Batak Karo

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A language of Indonesia

ISO 639-3
btx
Alternate Names
Karo Batak, kalak Karo
Autonym
cakap Karo
User Population

491,000 (2010 census). Ethnic population: 1,220,000 (2010 census).

Location

Aceh province: Aceh Selatan, Aceh Singli, Aceh Tenggara, and Kota Subulussalam regencies; North Sumatra province: Dairi, Deli Serdang, Karo, and Langkat regencies; Tapanuli Tengah regency, south small border area.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Northwest Sumatra-Barrier Islands, Batak, Northern
Dialects

Lexical similarity: 81% with Batak Dairi [btd] (Pakpak dialect), 80% with Batak Similungun [bts], and 76% with Batak Alas-Kluet [btz] (Alas dialect) (Woollams 2005).

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head initial, except for quantifiers; actor-voice and undergoer-voice; causatives; 17 consonants and 7 vowels; stress on penultimate syllable; inclusive/exclusive pronouns.

Language Use

Mixed use: Home, Community, Work, Religion. Some young people, all adults. All also use Indonesian [ind], some youth are shifting, especially in urban and migrant areas.

Language Development

Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1987–1995.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Batak Karo
Writing

Batak script [Batk]. Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.