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The Language Distribution Map in Timor Leste
Languages in the Central Eastern Malayo-Polynesian subgroup of the Austonesian
language family are found primarily in the west of the country with Trans-New Guinea
languages occupying the majority of the east of the country.
The west of the country is primarily an area where languages from the Central Eastern
Malayo-Polynesian subgroup are found, with the exception of Bunak, a Trans-New Guinea
language which is found in the south-west. The east of the country, meanwhile, is mostly
a Trans-New Guinea language family area, apart from a few small areas where Central
Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages such as Makasae and Fataluku are used. Creole is
spoken in Dili, the capital city.

Graph 6: Language Transmission Scale in Timor Leste

0 International
12
1 National
10 2 Provincial
3 Widespread Communication
8 4 Education
6 5 Developing
6.a Strong
4 6.b Threatened
2 7 Shifting
8.a Dying
0 8.b Nearly Extinct
1 2 3 4 5 6a 6b 7 8a 8b 9 10 9 Fading
10 Extinct

Of the 20 listed languages of East Timor 19 are living languages. Two of these are
institutionalized, one is developing, ten are strong, five are in trouble, one is nearly extinct,
8b on the scale, Makuva [lva]. The extinct language is Timor Pidgin [tvy]. These are shown
in the graph (Lewis et al., 2015).

Indonesia
The official name of Indonesia is the Republic of Indonesia. Indonesia’s population is
252.200,000 (Badan Pusat Statistik, 2015). The literacy rate is 90%. Indonesia is an
archipelagic nation consisting of over 13,000 islands spread over three time zones from
Sumatra in the west to Papua on the island of New Guinea in the east. The national
language is Bahasa Indonesia but many indigenous regional languages are found across
the country.

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