Fordata

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A language of Indonesia

ISO 639-3
frd
Alternate Names
Larat, Vai Fordata, Vai Sera-Larat-Fordata, Vai Tnebar, Vaidida
Population

50,000 (Marshall 2000). Under 1% monolingual. 25,000 in the language area and 25,000 elsewhere (Marshall 2000).

Location

Southeast Maluku Province, 30 villages. North Tanimbar islands, Fordata, Larat, and Molu-Maru groups; northwest, Yamdena island west coast. Seira island. Also Jakarta, other cities.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Southeast Maluku, Kei-Tanimbar, Kei-Fordata
Dialects

Fordata-Larat I, Fordata-Larat II, Molo (Molo-Maru), Sera (Seira). Sera is most divergent dialect. Lexical similarity: 68% with Kei [kei].

Language Use

Vigorous. Two villages of mainly Muslim Geser and Bugis use Fordata as L2. Some villages have few young people being spoken to in Fordata. All domains, though church context limited. Positive attitudes. Most also use Ambonese Malay [abs]. Some also use Indonesian [ind].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 5%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. 2,500 read; 1,500 can write. Taught in primary schools, as a subject. Taught in secondary schools, as a subject. Poetry. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1996–2004.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Fordata
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Primary schools in nearly every village, secondary schools for every 3 or 4 villages. Christian.