Idalaka language explained

Idalaka
Region:East Timor
Speakers:17,000
Date:2010 census
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Austronesian
Fam2:Malayo-Polynesian
Fam3:Central–Eastern
Fam4:Timor–Babar
Fam5:Ramelaic
Minority:East Timor
Lc1:idt
Ld1:Idaté
Lc2:lka
Ld2:Lakalei
Glotto:east2733
Glottorefname:Eastern Timoric B
Dia1:Idaté
Dia2:Isní
Dia3:Lakalei
Dia4:Lolein
Map:Idaté.png
Mapcaption:Distribution of Idaté mother-tongue speakers in East Timor
Map2:Lakalai.png
Mapcaption2:Distribution of Lakalai

Distribution of Isní

Distribution of Lolein

Distribution of Idalaka

Idalaka (Portuguese: Idalaca) is a Malayo-Polynesian dialect chain spoken in East Timor. The name is a portmanteau of Idaté and Lakalai.

Relation to other languages

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.

Geographic distribution

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.

Official status

Idalaka is one of 15 recognized national languages of East Timor.[1]

Dialects

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.

Isní is spoken east of Turiscai (Manufahi), with a total of 1,855 native speakers.

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.

Vocabulary

The basic numbers in the Idalaka dialects
NumberLakaleiIsníLoleinIdaté
1isaUncoded languages: isUncoded languages: isaisa
2ruaUncoded languages: ruaUncoded languages: ruarua
3teluUncoded languages: telUncoded languages: telutelu
4aatUncoded languages: aatUncoded languages: aataat
5limaUncoded languages: limUncoded languages: limalima
6neenUncoded languages: neenUncoded languages: neenneen
7hituUncoded languages: hituUncoded languages: hituhitu
8ualuUncoded languages: ualuUncoded languages: ualuualu
9siaUncoded languages: siaUncoded languages: siasia
10sakuluUncoded languages: sakúlUncoded languages: sakulusanulu

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hull . Geoffrey . The Languages of East Timor: Some Basic facts . Instituto Nacional de Linguística . https://web.archive.org/web/20060716034822/http://www.asianlang.mq.edu.au/INL/langs.html . 16 July 2006 . 24 August 2004.
  2. Web site: Direcção-Geral de Estatística . Population Distribution by Administrative Area - Volume 2 (Language) . 2016 . Silvino . Lopes . XLS . 23 November 2016.