The languages of East Timor include both Austronesian and Papuan languages. (See Timor–Flores languages and Timor–Alor–Pantar languages.) The lingua franca and national language of East Timor is Tetum, an Austronesian language influenced by Portuguese, with which it has equal status as an official language. The language of the Oecusse exclave is Uab Meto (Dawan). Fataluku is a Papuan language widely used in the eastern part of the country (often more so than Tetum). A dialect of Malay-based creole called Dili Malay is spoken by a number of residents in the capital Dili, it borrowed words mostly from Portuguese and Tetum. Both Portuguese and Tetum have official recognition under the Constitution of East Timor, as do other indigenous languages, including: Bekais, Bunak, Galoli, Habun, Idalaka, Kawaimina, Kemak, Lovaia, Makalero, Makasae, Mambai, Tokodede and Wetarese.
The rise of lingua francas in the linguistically diverse East Timor and the domination of several clans over others have led to the extinction of many smaller languages. However, some of them are still in use as ritual languages or cants. Research done in the mid-2000s by the Dutch linguist Aone van Engelenhoven, for example, revealed that the Makuva language, formerly spoken by the Makuva tribe but believed to have been extinct since the 1950s, was still used occasionally.[3]
In 2007, Van Engelenhoven discovered the existence of another language that was essentially extinct, called Rusenu.[4]
^"Deaf in East Timor". Archived from the original on 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
^"APSN | Government to include Tetum sign language in public schools". Archived from the original on 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
^"Noorderlicht Noorderlicht Nieuws: Raadselachtig Rusenu" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2007-04-18. Retrieved 2007-09-22.
^"Noorderlicht Noorderlicht Nieuws: Sprankje hoop voor talenvorsers" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2010-09-08. Retrieved 2007-09-22.
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Tétum [ˈtɛtũ]) is an Austronesian language spoken on the island ofTimor. It is one of the official languagesofTimor-Leste and it is also spoken in Belu...
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The prime minister ofEastTimor, officially the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic ofTimor Leste (Portuguese: Primeiro-Ministro da República Democrática...
EastTimor, officially the Democratic Republic ofTimor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The country comprises the eastern half of the...
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divisions ofTimor Timur Province Administrative posts ofEastTimor ISO 3166-2:TL List of municipalities ofEastTimor by Human Development Index Sucos of East...
Catholic, and Malay, on the indigenous Austronesian cultures in East Timor. Timor-Leste become a state party to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention on...
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ofEastTimor (UNTL; Portuguese: Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e; Tetum: Universidade Nasionál Timór Lorosa'e), is a public university in East Timor...
system in EastTimor is a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister ofEastTimor is the head of government...
Portuguese), is the variety of the Portuguese language spoken in Timor-Leste. It is one of the official languagesofTimor-Leste alongside Tetum. As with other...
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