Subgroup of the Austronesian language family
The Sumba–Hawu languages are a group of closely related Austronesian languages, spoken in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
The most widely spoken Sumba–Hawu language is Kambera, with a quarter million speakers on the eastern half of Sumba Island.
The Hawu language of Savu Island is suspected of having a non-Austronesian substratum, but perhaps not to a greater extent that other languages of central and eastern Flores, such as Sika, or indeed of Central Malayo-Polynesian in general.
Classification
The Sumba–Hawu languages are all closely related. Blust (2008) found convincing evidence for linking Kambera (representing the Sumba languages) with Hawu.
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- * indicates proposed status
- ? indicates classification dispute
- † indicates extinct status
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- * indicates proposed status
- ? indicates classification dispute
- † indicates extinct status
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