Jump to content

Sikka language: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Restored author data, clarified that this hypothesis is not restricted to Sika
No edit summary
Line 19: Line 19:
The '''Sika language''' or '''Sikanese''', also known as Sikka,<ref name=:0/> is spoken by around 180,000 people of the [[Sika (people)|Sika]] [[ethnic group]] on [[Flores]] island in [[East Nusa Tenggara]] province, [[Indonesia]]. It is a member of the [[Central Malayo-Polynesian languages|Central Malayo-Polynesian]] branch of the [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian language family]].
The '''Sika language''' or '''Sikanese''', also known as Sikka,<ref name=:0/> is spoken by around 180,000 people of the [[Sika (people)|Sika]] [[ethnic group]] on [[Flores]] island in [[East Nusa Tenggara]] province, [[Indonesia]]. It is a member of the [[Central Malayo-Polynesian languages|Central Malayo-Polynesian]] branch of the [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian language family]].


Sika is notable for being one of the few languages which contain a non-[[allophone|allophonic]] [[labiodental flap]]. Like many other languages in eastern Indonesia, it shows evidence of having a [[Papuan languages|Papuan]] (non-Austronesian) [[Stratum (linguistics)#Substratum|substratum]]. It has been hypothesized that the Austronesian languages in that area could be descendants of a creole language, resulting from the intrusion of Austronesian languages into eastern Indonesia.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gil|first=David|chapter=The Mekong-Mamberamo linguistic area|title=Languages of Mainland Southeast Asia: The State of the Art|editor1=N. J. Enfield |editor2=Bernard Comrie|publisher=Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG|pages=334|year=2015|language=en|isbn=978-1-5015-0168-5}}</ref>.
Sika is notable for being one of the few languages which contain a non-[[allophone|allophonic]] [[labiodental flap]]. Like many other languages in eastern Indonesia, it shows evidence of having a [[Papuan languages|Papuan]] (non-Austronesian) [[Stratum (linguistics)#Substratum|substratum]]. It has been hypothesized that the Austronesian languages in that area could be descendants of a creole language, resulting from the intrusion of Austronesian languages into eastern Indonesia.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gil|first=David|chapter=The Mekong-Mamberamo linguistic area|title=Languages of Mainland Southeast Asia: The State of the Art|editor1=N. J. Enfield |editor2=Bernard Comrie|publisher=Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG|pages=334|year=2015|language=en|isbn=978-1-5015-0168-5}}</ref>


Sika has at least three recognized dialects:
Sika has at least three recognized dialects:

Revision as of 01:49, 24 December 2020

Sika
Native toIndonesia
RegionFlores
EthnicitySika
Native speakers
(180,000 cited 1995)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3ski
Glottologsika1262

The Sika language or Sikanese, also known as Sikka,[2] is spoken by around 180,000 people of the Sika ethnic group on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It is a member of the Central Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family.

Sika is notable for being one of the few languages which contain a non-allophonic labiodental flap. Like many other languages in eastern Indonesia, it shows evidence of having a Papuan (non-Austronesian) substratum. It has been hypothesized that the Austronesian languages in that area could be descendants of a creole language, resulting from the intrusion of Austronesian languages into eastern Indonesia.[3]

Sika has at least three recognized dialects:

  • Sikka Natar, which is generally perceived in the region to be the most refined and most prestigious of the Sika speech variety.
  • Sara Krowe, spoken in the central hills of Sika speaking people.
  • Ata Tana 'Ai or Sara Tana 'Ai, used by both outsiders and insiders to refer to the people and language of the region and it is also used as a ritual language.[2]

References

  1. ^ Sika at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b Tryon, Darrell T. (1995). Comparative Austronesian Dictionary: An Introduction to Austronesian Studies. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 3-1108-8401-1.
  3. ^ Gil, David (2015). "The Mekong-Mamberamo linguistic area". In N. J. Enfield; Bernard Comrie (eds.). Languages of Mainland Southeast Asia: The State of the Art. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 334. ISBN 978-1-5015-0168-5.