Atauran

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A language of East Timor

ISO 639-3
adb
Alternate Names
Adabe, Ataura, Atauro, Atauru, Raklu Un, Raklu-Un
User Population

5,000 (2010 census).

Location

Dili district: Atauro island; Timor island north of capital.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Timor-Babar, Southwest Maluku, Wetar
Dialects

Munaseli Pandai, Rahesuk, Raklungu, Resuk.

Typology

SOV.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Atauran
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

There has been much confusion about Adabe, a language erroneously classified in early literature as a Papuan language reportedly spoken on Atauro island. Through the years, linguists verified that there was no Papuan language on the island, but there was definitely an Austronesian language with 3 dialects. Since the name Adabe was associated with one of the dialects, the language name is now Atauran, an Austronesian (Wetarese) language.