Batak languages
Encyclopedia
The Batak languages are spoken by Batak
and Alas people of North Sumatra
, Indonesia
.
Historically they were written using Batak script but the Latin alphabet
is now used for most writing.
There are considered two main Batak language groups, Northern Batak and Southern Batak. Simalungun has been considered an intermediary, but more recent studied suggest that it is a part of the Southern Batak group. Within Northern Batak, a study noted 76% cognate words between Karo and Alas, 81% with Pakpak, and 80% with Simalungun, and 30% with Malay (Indonesian). Karo and Toba Batak are mutually unintelligible.
Mandailing and Angkola are considered a sub-branch of the Tobaic Batak languages and hence closer related to each other than to Toba itself. The geographical influences on the Batak languages can be seen in the map to the right; note that Lake Toba
separates the Karo from direct contact with the Toba.
The Palawan Batak language is Austronesian but not otherwise related.
Batak (Indonesia)
Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The term is used to include the Toba, Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Angkola and Mandailing, each of which are distinct but related groups with distinct, albeit related, languages and...
and Alas people of North Sumatra
North Sumatra
North Sumatra is a province of Indonesia on the Sumatra island. Its capital is Medan. It is the most populous Indonesian province outside of Java. It is slightly larger than Sri Lanka in area.- Geography and population :...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Historically they were written using Batak script but the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
is now used for most writing.
There are considered two main Batak language groups, Northern Batak and Southern Batak. Simalungun has been considered an intermediary, but more recent studied suggest that it is a part of the Southern Batak group. Within Northern Batak, a study noted 76% cognate words between Karo and Alas, 81% with Pakpak, and 80% with Simalungun, and 30% with Malay (Indonesian). Karo and Toba Batak are mutually unintelligible.
- Northern Batak: Pak-Pak Dairi, KaroBatak Karo languageBatak Karo, referred to in Indonesia simply as Bahasa Karo , is an Austronesian language that is spoken by the Karo people of Indonesia. It is used by around 600,000 people in North Sumatra...
, Alas - Southern Batak: Simalungun
- Southern Batak (Tobaic): Angkola, Batak TobaBatak Toba languageThe Batak Toba language is an Austronesian language spoken in North Sumatra province in Indonesia. It is part of a group of languages called "Batak".There are approximately 2,000,000 Batak Toba speakers, living west of Lake Toba...
, Batak Mandailing
Mandailing and Angkola are considered a sub-branch of the Tobaic Batak languages and hence closer related to each other than to Toba itself. The geographical influences on the Batak languages can be seen in the map to the right; note that Lake Toba
Lake Toba
Lake Toba is a lake and supervolcano. The lake is 100 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide, and 505 metres at its deepest point. Located in the middle of the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra with a surface elevation of about , the lake stretches from to...
separates the Karo from direct contact with the Toba.
The Palawan Batak language is Austronesian but not otherwise related.