Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Sika language

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Native to
  
Indonesia

Ethnicity
  
Sika

ISO 639-3
  
ski

Region
  
Flores

Native speakers
  
180,000 (1995)

Language family
  
Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Nuclear MP (Central–Eastern MP) Flores–Lembata Sika–Lamaholot Sika

The Sika or Sikanese language is a member of the Central Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family, and is spoken by around 180,000 people of the Sika ethnic group on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It is notable for being one of the few languages which contains a non-allophonic labiodental flap. It shows evidence of having a Papuan (non-Austronesian) substratum.

The Sika language has at least three recognized dialects:

  • Sikka Natar dialect, which is generally perceived in the region to be the most refined and most prestigious of the Sika speech variety.
  • Sara Krowe dialect, spoken in the central hills of Sika speaking people.
  • Ata Tana 'Ai or Sara Tana 'Ai dialect, used by both outsiders and insiders to refer to the people and language of the region and it is also used as a ritual language.

    • References

    Sika language Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA