Mentawai (Behase Mentawei)

Mentawai is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by about 58,000 people in the Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra province of Indonesia, particularly in the districts of North Siberut, South Siberut, Sipora and South Pagai.

Mentawai is also known as Mentawei or Mentawi. It is closely related to Batak and Minangkabau. There are three main dialects: North Siberut, South Siberut and Sipora Pagai. The Sipora Pagai dialect is the most widely spoken and is considered the standard dialect.

Latin alphabet for Mentawai

Download an alphabet chart for Mentawai (Excel)

Sample text

Kuanangan minca Yesus, "Ai sara sirimanua rua togania simanteu. Kuanangan sisule ka matat ukkuinia. 'Ukkui, ake kaku bibilet siripot ikepmakenenku.' la geti parubeinangan sia ukkuinia bibilet ka ruada togania.

Translation

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

Sample video

Information about Mentawai | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Mentawai
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentawai_language
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentawaï_(langue)
https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahasa_Mentawai
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mwv
http://repositori.kemdikbud.go.id/2523/1/Fonologi%20Bahasa%20Mentawai%20%20%20%20%20%20175.pdf
https://brill.com/view/journals/bki/84/1/article-p1_1.xml?ebody=pdf-46507

Malayo-Polynesian languages

Alorese, Ambai, Ambel, Anuki, Baduy, Balinese, Batuley, Bawean, Bawm, Biak, Bima, Chamorro, Enggano, Fijian, Fordata, Gayo, Iban, Javanese, Kedang, Kei, Kenyah, Komering, Lamaholot, Lampung, Madurese, Mbula, Mentawai, Mualang, Musi, Ngaju, Nias, Nuaulu, Ogan, Palauan, Sasak, Sawai, Selaru, Sumbawa, Sundanese, Toqabaqita, Wakasihu, Wamesa, Wooi, Yamdena

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 22.09.21. Last modified: 06.01.25

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