| Salawati | |
|---|---|
| Maden | |
| Native to | Indonesia |
| Region | Bird's Head Peninsula |
Native speakers | (600 cited 2001) |
Austronesian
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | xmx |
| Glottolog | made1253 |
  Location within Western New Guinea  Location within Maluku | |
| Coordinates: 1°07′S 130°52′E / 1.12°S 130.87°E | |
Salawati is an Austronesian language spoken on Salawati Island, in the Raja Ampat Islands in Indonesian New Guinea. There is some uncertainty as to whether the dialects comprise a single language or two separate ones (divided geographically between the west and east sides of the island).: 29
Salawati is a vulnerable-to-endangered language (6b-7 on the EGIDS scale), with younger community members having only a passive command of the language. Anecdotal reports suggest that younger speakers may be learning the language in some Tepin-dialect villages, but these reports are unconfirmed.: 27–28
Like its related languages of the Raja Ampat Islands, Salawati has approximately 15 consonants and 5-6 vowels and lexical tone. It is mainly head-initial in noun phrases, and primarily uses prepositions over postpositions.: 28, 30
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