Sula language

Sula is a Malayo-Polynesian language of the Central Maluku branch. It is related to the Buru language.

Sula
Sanana
Native toIndonesia, Maluku
RegionSula Islands
Native speakers
(20,000 cited 1983)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3szn
Glottologsula1245

It is definitely endangered, currently under pressure from the local variety of Malay.[2]

Sula has borrowed many lexical items from Ambonese Malay, as well as Ternate, a more dominant language of North Maluku.[2]: 141, 342–535  Dutch loans have entered the language too, perhaps through Malay and Ternate. Standard Indonesian has also been influential.[2]: 141 

Mangole is sometimes listed as a distinct language.[2]: 50 

Phonology

Consonants
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive/
Affricate		 voiceless p t tʃ k ʔ
voiced b d dʒ ɡ
Nasal m n ŋ
Fricative f s (ʃ) h
Trill r
Lateral l
Approximant w j

Voiced consonant sounds /b d ɡ/ may also be heard as devoiced [b̥ d̥ ɡ̊] in word-final position.

Vowels
Front Central Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a

/e/ can also be heard as [ɛ] in lax form.[2]

References
  1. Sula at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Bloyd, Tobias S. (2020). Sula: Its language, land, and people. University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.

Further reading
  • Bloyd, Tobias (2020). Sula: Its Language, Land, and People (PhD thesis). University of Hawai'i at Manoa. hdl:10125/69017.
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