Ternate

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A language of Indonesia

ISO 639-3
tft
User Population

62,000, all users. L1 users: 42,000 (Wurm and Hattori 1981). L2 users: 20,000.

Location

North Maluku province: Kota Ternate regency, Hiri and Ternate islands; Halmahera Selatan regency, islands between Bacan and Kasiruta islands; Halmahera island southeast of Gane bay; Damar and Yoronga islands.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification
West Papuan, North Halmahera, Ternate-Tidore
Dialects

None known. Reportedly similar to Tidore [tvo].

Language Use

Former trade language, now shifting to North Moluccan Malay [max]; weaker in core area, stronger in periphery (2012 J. Bowden). Also use Indonesian [ind]. Used as L2 by Sawai [szw].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Ternate
Other Comments

Muslim.