Central Maluku languages

Central Maluku
Geographic distribution	Indonesia (Maluku Islands)
Linguistic classification	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian (MP) Central–Eastern MP Central Maluku
Subdivisions	West East
Language codes
Glottolog	grea1302  Greater Seram Laut nunu1252  Nunusaku west2817  West Central Maluku

The Central Maluku languages are a proposed subgroup of the Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family which comprises around fifty languages spoken principally on the Seram, Buru, Ambon and the Sula Islands, Indonesia. None of the languages have as many as fifty thousand speakers, and several are extinct.

Classification

The traditional components of Central Maluku are the Sula, Buru, and East Central Maluku languages, plus the Ambelau isolate.

Collins (1983)

The following classification of the Central Maluku languages below is from Collins (1983:20, 22) and (1986).^[1][2]

• Central Maluku
  • West Central Maluku
    • Ambelau
    • Buru–Sula–Taliabo
      • Buru: Buru, Lisela, Palumata (extinct), Moksela (extinct)
      • Sula: Sula, Mangole
      • Taliabo
  • East Central Maluku (around Seram and Aru)
    • Banda–Geser
      • Banda
      • Seran Laut: Bati, Geser, Kowiai, Watubela
    • East Seram
      • Bobot–Masiwang
      • Setic: Hoti, Benggoi, Salas, Liana-Seti
    • Nunusaku
      • Kayeli
      • Patakai–Manusela
        • Nuaulu
        • Huaulu, Manusela
      • Three Rivers
        • Wemale
        • Amalumute
          • Yalahatan
          • Northwest Seram: Hulung, Saleman, Loun, Ulat Inai (Alune, Nakaʼela), Lisabata-Nuniali
      • Piru Bay languages (20 languages)

References

1. Collins, James T. (1983). The Historical Relationships of the Languages of Central Maluku, Indonesia. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
2. Collins, J.T. (1986). "Eastern Seram: a subgrouping argument". In Geraghty, P., Carrington, L. and Wurm, S.A. eds, FOCAL II: Papers from the Fourth International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics. C-94:123-146. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University.