Native speakers (150,000 cited 1990) Glottolog tont1239 | ISO 639-3 tnt | |
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Language family AustronesianMalayo-PolynesianPhilippineMinahasanNorthTontemboan | ||
Tontemboan is an Austronesian language, of northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is a Minahasan language, a sub-group of the Philippine languages.
Other names and dialect names are: "Makela'i-Maotow, Makelai, Matana'i-Maore', Matanai, Pakewa, Sonder, Tompakewa, Tompaso, Tountemboan."
Usage
As of 2013, an estimated 100,000 people speak the language, but it is not being passed on to children. It is used in an area around Langoan, Sonder, Suluun and Amurang. Documentation of the language assembled by missionaries a century ago is relatively inaccessible to Tontemboan speakers, as it is written in the Dutch language. As of 2013, the Endangered Language Alliance is organizing a series of Tontemboan language events in New York City.
In 1907, Firma P.W.M Trap, Leiden, Holland published a Bible in the Tontemboan language. It was edited by M. Adriani-Gunning and J. Regar.