Balantak language

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Balantak
Wurung Balantak
Native to Indonesia
Region Sulawesi
Ethnicity Balantak people
Native speakers
(30,000 cited 2000) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 blz
Glottolog bala1315
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Balantak is an Austronesian language spoken at the head of the eastern peninsula of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is classified as a member of the Saluan-Banggai branch of the Celebic subgroup. The Balantak language is the primary language of the Balantak people. Although 90% of the population are also proficient in Indonesian, the vernacular is still vigorously used in everyday contexts, and most children only speak Balantak before entering school. [2]

Contents

Phonology

Balantak has the following phoneme inventory: [3]

Consonants
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ŋ ⟨ng⟩
Plosive voiceless p t t͡ʃ ⟨c⟩ [a] k ʔ ⟨'⟩
voiced b d d͡ʒ ⟨j⟩ [a] g
Fricative s h [a]
Lateral l
Trill r
Approximant w j ⟨y⟩
  1. 1 2 3 Only occur in loanwords
Vowels
Front Central Back
High i u
Mid ɛ ⟨e⟩ ɔ ⟨o⟩
Low a

Sequences of like vowels are phonetically realized as long vowels, e.g. toop[tɔ:p] 'cigarette', nuur[nu:r] 'coconut'.

References

Further reading


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