Northern Mao (Màwés Aatsʼè)

Abstract This chapter covers the major features of Northern Mao (NMao, also known as Màwés Aats'è) such as its sound and grammatical systems. It mentions how the NMao language is endangered. The term “Mao” has been used to refer to a variety of different groups and languages, including languages within the Nilo-Saharan phylum. Here, the term Mao is used to refer to the four languages within the subgroup of Omotic: NMao, Hozo, Sezo, and Ganza. This overview of NMao also covers contrastive segments, syllable patterns, phonotactic constraints, tones, major word classes, verbal and nominal morphology, the structure and functions of simple and complex clauses (including subordination, coordination, and clause chaining). The chapter also highlights the high functional load of tone in NMao, demonstrating its role as a stem-type marker (e.g. distinguishing finite verbs from infinitive verbs and nominal stems).