Fordata

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A language of Indonesia

ISO 639-3
frd
Alternate Names
Larat, Vai Fordata, Vai Sera-Larat-Fordata, Vai Tnebar, Vaidida
User Population

50,000 (Marshall 2000). 25,000 in the language area and 25,000 elsewhere (Marshall 2000). Decreasing use in mixed language towns. 500 monolinguals.

Location

Maluku province: southeast, 30 villages; north archipelago on Fordata, Larat, and Molu-Maru islands; northwest, Yamdena island west coast, Seira island; also Jakarta, other cities.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Southeast Maluku, Kei-Tanimbar, Kei-Fordata
Dialects

Fordata-Larat I, Fordata-Larat II, Molo (Molo-Maru), Sera (Seira). Sera is most divergent dialect. Lexical similarity: 68% with Kei [kei].

Language Use

Vigorous. Some villages have few young people being spoken to in Fordata. All domains, though church context limited. Positive attitudes. All also use Ambonese Malay [abs]. Also use Indonesian [ind]. Used as L2 by Bugis [bug], Geser-Gorom [ges].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 5%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. 2,500 read; 1,500 can write. Taught as subject in primary and secondary schools. Literature. Dictionary. NT: 2016.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Fordata
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Primary schools in nearly every village, secondary schools for every 3 or 4 villages. Christian, Muslim.