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.^[4] 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.^[5]

Sikule is spoken in Salang, Alafan and Simeulue Barat district, on the northern of Simeulue island. It is apparently related to the Nias language.^[6] Ethnologue lists Lekon and Tapah as dialects.^[3]

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.^[7]

Phonology

The vowel and consonant phonemes of Sikule are shown in the tables below.^[8]

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, ISBN 0-7007-1286-0
• Aziz, Z.; Amery, R. (2016). "A survey of the status of the local languages of Pulau Simeulue and Pulau Banyak and their use within the community". http://eeic.unsyiah.ac.id/proceedings/index.php/eeic/article/view/95. Syiah Kuala University. {{cite journal}}: External link in |journal= (help)
• Candrasari, Ratri; Harinawati; Fasya, Teuku Kemal (2022-03-24). "Sigulai: One of Minority Language in Simeulue Island". Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Social Science, Political Science, and Humanities (ICoSPOLHUM 2021). Vol. 648. Atlantis Press. pp. 6–9. doi:10.2991/assehr.k.220302.002. ISBN 978-94-6239-552-7.
• 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.