Madura

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A language of Indonesia

Alternate Names
Madhura, Madurese
Autonym
Basa Mathura
User Population

7,790,000 in Indonesia (2015 UNSD), decreasing. Ethnic population: 7,180,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 7,790,900.

Location

East Java province: Java island coast south and west of Surabaja city, Bawean, Kangean, and Sapudi islands; South Kalimantan province: Java Sea area.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Dialects

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].

Typology

SVO; nontonal; partial reduplication.

Language Use

Vigorous on Madura Island and East Java. All domains. Used by all. Also use Indonesian [ind]. Also use Javanese [jav].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 40%. Literacy higher among Bangkalon. Taught as subject in primary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1994.

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

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.

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