Sula language explained

Sula
Nativename:Li Sua
Also Known As:Sanana
Region:Sula Islands
States:Indonesia, Maluku
Ethnicity:Sula
Speakers:20,000
Date:1983
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Austronesian
Fam2:Malayo-Polynesian
Fam3:Central–Eastern
Fam5:Sula–Buru
Fam6:Sula languages
Dia1:Facei
Dia2:Fagudu
Dia3:Falahu
Iso3:szn
Glotto:sula1245
Glottorefname:Sanana

Sula (Sanana) is a Malayo-Polynesian language of the Central Maluku branch. It is related to the Buru language. Sula is spoken mainly on the Sulabesi, with the Sanana as its center.

It is definitely endangered, currently under pressure from the local variety of Malay, known as Sula Malay.

Sula has borrowed many lexical items from Ambonese Malay, as well as Ternate, a more dominant language of North Maluku. Dutch loans have entered the language too, perhaps through Malay and Ternate. Standard Indonesian has also been influential.

Mangole is sometimes listed as a distinct language.

Phonology

Consonants

LabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
Plosive/
Affricate
voicelesspronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
voicedpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Nasalpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Fricativepronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/(pronounced as /ink/)pronounced as /ink/
Trillpronounced as /ink/
Lateralpronounced as /ink/
Approximantpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Voiced consonant sounds pronounced as //b d ɡ// may also be heard as devoiced pronounced as /[b̥ d̥ ɡ̊]/ in word-final position.

Vowels

FrontCentralBack
Closepronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Midpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Openpronounced as /ink/
pronounced as //e// can also be heard as pronounced as /[ɛ]/ in lax form.[1]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bloyd, Tobias S. . Sula: Its language, land, and people . University of Hawai'i at Mānoa . 2020.