Saisiyat

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Taiwan

ISO 639-3
xsy
Alternate Names
Amutoura, Bouiok, Saiset, Saisett, Saisiat, Saisiett, Saisirat, Saisyet, Saisyett, Saixia, Seisirat
Autonym
SaySiyat
User Population

2,000 (2015 CIP). Tungho: more active use. Taai: a few speakers; nearly assimilated into Atayal [tay]. Ethnic population: 6,730 (2020 CIP).

Location

Miaoli county: Nanchuang and Shihtan townships; Hsinchu county: Wufeng township. Western mountains.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Classification
Austronesian, Northwest Formosan
Dialects

Taai (North Saiset), Tungho (South Saiset). Dialect differences are mainly phonological and lexical (1978 P. Li).

Typology

SVO, VSO; prepositions; personal and common nouns; case-marking (6 cases); aspect; 16 consonants and 6 vowels; stress usually on the final syllable; inclusive/exclusive pronouns.

Language Use

Adults only. Very few under 45 can speak the language fluently (Zeitoun et al 2015). Positive attitudes. All shifting to Atayal [tay], from northern dialect (Wurm 2007). Many shifting to Hakka Chinese [hak], from southern dialect (Wurm 2007).

Language Development

Grammar. The Saisiyat people have initiated a revitalization movement under governmental initiatives (Zeitoun et al 2015).

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Saisiyat
Writing

Latin script [Latn].