“Matua”, several reduplications … I think it’s Austronesian, specifically one of the Formosan languages of Taiwan.
I thought that “Matua” is one form of the word “God” in the Polynesian languages so I think it’s from there.
I agree with Hank, and the language is Nias, Malay-Polynesian, and it’s spoken in Sumatra.
In most Polynesian languages maatua means mother or parent, not god (that would be atua). But matua (with a short /a/) could occur in many other Austronesian languages as well, perhaps with a different meaning. The language in the recording doesn’t feature a typical Polynesian vowel system. Of course it could be Nias – I haven’t checked – which is, however, not Polynesian.
I just checked, David is right. Good job David!
Emanuel is right in the sense that Nias isn’t Polynesian, since this language is Malay in this group Malay – Polynesian.
Yes, nevertheless, well done David – as usual!
David is right – the language is Nias (Li Niha), a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken on Nias Island and the Batu Islands off the west coast of Sumartra in Indonesia.
“Matua”, several reduplications … I think it’s Austronesian, specifically one of the Formosan languages of Taiwan.
I thought that “Matua” is one form of the word “God” in the Polynesian languages so I think it’s from there.
I agree with Hank, and the language is Nias, Malay-Polynesian, and it’s spoken in Sumatra.
In most Polynesian languages maatua means mother or parent, not god (that would be atua). But matua (with a short /a/) could occur in many other Austronesian languages as well, perhaps with a different meaning. The language in the recording doesn’t feature a typical Polynesian vowel system. Of course it could be Nias – I haven’t checked – which is, however, not Polynesian.
I just checked, David is right. Good job David!
Emanuel is right in the sense that Nias isn’t Polynesian, since this language is Malay in this group Malay – Polynesian.
Yes, nevertheless, well done David – as usual!
David is right – the language is Nias (Li Niha), a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken on Nias Island and the Batu Islands off the west coast of Sumartra in Indonesia.
The recording comes from YouTube