Timoric languages explained

Timoric languages should not be confused with Timor–Alor–Pantar languages.

Timoric
Region:	Indonesia East Timor
Familycolor:	Austronesian
Fam2:	Malayo-Polynesian
Fam3:	Central–Eastern
Protoname:	Proto-Timoric
Children:	(disputed)

The Timoric languages are a group of Austronesian languages (belonging to the Central–Eastern subgroup) spoken on the islands of Timor, neighboring Wetar, and (depending on the classification) Southwest Maluku to the east.

Within the group, the languages with the most speakers are Uab Meto of West Timor, Indonesia and Tetum of East Timor, each with about half a million speakers, though in addition Tetum is an official language and a lingua franca among non-Tetum East Timorese.

Languages

Hull (1998) & van Engelenhoven (2009)

Geoffrey Hull (1998) proposes a Timoric group as follows:

• Timoric
  • Timoric A ("Extra-Ramelaic", Fabronic; whatever is not Ramelaic)
    • West: Dawan (Uab Meto)–Amarasi, Helong, Roti (Bilba, Dengka, Lole, Ringgou, Dela-Oenale, Termanu, Tii)
    • Central: Tetun, Bekais, Habu
    • North: Wetar, Galoli
    • East

Kairui, Waimaha, Midiki, Naueti

• • Timoric B ("Ramelaic", near the Ramelau range)
    • West: Kemak, Tukudede
    • Central: Mambai
    • East (Idalaka): Idaté, Isní, Lakalei, Lolein

Van Engelenhoven (2009) accepts Hull's classification, but further includes Makuva and the Luangic–Kisaric languages (Kisar, Romang, Luang, Wetan, Leti) in the Eastern branch of Timoric A.^[1]

Taber (1993)

In a lexicostatistical classification of the languages of Southwest Maluku, Taber (1993:396) posits a "Southwest Maluku" branch of the Timoric languages, that comprises all languages of the area, except for West Damar and the Babar languages.

• Timoric
  • (other branches on Timor)
  • Southwest Maluku
    • East Damar
    • Wetar: Talur, Wetar cluster (Aputai, Perai, Tugun, Iliun)
    • Kisar-Roma: Kisar, Roma
    • Luang: Leti, Luang, Wetan
    • TNS (Teun-Nila-Serua): Teun, Nila-Serua (Nila, Serua)
• (other branches of CMP, including Babar languages and West Damar)

Edwards (2021)

Edwards (2021) divides the languages of Timor and Southwest Maluku into two main branches, Central Timor and Timor–Babar:^[2]

• Central Timor: Kemak, Tokodede, Mambae, Welaun
• Timor–Babar
  • Helong
  • Rote-Meto
    • West Rote-Meto
      • Dela, Oenale
      • Dengka-Meto
        • Dengka, Lelain
        • Meto
    • Nuclear Rote
      • Tii, Lole
      • Termanu, Ba'a, Korbafo, Bokai, Talae, Keka
      • Bilbaa, Diu, Lelenuk
      • Rikou, Landu, Oepao
  • Lakalei–Idate: Lakalei, Idate
  • Eastern Timor (Kawaimina)

Kairui, Waimaha, Midiki, Naueti

• • Wetar–Atauro: Atauran, Galoli, Wetarese
  • Southwest Maluku: Kisar, Roma, Leti, Luang, Wetan, Teun, Nila, Serua, East Damar
    • Babar languages

References

• Hull, Geoffrey. 1998. "The basic lexical affinities of Timor's Austronesian languages: a preliminary investigation." Studies in Languages and Cultures of East Timor 1:97–202.
• Taber, Mark (1993). "Toward a Better Understanding of the Indigenous Languages of Southwestern Maluku." Oceanic Linguistics, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Winter, 1993), pp. 389–441. University of Hawai'i.

External links

• LexiRumah (part of the Lesser Sunda linguistic databases)
• Reconstructing the past through languages of the present: the Lesser Sunda Islands
• The Languages of East Timor: Some Basic Facts (Revised 24.8.2004) Geoffrey Hull

Notes and References

1. Book: van Engelenhoven, Aone . 2009 . The position of Makuva among the Austronesian languages in East Timor and Southwest Maluku . Adelaar, K. Alexander . Pawley, Andrew . Austronesian historical linguistics and culture history: a festschrift for Robert Blust . Canberra . Australian National University . 425–442 .
2. Edwards, Owen (2021). Rote-Meto Comparative Dictionary. Canberra: ANU Press.