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Mentawai language

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Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia Not to be confused with Mendawai language. ‹ The template Infobox language is being considered for merging. ›
Mentawai
Nganga Simatawe
Native toWest Sumatra, Indonesia
RegionMentawai Islands
Native speakers(58,000 cited 2000 census)
Language familyAustronesian
Language codes
ISO 639-3mwv
Glottologment1249

The Mentawai language is an Austronesian language, spoken by the Mentawai people of the Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Dialects

According to Ethnologue, Mentawai dialects include: Silabu, Sipura – Simalegi, Sakalagan, Saumanganja – North Siberut, South Siberut – Taikaku – Pagai.

Syamsir Arifin, et al. (1992) list twelve dialects of Mentawai:

Dialects in Siberut Island are:

  • Sikapone
  • Togiiite
  • Pokai
  • Simajegi
  • Simatalu
  • Paipajet
  • Sakuddei
  • Sagulubbe
  • Sirileleu
  • Sikabaluan
  • Sempungan
  • Saibi & Sarabua
  • Silaoinan
  • Sarareiket
  • Sabirut

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Plosive/
Affricate
voiceless p t (t͡ɕ) k
voiced b d d͡ʑ ɡ
Fricative s
Lateral l
Rhotic r
Semivowel w j
  • Allophones of /b ɡ k/ can be heard as . is a distinct sound in Mentawai, but not given phoneme status by Syamsir et al. because of the lack of minimal contrasts.
  • The semivowels /w j/ only appear in final position.

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a

References

  1. ^ Mentawai at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. "Findresults.site".
  3. Arifin, Malano & Kasim (1992)

Bibliography

Western branches of Malayo-Polynesian languages
Greater Barito *
Barito
Sama–Bajaw
Basap *
Sumatran *
Northwest Sumatra
–Barrier Islands
Batak
Lampungic
Madurese
Bali–Sasak
–Sumbawa
Isolates
  • * indicates proposed status
  • ? indicates classification dispute
  • † indicates extinct status
Languages of Indonesia
Western Malayo-Polynesian languages
Official language
Malayo-Sumbawan
Javanesic
Celebic
Lampungic
Northwest Sumatra–
Barrier Islands
South Sulawesi
Barito
Kayan–Murik
Land Dayak
North Bornean
Philippine languages
Central Philippine
Gorontalo-Mongondow
Minahasan
Sangiric
Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages
Aru
Central Maluku
Flores–Lembata
Halmahera-
Cenderawasih
Kei-Tanimbar
MicronesianMapia
Selaru
Sumba–Flores
Timor–Babar
Western Oceanic
Papuan languages
North Halmahera
Timor–Alor–Pantar
Asmat–Mombum
West Bird's Head
South Bird's Head
East Bird's Head
West Bomberai
Dani
Paniai Lakes
Digul River
Foja Range
Lakes Plain
East Cenderawasih Bay
Yawa
Demta–Sentani
Ok
Momuna–Mek
Skou
South Pauwasi
East Pauwasi
West Pauwasi
Kaure–Kosare
Marind–Yaqai
Bulaka River
Kayagar
Border
Senagi
Mairasi
Kolopom
Yam
Lower Mamberamo
Others
Other languages
Creoles and Pidgins
Malay-based creoles
Other creoles and pidgins
Immigrant languages
Chinese
European
Indian
Middle Eastern
Others
Sign languages
† indicate extinct languages


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