Ethnologue

Ngasa

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Kingasa, Kingassa, Ongamo, Shaka

Population

200 (1983), decreasing. Probably extinct (2012 SIL). Ethnic population: 4,290 (2000).

Location

East Mt. Kilimanjaro slopes.

Language Maps

Language Status

8a (Moribund).

Classification

Dialects

Lexical similarity: 60% with Maasai [mas], 59% with Samburu [saq], 58% with the Chamus dialect of Samburu.

Language Use

Use began to diminish in the 1950s. Shifting to Swahili [swh] and other languages (2012 SIL). Older adults. Also use Swahili [swh].

Language Resources

Writing

Unwritten [Qaax].