Madura
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A language of Indonesia
7,790,000 in Indonesia (2015 UNSD), decreasing. Ethnic population: 7,180,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 7,790,900.
East Java province: Java island coast south and west of Surabaja city, Bawean, Kangean, and Sapudi islands; South Kalimantan province: Java Sea area.
5 (Developing).
Bawean (Babean, Bhebien, Boyanese), Bangkalan (Bangkalon), Pamekesan (Pamekasan), Sampang, Sapudi, Sumenep. Dialect continuum. Reports differ about inherent intelligibility among dialects: some Sumenep and Sampang report they cannot understand Pamekasan or Sumenep. Difficult intelligibility with Kangean [kkv]. Bawean may be a separate language. Lexical similarity: 75% with Kangean [kkv].
SVO; nontonal; partial reduplication.
Literacy rate in L2: 40%. Literacy higher among Bangkalon. Taught as subject in primary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1994.


Mainly rural. Bawean consider their language separate from Madurese. East Madurese, especially Sumenep, is considered high, or standard Madurese. Sumenep is isolated culturally and geographically. Bangkalon, spoken in Surabaya, is important economically because that city is highly urbanized and is most affected by Bahasa Indonesia. Muslim.