More than 700 living languages are spoken in Indonesia.[1] Most belong to the Austronesian language family, with a few Papuan languages also spoken. The official language is Indonesian (locally known as Bahasa Indonesia), a modified version of Malay,[2] which is used in commerce, administration, education and the media, but most Indonesians speak local languages, such as Javanese, as their first language.[1]
Like most writing systems in human history, Indonesia's are not rendered in native-invented systems, but devised by speakers of Sanskrit, Arabic, and Latin. Malay, for example, has a long history as a written language and has been rendered in Indic, Arabic, and Roman writing systems. Javanese has been written in the Nagari and Pallava writing systems of India, in a modified Arabic system called pegon that incorporates Javanese sounds, and in the Roman alphabet. Chinese characters have never been used to express Indonesian languages, although Indonesian place-names, personal names, and names of trade goods appear in reports and histories written for China's imperial courts.[3]
Languages spoken in Indonesia
| Language | Number (millions) | Year surveyed | Main areas where spoken |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesian | 230 | 2008 | throughout Indonesia |
| Javanese | 84.3 | 2000 (census) | Central Java and East Java |
| Sundanese | 34.0 | 2000 (census) | West Java |
| Madurese | 13.6 | 2000 (census) | Madura Island, East Java |
| Minangkabau | 5.5 | 2007 | Central Sumatra |
| Musi | 3.9 | 2000 (census) | Southern Sumatra |
| Bugis | 3.5 | 1991 | South Sulawesi |
| Banjarese | 3.5 | 2000 (census) | South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan |
| Acehnese | 3.5 | 2000 (census) | Northern Sumatra |
| Balinese | 3.3 | 2000 (census) | Bali Island and Lombok Island |
| Betawi | 2.7 | 1993 | Jakarta |
| Sasak | 2.1 | 1989 | Lombok Island |
| Batak Toba | 2.0 | 1991 | Northern Sumatra |
| Makassarese | 1.6 | 1989 | South Sulawesi |
| Batak Dairi | 1.2 | 1991 | Northern Sumatra |
| Batak Simalungun | 1.2 | 2000 (census) | Northern Sumatra |
| Batak Mandailing | 1.1 | 2000 (census) | Northern Sumatra |
| Jambi Malay | 1.0 | 2000 (census) | Jambi (Central Sumatra) |
| Mongondow | 0.9 | 1989 | North Sulawesi |
| Gorontalo | 0.9 | 1989 | Gorontalo province (Northern Sulawesi) |
| Ngaju Dayak | 0.9 | 2003 | Southern Kalimantan |
| Lampung Api | 0.8 | 2000 (census) | Lampung (Southern Sumatra) |
| Nias | 0.8 | 2000 (census) | off Western Sumatra coast |
| Batak Angkola | 0.7 | 1991 | Northern Sumatra |
| North Moluccan Malay | 0.7 | 2001 | North Maluku |
| Chinese (Hokkien and Teochew) | 0.7 | 1982 | Northern Sumatra and West Kalimantan |
| Chinese (Hakka) | 0.6 | 1982 | Bangka Belitung and West Kalimantan |
| Batak Karo | 0.6 | 1991 | Northern Sumatra |
| Uab Meto | 0.6 | 1997 | West Timor |
| Bima | 0.5 | 1989 | Sumbawa Island |
| Manggarai | 0.5 | 1989 | Flores Island |
| Torajan-Sa'dan | 0.5 | 1990 | South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi |
| Komering | 0.5 | 2000 (census) | Southern Sumatra |
| Tetum | 0.4 | 2004 | West Timor |
| Rejang | 0.4 | 2000 (census) | Bengkulu (Southwestern Sumatra) |
| Muna | 0.3 | 1989 | off Southwestern Sulawesi coast |
| Basa Semawa | 0.3 | 1989 | Sumbawa Island |
| Bangka | 0.3 | 2000 (census) | Bangka Island |
| Osing | 0.3 | 2000 (census) | at Eastern end of Java |
| Gayo | 0.3 | 2000 (census) | Aceh |
| Tolaki | 0.3 | 1991 | Southeast Sulawesi |
| Lewotobi language | 0.3 | 2000 | Flores Island |
| Tae' | 0.3 | 1992 | South Sulawesi |
Graph of Indonesian ethnolinguistics
References
- ^ a b Lewis, M. Paul (2009). "Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition.". SIL International. http://www.ethnologue.com/. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
- ^ Sneddon, James (2003). The Indonesian Language: Its history and role in modern society. Sydney: University of South Wales Press Ltd.
- ^ Taylor, Jean Gelman (2003). Indonesia: Peoples and Histories. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 29. ISBN 0-300-10518-5.
- ^ http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=IDJ
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