Saparua

SPR

moribund

Dialects: Iha-Saparua, Iha-Seram, Kulur, Siri-Sori. Each village has its own dialect. Lexical similarity: 86%–89% among dialects; 82%–84% with Latu ,, 69% with Amahai ,, 67% with Kamarian ,, 68%–71% with Haruku ,, 65% with Kaibobo ,, 62%–66% with Tulehu ,, 49% with Luhu ,, 54% with Naka’ela ,.

Genealogy:

Austronesian
Malayo-Polynesian
Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian
Central Maluku
East
Seram
Nunusaku
Piru Bay
East
Seram Straits
Uliase
Hatuhaha
Saparua

Demographics: 10,200 (1989 SIL). 4,520 in Iha.

Language Use: Shifting to Ambon Malay [abs] (Wurm 2007).

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%.

Nation of Origin: Indonesia

Other Comments: Spoken by hundreds of Latu , people in Kairatu village. Muslim, Christian.