k/. The voice is frequently sunk at the end of the word, and should the word end with the consonant it is sometimes so slightly pronounced that it is difficult to distinguish it.

The /r/ which is written as rr is very pronounced, being sounded with a marked accent.

The /s/ written at the end of a word, and occasionally in the middle of a word, is sharply sounded as in hissing.

The accent in Masai is usually fall on the first syllables in words of two syllables, and in words of two or three syllables most usually on the second, but occasionally on the third. In words of more than three syllables the accent is usually on the second syllable. The accentuation is, however, not very regular, and in some words all the syllables are of equal value.

English like Maasai language the two word syllable, stress is usually placed in the first syllable. However, the difference is realize in the placement of stress in three word syllable, whereby in English the first syllable is stressed but Maasai they stress the second as illustrated below:

For example in two syllables:

-          Wou /'wɔʊ/      (come)                         - Apple /'æ.pl/

-          Oldia /'oldia/   (dog)                           - Petrol /'pe.trəl/

Examples in three syllables:

-          Enkine /en'kIne/ (goat)                        - Pedestal /'pe.də.stəl/

-          Embura /em'bura/ (cat)                        - Camera /'kæ.mə.rə/

Example in more than three syllable:

-          Enkitejo /en'kItejo/ (rabbit)                 - Integrity /ɪn.'te.grɪ.tɪ/

Furthermore, abbreviation of words, and the cutting off of final vowels and even syllables is frequent and most confusing. In speaking, the words are not distinctly pronounced, but run on smoothly with no break, the syllables being often swallowed and the voice so sunk at intervals that it is difficult to catch all the words. The liaison is frequently used.

MORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF MAASAI LANGUAGE

Morphology is the study of word structure system. It seeks to characterize the system of categories and rules involved in word formation and interpretation (O’Grady, 2010).

The contrast of Maasai prefixes from English is that all prefixes in Maasai indicate the same idea and they change tense and rarely word class for instance when “en” or “e” attached to any verb or adjective it artimate the situation of doing or being like ekweta (run) where “e” marking the state of running. (Singular) likewise “En” in Enkitok where it indicating the situation of being (old) kitok (adj)- Enkitok (N) Suffixation the most Maasai suffixes marks pluralities as prefixes, they also attached in goes with prefixes so that a single base form can comprise of both prefixes and suffixes for example;

-          Ehomo + ita                Ehomoita (Masaai language)

He/she went                They went   (English language) 

-          Wou + tu                     Woutu (Maasai )

Come                           Come (English language)

-          Ishira + ta                    Ishirita (Maasai language)

         Cry                              Cry (English language)

Therefore, the contrast of Maa suffixes from English is that they are only attached to verbs and they change tense from present to past unlike English suffixes which change a word class.

Generally, Maa suffixes changes tense and not word class for example;

-          Taranya - Etaranyaita   (Maasai language)

Sing   - Sang (English language)

-          Ishira - ishirita   (Maasai language)

Cried - crying (English language)

Hence Maa suffixes may change a tense from present to past or past to present unlike English which change word class maintain for example;

-          Friend (N) – Friendship (N)

     Olchore (N)  Enjorwetishu (N)

-     Beautiful (Adj) – Beautifully (Adv)

Sidai (Adj)   Esidano (Adv)

-      Nation (N) – National (Adj)

Therefore, the tense in Maa language like present (progressive) tense is mostly marked by “ita” example ishirita (he/she is crying) enyaita (he/she is eating). Future and past tenses have no common tense marker. Examples:

Maasai Language (present)	English Language (present)	Maasai Language            (past)	English Language (past)
Ekwetita	He/she is running	Ekwetaita	They ran
Eshumita	He/she is hiding it	Etushuma	He/she hid it
Maig(b)umita	I am not holding it	Metwaig(b)ung’	I did not hold it
Injirita	You are crying	Eishir	He/she will cry

NUMBER

Furthermore, Maasai language use to mark its number (singular and plural) by using the prefix “i” or “ir” for plural nouns and “or” or “o” for singular nouns. Since Maasai language have the feminine prefixes “e” for singular and the masculine prefixes “o”, also singular and plural prefixes of the same nouns will be often replaced by “i” as in “e” and “ir” as in “or”. While in English number is mostly marked by the universal suffix –s, –es, and –ies. Others nouns in English have the internal modification to change to plural like man, and woman.

For example in Maasai Language.

Singular		Plural
Feminine	Masculine	Feminine	Masculine
Engaji (house)	Orpaiki (maize)	Inkajijik (houses)	Irpack (maize)
Enjeta (wood)	Orkujita (grass)	Ingiek (woods)	Irkujit (grasses)
Eng’udi (stick)	Orkeju (valley)	Ingudisin (sticks)	Irkejeck (valleys)
Embura (cat)	Ormokuay (lizard)	Imburai (cats)	Irmokuan (lizards)

Example in English Language:

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
House	Houses	Maize	Maize
Wood	woods	Grass	grasses
Stick	Sticks	Valley	Valleys
Cloth	Clothes	Cry	Cries
Man	Men	Fly	Flies

This rule for singular and plural is often but there are other noun which deny this rule and alternatively takes “o” or “i” because of some linguistics environments. For example:

  

Maasai Language		English Language
Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Oltungani	Iltunganak	Person	People
Oloiboni	Iloibonok	Witchdoctor	Witchdoctors
Osurpale	Isurpaleni	Trouser	Trousers
Osikirya	Isirkon	Donkey	Donkeys

The number marker can only realized in verb in this language where “wo” replace “lo’ in the verbs to mark plurality; example:

Singular	Plural
Elotuto (Maasai language) He/she is coming (English language)	Ewonuto  (Maasai language) They are coming (English language)
Ilotuto (Maasai language) You  are coming (Englis language)	Iwonutoto (Maasai language) You are coming (English language )
Alotuto  (Maasai language) I am coming  (English language)	Kiwonuto  (Maasai languge) We are coming  (English language)

Also many words in this language (especially verbs) remain as they are in plural and in singular. In order to determine it – singular or plural, there is the need to indicate the figure or number of people for example:

Maasai language	English language
Eturisho Eranyita Eyerisho Eisomisho Eyeng’isho	He /she /they are farming. He/she/They are singing. He/she /they are cooking. He/she/They are studying. He/she/They are slaughtering.

Unlike Maasai language, English language when borrow some words in other language some retain its plural marker originated from their own language for instance:

Singular	Plural
Phenomenon           Criterion           Radius	Phenomena             Criteria             radii

But Maasai language must insert its plural and singular marker prefix and the borrowed words for it to sound grammatical.

Singular	Plural
-   Kiswahili: Orkalamu (pen) -   Kiswahili: Endafutari (exercise book) -   English: Embuku (book) -   Swahili: Osurpale (trouser) -   Swahili: Engijiko (Spoon) -   English: Olchjati (shirt)	-    Irkalamuni (pens) -    Indafutarini (exercise books) -    Imbukui (books) -    isurpaleni (trousers) -    Ingijikoni (spoons) -    Ilchajatii (shirts)

Gender in Maa language also exception in “eng” in feminine and “or” in masculine; for example:

Feminine	Masculine
-  Engaji (house) -  Engitok (old)	-   Orkaji (house) -   Olkitok (old)

This marks exaggerations and mis-pronunciation not also “eng” or “or” are common to most word in Maasai language but also there are other words mark feminine gender like “ne” “na” and masculine such as “le” and “lo” are used to marks gender in Maasai language unlike English language which marked by some words through adding suffixes; for example:

Masculine	Feminine
-   Lion -   Hero -   Headmaster	-    Lioness -    heroines -    headmistress

Also possessive affixes are the affixes which shows the ownership of something or someone in English language most possessive markers are shown by the suffix (‘s) or (s’) sometimes the word can be left as it is without adding “s” example mosses’  and “s” has prefixes markers which shows the possession and sometimes shows the suffixes possessive marker. For example:

Maasai language                   English language

-          Embuku e-John                       John’s book

-          Enkaji e-Loning’o                   Loning’o’s house

Therefore, Maasai language possession marked by “e” and “i” in most word. In Maasai language also the word like “my” can be used to as a suffixes compared to English language

For example;

-          Enkaji-ai          (my house)

-          Enkine-ai         (My goat)

In general the Maasai language has both the prefixes and suffixes possessive markers while English language has only one marker.

For person marker in English, there are three such as first, second and third person. In English language can stand as the word while in Maasai language stands as the affixes. For example:

1st person (singular) -   Anyaita orgali (I am Eating ugali) -   Aloito (I am going)	1st person (plural) -   Kinyaita orgali (we eat ugali) -   Kiwoito (We are going)
2rd person (singular) -   Inyaita orgali (You are eating ugali)	2rd person (plural) -    Enyaita orgali (You are eating ugali)
3rd person (singular) -    Enyaita orgali (He/she is eating ugali)	3rd person (plural) -    Enyaita orgali (They are eating ugali)

In (i) in plural case, the prefix “al” which make a tense change to be “kiw” in plural case in (ii) “A” which mark a tense change to “ki” in plural and also in  (iii) “e” change to “ki” in plural case.

Change of word class in some of affixes in Maasai language are dropped completely when change word class. Example:

- Tapong’o (V) – do wrong             Epong’oto (Adj) – Wrong

- Taranya (V) – Sing                        Eranyata (N) – Singing

Most of affixes which change word class in Maasai language mostly occur as a prefixes (at the beginning) of the word. For example:

- Torono (Adj) – Bad                 - Entoroni (N) – Badness

-  Esidano (N) – Beauty             - Sidai (Adj) – Beautiful

- Tendoroni (Adv) – Badly       - Endaroni (N) – Badness

Generally, Maa suffixes changes tense and not word class in some words of Maasai language.

ARTICLES

Most affixes in Maasai language mark or stand as articles that is definite or indefinite articles while in English articles stand as independent words; for example:

-          Engiteng’ – A cow

-          Inkishu – The cows

-          Inkerak – The children

-          Olorika – The chair

-          Endaa – The food

-          Olchani – A tree

-          Endito – A girl

-          Orpayan – An old man

Most of affixes in Maasai language is realized in two categories plural and singular aspect in Maa affixes also unlike English language this because the perfective tense marked by “eta” and progressive mark by “etii” for example of perfective;

-          Etaama      He has eaten

-          Etagore      He was sad

Also in progressive aspect use “etii” example

-          Etiialotu                 He is coming

-          Etiiaawonu            They are coming

Negation also in Maa language is usually marked by the prefix “m” which is normally attached before the base form, root, or stem. Unlike Negative English language which is Marked by the negation word (Not) at and it is variation like “Un” “Dis”  “il”  “im” etc. For example:

- Enyaita              Menyaita     (Maa language)

- He/ she is eating      He/she is not eating  (English)

-  Enyor            Menyor    (Maa language)

- Like             Unlike      (English language)

- Teena           Mien         (Maa language)

- Tie              Untie           (English language)

Negations in Masai language are formed by prefixing the word “not” which is rendered by “metii” and its abbreviations mer, me and m, or by the words ete, etwa and etu. Metii is seldom used in full in conjunction with other words; mer is used evidently for the sake of euphony, before words beginning with a consonant, except before those beginning with an s for these me is used; m is used for words beginning with a vowel. For example;

- Not bad         Mertorono

- Not milk        Merkule

- Not good      Mesidai

- Not large       Mesapuk

- I do not want    Mayeu 

- I do not know   Mayelo

- I did not went  Etwalo

- He will not bring      Etweau

- I am not tired        Etwanauru

There are no conjunctions in Maasai language. “and” is simply omitted as:

- The dog and cat.        - Orldia embura (literally – dog, cat)

- The man and woman.  - Olee engitok (literally – man, woman).

/o/ or /oi/ are occasionally inserted between words supposed to be connected with a conjunction, but this is probably for the sake of euphony, as in most instances the final vowel of the first word is dropped as:

-  You and I      - Nan uiye,      instead of       nanu iye.

-   He and you   - Neny oiye,    instead of        ninye iye.

Therefore, it must be admitted that in these instances; the altered form is the more euphonious. For prepositions “with” and “for” there appear to be no words at all. It is always “in” = aatwa that precedes the noun it governs. Example:

-          Aatwa engaji.                    - In the house.

-          Aatwa engoshoke.             - In the stomach.

-          Aatwa engang.                  - In the kraal.

There are three genders in Masai language: masculine, feminine and neuter. The same word is used for male and female animals, with the exception of: sheep, goat, ass, cow, which have a different word for the male and female. In this regard all inanimate objects are neuter.

SYNTACTIC STRUCTURE OF MAASAI LANGUAGE

Syntax refers to ways in which words are organized and sequenced to produce meaningful sentences (Crowl et al, 1997). In all languages, words are combined together, into larger phrases and sentences, according to rules specific to given languages.  The rules governing how phrases and sentences are composed is called SYNTAX (syn = 'together'; taxis = 'arrangement'). As a child acquires Maa, he or she necessarily learns the Maa rules of syntax. Therefore, the word order in Maasai language is usually verb–subject–object.

For example;   Eteyera yeyo shai. (Mother prepared tea.)

Einyang’wa Sokoine enkaji. (Sokoine bought a house).

Etoonyo oldia engitejo ng’ole. (The dog bite the hare yesterday).

However, the order can vary in Maasai language because tone is the most important indicator of subject versus object. What really determines order in a clause is topicality; order in the simplest clauses can be predicted according to the information structure pattern: [Verb – Most topical; Less Topical]. Thus, if the object is highly topical in the discourse, and the subject is less topical, then the object will occur right after the verb and before the subject.

Example: Enyaita enkerai endaa. (The child is eating the food.)

        Enyaita endaa enkerai. (The child is eating the food.)           Here the subject “enkerai” is made less topical

Some major issues that any language must develop are rules for: how to indicate subject and object; what order different constituents (or "phrase units") can occur in; how to indicate that a noun functions as instrument, location, benefactive, direction; and how to combine simple sentences together to make more complex sentences.

CASE MARKING ON NOUNS

In Maa, the most neutral way to compose a sentence consisting of several words is to arrange them in the order: Verb (or predicate) Subject First Object Second Object Adverbial. However, the order of subject and object can vary without causing any confusion, since all nouns must be marked for case, i.e., for the syntactic role the noun plays in the sentence. In Maa, case is indicated solely by the tone pattern on the noun; of. enkínè 'goat' as nominative subject, and enkíné 'goat' as accusative object. (Also compare á 'home' and âŋ 'our'.), for example;

• -tɔ-nyɔrr-á en-kínè áŋ         (The goat loved home)
• -tɔ-nyɔrr-á en-kíné âŋ       (He/she has loved our goat)

CONSTITUENT ORDER

The following two sentences vary in the order of words, but have identical meanings in terms of the event they describe. This is because each noun retains the same tone pattern, regardless of whether it occurs directly after the verb, or at the end of the sentence. For example;

-  é-tó-níŋ-ó en-kínè n-k ráí        The goat heard the child.

-   é-tó-níŋ-ó n-k ráí en-kínè        The goat heard the child

The choice between these two sentences depends on whether the goat is the more central participant in the discourse (the first version), or the child (the second version) (Payne, Hamaya & Jacobs 1994).

Furthermore, Maasai sentences can contain prepositions or relater words. In Maasai, such relator words are consistently pre-posed to the nouns, and thus are termed prepositions.

Maasai actually has only two fully grammaticalized prepositions: /ɔ/ for showing the 'accompaniment' relation; and the very general preposition /t/ which is used everywhere else that a preposition is needed. For example;

-          [ árà  t lk jʊ]                       They are fighting in/by the river.

-          [ árà tɔnâ]                             They are fighting because of that.

-          [ árà t-oó-ŋúdísìn]                They are fighting with sticks.

-          [áatará olámèyù te-yyê]    Hunger has beaten me more than you or I am hungrier than you.

VOICE

In Maasai language active and passive voice are realized. In the passive voice the verb is affixed to make a passive sentence. For example:

-          Active:                        Taama endaa.  (Eat the food)

-          Passive:           Etaamaki endaa. (The food was eaten)

-          Active:                        Teyera orgali. (Cook ugali)

-          Passive:           Eteyeraki orgali. (Ugali has been cooked)

It is different from English language whereby in active voice the subject will be at the initial position and finalized by the object. But in passive the vice versa is true – the object will be placed in initial position and at the end it is the subject and it is optional. For example:

-          Active:             Juma cooks the food.

-          Passive:           The food was cooked.

Questions are formed in Masai merely by using an interrogative tone of voice, as:

I am ill. (amoi)             Am I ill? (amoi?)

COMPLEMENT

In Maa language complement is found when introducing and describing things, people and animals as well as places. For example:

               Ore Ana nee e-malimui (Anna is a teacher)  

                  S                  C    

            Ore Joshua noo ol-dakitari    (Joshua is a Doctor)

       S                       C

In English language the compliment is introduced by the linking verb or verb to be (is, are, was, and were) while in Maasai language the sentence with compliment must begin with “ore” and gender consideration (nee - feminine gender, noo – masculine gender).

VERB-SUBJECT AGREEMENT

The Maasai language has also the verb – subject agreement. Example, in marking the plurality and showing the gender in a sentence. Example:

i)     Inchopo orkaraha (Wear a cloth)

ii)   Inchopo irkarashi. (Wear clothes)

The initial “o” and the last sound “a” of the verb orkaraha (cloth) has been changed to be

i)   To show plurality in the second sentence.

ii) Etii e-malimui oldarasa (The teacher is in the class – Feminine)

iii) Etii or-malimui oldarasa (The teacher is in the class – Masculine) the (e) sound in the word ‘e-malimui’ (teacher) mark the feminine gender while ‘or’ mark the masculine gender.

Parts of Speech in Maasai language

ARTICLES

Maasai language have got no separate articles, instead they are connected with the noun they represent. Unlike English whereas articles stands before the noun they determine. Example: 

-          Enkitabu          A book

-          Enkobo            A cup

-          Enkine             A goat

-          Osikirya           A donkey

-          Ottung’ani       A man

-          Osiwwo           The wind

-          Orkeju             The River

Therefore, E and O are the main articles in Maa language. They determine noun independently that is one cannot substitute another.

PRONOUNS

These are words which represent nouns. In Maasai Language, pronouns are very obvious just like in English. It has both kind of pronouns for instance, Personal pronouns in both languages are;

	Singular				Plural
	Subject Pronoun		Object Pronoun		Subject Pronoun		Object Pronoun
	English	Maasai	English	Maasai	English	Maasai	English	Maasai
1st Person	I	Nanu	Me	Nanu	We	Iyook	Us	Iyook
2nd Person	You	Iye	You	Iye	You	Indai	You	Indai
3rd Person	He, she, it	Ninye	Him, her, it	Ninye	They	Ninje	Them	Ninje

Generally, Maasai language have enough pronouns just like English. Distinctively, all personal pronouns except I (nanu) begins with “I” just both singular and plural, otherwise the reflexive pronouns (myself, himself and itself) begins with “E” in Maasai Language.

ADJECTIVES

a.      Demonstrative adjectives

-       Ena kitabu         –          This book

-       Nena toye          –          Those girls

-       Enda tito            –          That girl

-       Kuna kishu        –          These cows

Therefore, Maasai language is also rich in adjectives. Interestingly, it is in demonstrative adjectives that Maasai language resembles English structure where the demonstrative adjectives precedes the noun it modifies.

b.      Comparative adjectives

-          Alchani sapuk             –          A big tree

-          Enditi sidai                  –          A beautiful girl

-          Engaji kinyi                 –          A small house

-          Enkare nairobi             –          Cold water

c.       Possessive adjectives

-          Enamuke ai                 –          My shoe

-          Enkitabu e-Recho       –          Recho’s book

-          Emalimui aang’           –          Our teacher

-          Enjorwet enye             –          His fiance

-          Engarim enye              –          Their car

Note: The voice differentiate enye – of his/her with that of their whereas this of his and her is a falling tone and this of there is the rising tone.

NOUNS

These are the names of things, animals, places, and states. Both proper, common and neuter nouns present in Maasai language. Example:

Proper nouns

-          Oldonyo – the mountain

-          Orais – the president

-          Ilamerica – Americans

Common nouns

-          Osoit – a stone

-          Engulukoni – soil

-          Endoo – bucket

Neuter nouns

Maasai Language		English Language
Masculine	Feminine	Masculine	Feminine
Orkiteng’	Engiteng’	Bull	Cow
Oltirash	Endirash	Fox	Vixen
Orkine	Engine	Goat	Buck

Therefore, Maasai language have got all kinds of nouns – the feminine nouns always start with “e” while masculine start with “o” and this is what differentiate Maasai with English language.

VERBS

These are words used to show actions in the sentence. Maasai language like English language is also rich in verbs. Verbs in Maasai language are in connected speeches. Example:

-          Eloito – she/he is going

-          Eewwo – he/she came

-          Elo – he/she will go

-          Etii aalo – he/she has been going

-          Eng’u sidai – it smells good

-          Aanyor – I love you

-          Kinyor – he/she loves you

-          Kinyorri – you are loved

-          Itu ilotu – you didn’t come

Therefore, all most many kinds of verbs are present in Maasai language. The difference is that in Maasai a verb is not detached from auxiliaries and tense that is it seems like a single word but a sentence.

ADVERBS

These are words that give more information about verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. Maasai language have got adverbs of all kind just like English language. Example:

-          Alotu ade – I will come later

-          Wou aakiinyi – Come slowly

-          Idipa ng’ole – He/she finished yesterday

-          Kinyor naleng’ – He loves you so much

-          Irowa penyo – It is hot a bit

-          Aewo taata dama – I have come today afternoon

Therefore, like English, Maasai language have adverbs of manner, time, and place.

CONJUNCTIONS

These are words that are used to connect words, phrases and clauses in the sentence. Maasai language have some conjunctions though they are not detachable from the words they connect. Example:

-          Nanu ooye – me and you

-          Inje au indai – them or you

-          Alotu kake aimutye – I will come but late

Therefore, Maasai language have some conjunctions which are “o”, “au” and “kake” which are and, or, and but in English. These are the common conjunctions in this language.

INTERJECTIONS

These are words used to show feelings, and emotions in the sentence. Maasai language have some interjections for example:

-          Shie! Itu ake ibau? – Gosh! Still coming?

-          Ah ah! Mayeu. – (hesitation) I don’t want.

-          Uusho! – Furry

Therefore, just like English Maasai have got so many interjections and they function the same as English interjections.

Generally, Maasai language is the Verb-Subject-Object (SVO) in terms syntax or arrangement of words; and in some areas it resembles English structure while a bit it differs with English structure.

REFERENCES

Crowl, T. K., Kamisky, S., and Podell, D. M. (1997). Educational Psychology: Windows on Teaching. Madison: Brown & Benchmark Publishers.

Hinde, H. (2014). The Masai Language; Grammatical Notes Together with a Vocabulary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.