Makuv'a language

Spoken in

  • Austronesian
  • Malayo - Polynesian languages
  • Central Malayo -Polynesian
  • Timor
  • Fabronische languages
  • Makuva

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Paa

Lva

Makuva ( Makuwa, Maku'a, Lovaia, Lovaea ) is an ethnic group of East Timor with 56 native speakers who formerly lived in the village Lovaia and then centered in the larger settlement Mehara, west of Tutuala (District loud ) have. The Makuva were previously relocated in 1946 from their original home villages Loikere and Polamanu on the north coast to Lovaia. Today the members are scattered all over East Timor. 17 living in the district of Baucau, 10 each in the districts of Dili and district Ermera, seven in the district of Viqueque and only four in the District loud.

Language

Makuva is a Malayo - Polynesian language branch of the Timor, which is threatened with extinction. The younger generation mostly speaks the national language Fataluku belonging to the Papuan. In the mid- 20th century Makuva was much more widespread in the district of loud, but it is believed that the original Makuva speaking population has been assimilated more and more of the Fataluku with time. The crisis in East Timor in 1999 also led to serious upheavals in the region. The villages where Makuva was spoken, were destroyed. The population was deported to West Timor or fled into the surrounding caves. Those three Makuva spokesman, who served as a reference linguists have, the events of that time may not have survived.

Fataluku but has reversed over many Austronesian loanwords. The Dutch linguist Aone van Engelshoven sees Makuva less a dying language, as a "language in a coma ", similar to the Latin. Makuva was therefore a ritual language, the only learns Selected by about 60 years.

Makuva is similar to the Meher dialect of the nearby Indonesian island Kisar. However, the origin of the language is not yet clear. While it is possible that Makuva is an offshoot of Meher Timor, suggest some signs, such as its archaic nature suggests that it is the original form of Meher and other related languages ​​between Timor and New Guinea itself. According to this hypothesis East Timor would be the springboard for the Austronesation the eastern region to the South Moluccas except Wetar and Aru.

Makuva is one of the 15 national languages ​​recognized by the Constitution of East Timor.

Language family Baucau District Dili District Ermera District Languages of East Timor 1999 East Timorese crisis Maluku Islands Adabe language Bunak language Galoli language Idalaka Kemak language Makasae language Rusenu language Tocodede language
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