Shimaore
Maore Comorian
Niger-Congo (Bantu, Sabaki)
Maore Comorian (Shimaore; ISO 639-3: swb) is an Eastern Comorian Sabaki Bantu language spoken by roughly 80,000–152,000 people, chiefly on Mayotte in the Comoro archipelago. It is closest to Shindzwani of Anjouan and coexists on Mayotte with Kibushi and French, the territory’s sole official language. Shimaore has the Bantu noun-class and agreement system, rich verbal morphology, basic SVO order, a five-vowel system /i e a o u/, and contrasts implosive /ɓ ɗ/ with plain /b d/. Its vocabulary reflects long contact with Arabic, Malagasy, and French as well as inherited Sabaki forms. A departmental orthography adopted in 2020 provides both Latin and Arabic-script conventions, and the language is increasingly used in education, media, and local publications.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Maore Comorian
Sources
- Ha`bari Ndjema ya I Maore, Shimaore New Testament (bible.com version 3672); fr.wiktionary shimaoré entries (imported from the ylangue lexicon: maji {{pron|maʒi}}, unwa, ula, ulala, muhono, ndjema, ndzukundru); en.wiktionary Maore Comorian (ORELC); Rombi numerals (Chan, Numeral Systems of the World's Languages)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo (Bantu, Sabaki)
| Meaning | Maore Comorian | Comorian | Swahili | Asu | Nyaturu | Shambala | Nyamwezi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | maji /maʒi/ | madji /madʒi/ | maji /madʒi/ | mende /mende/ | maji /madʒi/ | mazi /mazi/ | minzi /minzi/ |
| Fire | moro /moro/ | mro /mro/ | moto /ˈmoto/ | mshika /mʃika/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | jua /dʒua/ | jua /dʒua/ | jua /dʒua/ | idhuva /iðuʋa/ | yura /juɾa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | lyuba /ljuβa/ |
| Moon | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /ᵐwezi/ | mwezi /ˈmwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | ṅwezi /ŋwezi/ | ngʼwezi /ŋweːzi/ |
| Star | nyora /ɲora/ | nyora /ɲora/ | nyota /ˈɲota/ | nyenyeri /ɲeɲeri/ | njota /ndʒota/ | ntondwe /ntondwe/ | nsonda /nsonda/ |
| Night | uku /uku/ | masihu /masihu/ | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | utiku /utiku/ | kilo /kilo/ | buziku /buziku/ |
| Rain | vua /vua/ | nvua /ⁿvua/ | mvua /ˈmvua/ | mvua /mvua/ | mbura /mbura/ | fula /fula/ | mvula /mvula/ |
| Wind | pev̄o /peβo/ | upepo /uˈpepo/ | upepo /uˈpepo/ | mpeho /mpeho/ | mpefo /mpefo/ | mpeho /mpeho/ | myaga /mjaɡa/ |
| Earth | trotro /tɾotɾo/ | — | udongo /uˈdoŋɡo/ | isanga /isaŋɡa/ | irongo /iɾoŋɡo/ | shanga /ʃaŋɡa/ | bulongo /buloŋɡo/ |
| Stone | ɓwe /ɓwe/ | — | jiwe /ˈdʒiwe/ | ibwe /ibwe/ | igwe /iɡwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ |
| Mountain | mulima /mulima/ | mlima /mlima/ | mlima /ˈmlima/ | ntuvi /ntuvi/ | gitanto /ɡitanto/ | muima /muima/ | lugulu /luɡulu/ |
| Sea | ɓahari /ɓahari/ | bahari /bahari/ | bahari /baˈhari/ | bahari /bahari/ | irambo /iɾambo/ | bahali /bahali/ | nyanza /ɲanza/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /ˈmama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /maju/ |
| Father | ɓaɓa /ɓaɓa/ | baba /ɓaba/ | baba /ˈbaba/ | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ |
| Daughter | mwana mutrumushe /mwana mutrumuʃe/ | mwana-mshe /mwana mʃe/ | binti /binti/ | mwana wa kibora /mwana wa kibora/ | muncha /muntʃa/ | ṅwana ywa kindele /ŋwana jwa kindele/ | mwana mukima /mwana mukima/ |
| I | wami /wami/ | wami /wami/ | mimi /ˈmimi/ | mine /mine/ | une /une/ | niye /nije/ | nene /ˈnene/ |
| You | wawe /wawe/ | wawe /wawe/ | wewe /ˈwewe/ | uwe /uwe/ | uwe /uwe/ | weye /weje/ | gwegwe /ˈɡweɡwe/ |
| We | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | sisi /ˈsisi/ | uswi /uswi/ | sese /sese/ | ishwi /iʃwi/ | iswe /iswe/ |
| Name | dzina /dzina/ | dzina /dzina/ | jina /ˈdʒina/ | izina /izina/ | rina /ɾina/ | zina /zina/ | lina /ˈlina/ |
| Person | mutru /mutɾu/ | mndru /mndʳu/ | mtu /ˈmtu/ | mntu /mntu/ | muntu /muntu/ | mntu /mntu/ | munhu /munhu/ |
| Head | shitswa /ʃitswa/ | hitswa /hitswa/ | kichwa /ˈkitʃwa/ | mtwi /mtwi/ | itwe /itwe/ | mtwi /mtwi/ | mtwe /mtwe/ |
| Eye | dzitso /dzitso/ | dzitso /dzitso/ | jicho /dʒitʃo/ | iiso /iːso/ | riho /riho/ | zisho /ziʃo/ | liso /liso/ |
| Ear | kio /kio/ | shishio /ʃiʃo/ | sikio /sikio/ | isikio /isikio/ | ikutwi /ikutwi/ | shikio /ʃikio/ | itwi /itwi/ |
| Nose | pua /pua/ | — | pua /ˈpua/ | fua /fua/ | mpura /mpuɾa/ | mpua /mpua/ | nindo /nindo/ |
| Mouth | hanyo /haɲo/ | hanywa /haɲwa/ | mdomo /mˈɗomo/ | momo /momo/ | momo /momo/ | kanwa /kanwa/ | mulomo /mulomo/ |
| Tooth | dzino /dzino/ | dzinyo /dziɲo/ | jino /dʒino/ | jino /dʒino/ | ino /ino/ | zino /zino/ | lino /lino/ |
| Tongue | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulime /ulime/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | urimi /urimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ |
| Hand | muhono /muhono/ | mhono /mhono/ | mkono /mˈkono/ | mkono /mkono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | mkono /mkono/ | kukono /kukono/ |
| Foot | mundru /mundɾu/ | mndu /ᵐndu/ | mguu /m̩ˈɠuː/ | ivunda /ivunda/ | mughuu /muɣuː/ | mulundi /mulundi/ | kugulu /kuɡulu/ |
| Heart | moyo /mojo/ | moyo /mojo/ | moyo /mojo/ | ngiti /ŋɡiti/ | umutima /umutima/ | moyo /mojo/ | moyo /mojo/ |
| Bone | shiɓa /ʃiɓa/ | shiɓa /ʃiɓa/ | mfupa /mfupa/ | ivindi /ivindi/ | ikufa /ikufa/ | vuha /vuha/ | iguha /iɡuha/ |
| Blood | damu /damu/ | damu /damu/ | damu /damu/ | sakame /sakame/ | sakami /sakami/ | phome /pʰome/ | magazi /maɡazi/ |
| Love | mahaba /mahaba/ | upendo /uːpendo/ | upendo /uˈpendo/ | lumba /lumba/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kukunda /kukunda/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ |
| Tree | mri /mri/ | mri /ᵐri/ | mti /ˈmti/ | mti /mti/ | umuti /umuti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ |
| Dog | mbwa /ᵐbwa/ | mbwa /ᵐbwa/ | mbwa /ᵐbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | kuli /kuli/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | paha /paha/ | paka /ˈpaka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | nyau /ɲau/ | paka /paka/ |
| Fish | fi /fi/ | nfi /ⁿfi/ | samaki /samaki/ | samaki /samaki/ | somba /somba/ | samaki /samaki/ | somba /soːmba/ |
| Bird | nyunyi /ɲuɲi/ | nuni /nuni/ | ndege /ndeɡe/ | ideghe /ideɣe/ | nyonyi /ɲoɲi/ | deghe /deɣe/ | noni /noni/ |
| Egg | jwai /dʒwai/ | djwai /dʒwai/ | yai /ˈjai/ | igi /iɡi/ | ighe /iɣe/ | tagi /taɡi/ | igi /iɡi/ |
| Horse | farasi /farasi/ | farasi /farasi/ | farasi /faˈrasi/ | farasi /farasi/ | nyumbu /ɲumbu/ | faashi /faːʃi/ | falasi /falasi/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲũba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | numba /numba/ |
| Milk | dziya /dzija/ | dziwa /dziwa/ | maziwa /maˈziwa/ | mavee /maveː/ | maya /maja/ | mele /mele/ | mabeele /maβeːle/ |
| Honey | ngizi /ŋizi/ | ndjizi ya nyoshi /ndʒizi ja ɲoʃi/ | asali /aˈsali/ | nzoke /nzoke/ | ruke /ruke/ | woki /woki/ | buuki /buːki/ |
| Salt | shingo /ʃiŋɡo/ | shingo /ʃiŋɡo/ | chumvi /tʃumvi/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munu /munu/ |
| Wine | maji ya zaɓiɓu /maʒi ja zaɓiɓu/ | — | mvinyo /mˈviɲo/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | divai /divai/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ |
| Iron | shuma /ʃuma/ | shuma /ʃuma/ | chuma /tʃuma/ | kighera /kiɣera/ | ichuma /itʃuma/ | kiama /kiama/ | kisinza /kisinza/ |
| Silk | hariri /hariri/ | — | hariri /haˈriri/ | hariri /hariri/ | hariri /haɾiɾi/ | halili /halili/ | — |
| Book | shio /ʃio/ | shio /ʃio/ | kitabu /kiˈtabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | gitabu /ɡitabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ |
| Eat | ula /ula/ | hula /hula/ | kula /ˈkula/ | kurya /kurja/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | kuya /kuja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ |
| Drink | unwa /unwa/ | hunwa /hunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Sleep | ulala /ulala/ | kulala /kulala/ | kulala /kulala/ | kushinjia /kuʃindʒia/ | kurara /kuɾaɾa/ | kugosha /kuɡoʃa/ | kulala /kulala/ |
| One | moja /moʒa/ | montsi /montsi/ | moja /modʒa/ | imwe /imwe/ | umwe /umwe/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ |
| Two | mbili /ᵐbili/ | mbili /ᵐbili/ | mbili /mˈbili/ | avili /aβili/ | aviri /aβiri/ | mbili /mbili/ | ibili /iβili/ |
| Three | traru /tɾaɾu/ | ntraru /ᶯʈaru/ | tatu /tatu/ | adatu /adatu/ | itatu /itatu/ | katatu /katatu/ | idatu /idatu/ |
| Four | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːe/ | — | inne /inːe/ | kane /kaːne/ | inne /inːe/ |
| Five | tsano /tsano/ | ntsanu /ⁿtsanu/ | tano /ˈtano/ | — | itano /itano/ | kashano /kaʃano/ | itaano /itaːno/ |
| Hundred | mia /mia/ | djana /dʒana/ | mia /ˈmia/ | ighana /iɣana/ | ighana /iɣana/ | gana /ɡana/ | igana /iɡana/ |
| Hello | Jeje /dʒedʒe/ | Jeje / Bariza /dʒedʒe / baːriza/ | habari /haˈbari/ | shiloi /ʃiloi/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | — /—/ | mwadita /mwadita/ |
| Thank you | marahaba /marahaːba/ | Marahaba /marahaːba/ | asante /aˈsante/ | mwasanga /mwasaŋɡa/ | asante /aˈsante/ | asante /asante/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ |
| Good | nzuri /ⁿzuri/ | ndjema /ⁿdʒema/ | nzuri /ˈnzuri/ | mwamba /mwamba/ | kihi /kihi/ | mtana /mtana/ | soga /soɡa/ |
| New | pia /pia/ | — | mpya /ˈmpja/ | shaa /ʃaː/ | mpya /mpja/ | mpya /mpja/ | pya /pja/ |
| Red | nyekundu /ɲekundu/ | nyekundu /ɲekundu/ | nyekundu /ɲekundu/ | nkundu /nkundu/ | ntune /ntune/ | nkundu /nkundu/ | laluku /laluku/ |
| White | ndjeu /ndʒeu/ | — | nyeupe /ɲeupe/ | jewa /dʒewa/ | njeru /ndʒeru/ | yengʼaa /jeŋaː/ | pe /pe/ |
| Black | ndziɗu /ndziɗu/ | — | nyeusi /ɲeusi/ | jiru /dʒiru/ | njiutiki /ndʒiutiki/ | size /size/ | pi /pi/ |
| Orange | trundra /tɾundɾa/ | — | chungwa /tʃuŋɡwa/ | — | — | — | — |
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