Maru Common Language (MHXBSM)

Overview

The New Testament in the Maru (Lhaovo) language, published in 2003 by the Bible Society of Myanmar. The Lhaovo people — commonly called "Maru" by outsiders, though they consider this name pejorative — are one of the Kachin subgroups of northern Myanmar and southwestern China. [1] Lhao Vo is a Tibeto-Burman language of the Burmish branch, distinct from Jingpho (the dominant Kachin language), with three tones and ten dialects. [1] Many Lhaovo speakers cannot understand Kachin Jingpho and were previously forced to use Jingpho-language Bibles, which were not in their heart language. [1] The 2003 New Testament provided Scripture access for an estimated 50,000 people who read only Lhaovo. [1] A complete Lhaovo Bible was subsequently published in 2009. [2]

Language and People

Maru (ISO 639-3: mhx) is spoken by approximately 124,500 people in Southwestern China. [Glottolog: maru1249]

Publishing and Organizations

Published by Bible Society of Myanmar.

References