What is masalit language?

Masalit is a Nilo-Saharan language spoken by about 300,000 people primarily in Chad and also in Sudan. It belongs to the Maba group of languages and has several dialects. Masalit has a complex phonology with 40 consonants and 12 vowels. The language uses a unique script known as Masalit alphabet, which was developed by a local linguist. Masalit is an agglutinative language, meaning that words are formed by adding affixes to a base. The grammar is characterized by a system of noun classes, where gender denotes different categories of objects and concepts. Masalit also has a rich system of verbal tense and aspect marking, allowing speakers to express time and duration of actions. As a minority language, Masalit faces some challenges in its use and preservation, including limited education in the language and displacement due to conflict.