Idalaka language
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| Idalaka | |
|---|---|
| Region | East Timor |
Native speakers | 17,000 (2010 census)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Official status | |
Recognised minority language in | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either:idt – Idatélka – Lakalei |
| Glottolog | east2733 |
| ELP | Lua error in Module:Endangered_Languages_Project at line 21: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| File:Idaté.png Distribution of Idaté mother-tongue speakers in East Timor | |
| File:Lakalai.png Distribution of Lakalai Distribution of Isní Distribution of Lolein Distribution of Idalaka | |
Idalaka (Portuguese: Idalaca) is a Malayo-Polynesian dialect chain spoken Idalaka people in East Timor. The name is a portmanteau of Idaté and Lakalai.
Relation to other languages
[edit | edit source]The Idalaka dialects are closely related to Tetum and Habun, while they exhibit many similarities with Galoli. Idalaka also resembles the Kemak language in that there are archaic features such as personal prefixes in verbs, which are lost in Mambai and Tokodede.[citation needed]
Geographic distribution
[edit | edit source]The dialects are spoken in the Ramelau mountains with the exception of endangered Lolein, which is spoken in Dili. The 2015 census recorded 19,913 people in East Timor as native speakers of Idalaka dialects.[2]
Official status
[edit | edit source]Idalaka is one of 15 recognized national languages of East Timor.[3]
Dialects
[edit | edit source]Idaté (Idate) is the vernacular in Laclubar (Manatuto Municipality) and the bordering area in adjacent Manufahi. It has a total of 14,178 native speakers.[2]
Lakalei is spoken in the area of Fahinehan (Manufahi). It has a total of 3,669 native speakers.[2]
Isní is spoken east of Turiscai (Manufahi), with a total of 1,855 native speakers.[2]
Lolein is spoken in Talitu (Aileu Municipality), Becora Leten and Hera (Dili Municipality). Lolein developed from the Isní of 19th century immigrants from Turiscai. In Dili municipality, 568 people speak Lolein, another 533 speakers live in the adjacent Alieu Municipality. A total of 1,155 people are native in the dialect across East Timor.[2]
Vocabulary
[edit | edit source]| Number | Lakalei | Isní | Lolein | Idaté |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | isa | is | isa | isa |
| 2 | rua | rua | rua | rua |
| 3 | telu | tel | telu | telu |
| 4 | aat | aat | aat | aat |
| 5 | lima | lim | lima | lima |
| 6 | neen | neen | neen | neen |
| 7 | hitu | hitu | hitu | hitu |
| 8 | ualu | ualu | ualu | ualu |
| 9 | sia | sia | sia | sia |
| 10 | sakulu | sakúl | sakulu | sanulu |
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Idaté at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
Lakalei at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required) - ^ a b c d e Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
Bibliography
[edit | edit source]- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).