Alternate Names: Laki, Lolaki, Tokia, Tololaki, To’olaki
Dialects: Asera (Asera Wanua, Noie), Konawe (Kendari, Kioki, Tambuoki), Laiwui, Mekongga (Bingkokak, Kolaka, Konio, Norio, Tamboki), Wiwirano (Nohina). Lexical similarity: 88% with Asera, 84% with Konawe, 85% with Mekongga, 81% with Laiwui, 78% with Waru, 70% with Rahambuu and Kodeoha, 54% with the Mori and Bungku groups. Mekongga has 86% with Konawe, 80% with Laiwui.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 331,000 (2000 census). 298,000 Tolaki (Konawe), 33,000 Mekongga and 200 Wiwirano. Asera and Laiwui not separately listed, but less than 1,000.
Language Use: Vigorous in many villages. Some parents speak Indonesian [ind] to their children, and some children are not proficient in Tolaki. Used as L2 by Kodeoha [vko].
Language Development: Taught in primary and secondary schools. Radio programs. Dictionary. Bible portions: 2000.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Indonesia
Other Comments: Language names based on negative forms are no longer in use. Muslim.