East Central Maluku languages
Encyclopedia
The East Central Maluku languages are a group of Austronesian languages
(geographically Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages) spoken on and around the islands of Seram
and Aru
in the eastern Moluccas. None of the languages have more than about twenty thousand speakers, and several are endangered with extinction.
, plus Manipa. However, a 2008 analysis of the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database, while it supported the existence of the family at a 94% confidence level as long as the Aru languages
were also included, only moderately supported the unity of the Seram (Ceram) languages, at 72%, and poorly supported the unity of Banda-Geser languages, at 57%. Manipa was not addressed. The composition of the family thus appears to be something like as follows:
Austronesian languages
The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia that are spoken by about 386 million people. It is on par with Indo-European, Niger-Congo, Afroasiatic and Uralic as one of the...
(geographically Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages) spoken on and around the islands of Seram
Seram
Seram is an island in the Maluku province of Indonesia. It is located north of Ambon Island. The chief port/town is Masohi.- Geography and geology :...
and Aru
Aru Islands
The Aru Islands are a group of about ninety-five low-lying islands in the Maluku province of eastern Indonesia. They also form a regency of Indonesia.-Geography:...
in the eastern Moluccas. None of the languages have more than about twenty thousand speakers, and several are endangered with extinction.
Classification
The East Central Maluku languages are traditionally divided into the Banda-Geser languages and the forty Seram languagesSeram languages
The Seram languages are a group of forty Malayo-Polynesian languages, spoken on and around the island of Seram. They are moderately supported as a family...
, plus Manipa. However, a 2008 analysis of the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database, while it supported the existence of the family at a 94% confidence level as long as the Aru languages
Aru languages
The Aru languages are a group of a dozen Central Maluku languages spoken on the Aru Islands in Indonesia. None are spoken by more than ten thousand people.The languages are:* Barakai* Batuley* Dobel* Karey* Koba* Kola* Kompane* Lola* Lorang...
were also included, only moderately supported the unity of the Seram (Ceram) languages, at 72%, and poorly supported the unity of Banda-Geser languages, at 57%. Manipa was not addressed. The composition of the family thus appears to be something like as follows:
- BandaBanda language (Maluku)Banda is one of two languages of the Kei Islands, along with Kei itself....
- Geser: Bati, Geser, Watubela
- Manipa
- Aru languagesAru languagesThe Aru languages are a group of a dozen Central Maluku languages spoken on the Aru Islands in Indonesia. None are spoken by more than ten thousand people.The languages are:* Barakai* Batuley* Dobel* Karey* Koba* Kola* Kompane* Lola* Lorang...
- Seram languagesSeram languagesThe Seram languages are a group of forty Malayo-Polynesian languages, spoken on and around the island of Seram. They are moderately supported as a family...
(unity uncertain)