Ternate
PrintA language of Indonesia
ISO 639-3
Population
42,000 (Wurm and Hattori 1981).
Location
North Maluku Province. Ternate island. Kayoa islands on north end of Lapan bay; islands between Bacan and Kasiruta islands. Halmahera island; Damar, Yoronge islands off of southeasternmost point, some communities on western north coast.
Language Maps
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Dialects
Similar to Tidore [tvo].
Language Use
Former trade language, now shifting to North Moluccan Malay [max]; weaker in core area, stronger in periphery (2012 J. Bowden).
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%.
Language Resources
Muslim.