Kisar

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A language of Indonesia

ISO 639-3
kje
Alternate Names
Meher, Yotowawa
Population

20,000 (1995 SIL).

Location

Maluku Province, southern part, over 20 villages total; Kisar island, northeast of Timor island, 19 villages; nearby Roma and Wetar islands, Hila, Likagraha, Amau, Naumatan, and Hi’ai villages; some in Ambon, Dili, and Kupang cities.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Timor-Babar, Southwest Maluku, Kisar-Roma
Dialects

Not related to Oirata [oia], which has sometimes been called a dialect.

Language Use

Also use Indonesian [ind]. Used as L2 by Luang [lex], Oirata [oia].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. NT: 2008.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kisar
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Called Yotowawa or Meher locally. Christian.