Kao language
Kao is a language in the non-Austronesian languages which is categorized as a endangered. This language is spoken in North Halmahera Regency, North Maluku.
| Kao | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Indonesia |
| Region | North Maluku |
| Ethnicity | Kao |
Native speakers | 1,250 (2014)[1] |
West Papuan
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | kax – Kao |
| Glottolog | kaoo1238 |
| ELP | Kao |
The last survey in 2008 conducted by the Research Team from the Faculty of Letters and Culture Khairun University stated, Kao language is only used in the family realm by those over 40 years of age. In traditional, social or daily events, or religious ceremonies, the Kao language is no longer used.[2]
History and spread
The Kao language was born from the long history of the Kao people in the field of commerce. The opening of cultural influences brought by immigrants gave birth to acculturation and inculturation in accordance with values that are considered noble by society. One of the products of that is language. However, as time progresses, various movements made by the Kao people to meet their needs also influenced the use of language.
Currently, the Kao language lives among speakers of Ternate Malay and is threatened by the hegemony of immigrants. However, this preservation effort is still carried out by performing arts, for example the Gala Kao which is carried out by playing Kao-language rhymes. Even though it is no longer used in daily life, the people of Kao still recognize that this language is their native language.
The current distribution of the Kao language is in the interior of North Halmahera, the mouth of the Kao River, and the Kao capital area (Kao District).[3]
Language speakers
Judging from the speakers, it is known that the older the speakers of a language, the more fluent the language is. Here are the age ranges of Kao speakers.[2]
- 60 and over: very fluent, understand complex old words.
- 50–59 years: fluent, does not understand complex vocabulary.
- 40–49 years: not fluent, They understand and communicate in Kao quite fluently.
References
- Kao at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- Retnowati, Endang (2016). Identitas Bahasa dan Kebudayaan Etnik Minoritas Kao (PDF). Jakarta: LIPI Press. p. 252. ISBN 978-979-799-778-6.
- Lewis, M., Paul (2009). Ethnologue: Languages of The World (Edisi Keenam). Dallas, Texas: SIL International.
Further reading
- Retnowati, Endang. (2016). Identitas Bahasa dan Kebudayaan Etnik Minoritas Kao. Jakarta: LIPI Press.
- Lewis, M., Paul. (2009). Ethnologue: Languages of The World (Edisi Keenam). Dallas, Texas: SIL International.