Gayo language

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Gayo
Spoken in Indonesia
Region Sumatra
Total speakers 550,000
Language family Austronesian
Language codes
ISO 639-1 None
ISO 639-2 gay
ISO 639-3 gay

Gayo Language is the spoken language of about 180,000 people (1989) in the mountain region of North Sumatra around Takengon, Gayo Lues, Bener Meriah, Southeast Aceh, Genteng, and Lokop. It is classified as belonging to the Western Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian languages, but is not closely related to other languages.

Gayo is distinguished with other languages in Aceh. Not only limited to the language, but also the art and culture of Gayo people is different with the Acehnese people.

In 1907 G.A.J. Hazeu wrote a first Gayo-Dutch dictionary for the colonial authorities of the Dutch East Indies[1]

[edit] External links

  1. ^ Gajosch-Nederlandsch Woordenboek, by G.A.J. Hazeu, Landsdrukkerij Batavia 1907. It is available online as a Google scan.