The Sigulai language (also called Sibigo, Sikule, Ageumeui, or Wali Banuah) is an Austronesian language spoken on Simeulue island off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. It belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian languages. Sikule is one of Northwest Sumatra–Barrier Islands languages, which are a sub-group of Western Malayo-Polynesian.Adelaar, 2005, p. 22.
Sikule is spoken in Salang, Alafan and Simeulue Barat district, on the northern of Simeulue island. It is apparently related to the Nias language. Ethnologue lists Lekon and Tapah as dialects.
Simeulue is spoken in the rest of Simeulue outside of Alafan, while Jamu (also called Kamano), related to Minangkabau, is spoken in the capital city of Sinabang.
Vocabulary Sigulai is most closely related to Nias language, spoken on the island of Nias. However, it also shares many vocabulary similarities with Simeulue, spoken on the same island. The following is vocabulary in Sigulai.
GlossSigulaiInterrogatives vocabularywhatati, ateiwhoate'ilawhytolawuhowatayyawherea'uéwhere toaumey'iwhere fromaufuluyihow muchgalofèwhengafaiPronouns vocabularyIyètuyouyège, yamiheifeitheyi'ilaweyaga, i'itaNumerals vocabularyoneambatwodumbathreetulufourefafivelimasixenesevenfitueightoluninesiwatenfuluVerbs vocabularygome'iwalkdeuleueatmangadrinkmanginusleepmele'sitdadau'standindô-indôrunkhumundungbathmondiliftbengkè'Times vocabularyyesterdaymènèfitomorrowfôngithe day after tomorrowmèlè fungilaninmorningsubuafternoonpastôeveninganiôfinightakhemiearliermènoalaterinu'tenowlali' ilaa momentakhajapformerlynafi'iAdverbs vocabularytopalawabottometeu, fa'aleuleftbilokrightgambelesidengayiheremandé'éthereuhan, mènènfrontkhaifenabehindkhaifulithismandéthatmènènBasics vocabularyinkhatomiy'ènwantbakhacandeyiveryfaga'a, kaliyese'enoukhai'don'tdeyya'formiyègewithafethere isualreadymolanot yetya'na'ejustama'withinkhaybakhanotténgaAdjectives vocabularymanyuguyafewatepéngalessdeahô' uguyamoreatuaenoughdeilaNouns vocabularyboardfafalobsterlakhua'betel nutelancoconutboniôvillagegampungricefieldnofi, belangislandulaulightninglôlôwateridane
Phonology The vowel and consonant phonemes of Sikule are shown in the tables below.Nothofer, 1986, p. 96
Sikule vowel phonemes Front Central BackClose Mid Open
+Sikule consonant phonemes Labial Alveolar Post-alveolar/Palatal Velar Glottal Nasal Plosive/Affricate voiceless () voiced Fricative Approximant median lateral Trill
See also Simeulue language
References
Sources Adelaar, Alexander, The Austronesian Languages of Asia and Madagascar: A Historical Perspective, The Austronesian Languages of Asia and Madagascar, pp. 1-42, Routledge Language Family Series, London, Routledge, 2005,
Nothofer, Bernd, The Barrier Island Languages in the Austronesian Language Family, Focal II: Papers From the Fourth International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics, pp. 87-109, Pacific Linguistics, Series C 94, Canberra, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University, 1986.