Yamdena (Yakw)

Yamdena is a member of the Central-Eastern branch of Malayo-Polynesian language family. It has about 25,000 speakers mainly on Yamdena and Selaru islands in the Tanimbar archipelago in Maluku Province in eastern Indonesia.

Yamdena is written with the Latin alphabet, and there appear to be several ways to spell it. The language is taught in some schools

Yamdena alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Yamdena (Excel)

Sample text

Nangin, nangin o, kawat, ene radu anaky, ne anaky lolone marumat i, ngarany Pit. Kawat ene ka dedesar ma nsurat anaky ne ma ka njake tenany nof site tabweri ma nlosir nir das a ne.

Translation

There was a big mouse with a baby, a small one, named the Pithi. The parent mouse always advised the Pithi to be careful of Meow, the young cat who lived near their homes.

Source: Pit ni anfai (Pithi The Cunning Mouse)

Sample videos

Information about Yamdena | Numbers

Links

Information about Yamdena
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamdena_language
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/jmd/
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/jmd
http://www.language-archives.org/language/jmd

Malayo-Polynesian languages

Alorese, Ambai, Ambel, Anuki, Balinese, Bambam, Banjarese, Batuley, Bengkulu, Biak, Bima, Bugis, Bushi, Chamorro, Duri, Fijian, Fordata, Gayo, Iban, Indonesian, Javanese, Kei, Kerinci, Komering, Lamaholot, Lampung, Ledo Kaili, Madurese, Makasarese, Malagasy, Malay, Mamasa, Mandar, Mandar, Mbula, Mentawai, Minangkabau, Mualang, Musi, Ngaju, Nias, Ogan, Palauan, Sasak, Selaru, Sumbawa, Sundanese, Toqabaqita, Toraja-Sa'dan, Ulumandaʼ, Urak Lawoi’, Wamesa, Yamdena

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 22.06.23. Last modified: 22.06.23

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