Salawati

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A language of Indonesia

Maden, Palamul, Saparan, Sapran

Unknown number. Total population of the villages where Salawati is spoken: 3,391. However, younger generations in at least some of the villages are no longer acquiring the language, and there are large numbers of speakers of other languages living in some of these villages (Arnold 2020).

Location

West Papua province: Raja Ampat regency, northwest Salawati island.

Language Maps

Indonesia, Northwestern Papua

Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Classification

Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, South Halmahera-West New Guinea, West New Guinea, Cenderawasih Bay, Raja Ampat

Dialects

Kawit (Kawait), Butlih (Butleh, Butles), Wail (Wailil), Fiat (Fiawat), Rajau, Tepin (Tipin).

Language Use

Adults only. Shifting to Papuan Malay [pmy].