Tocodede
Encyclopedia
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
, spoken by about 65,000 people in the district of Liquiçá
Liquiçá (district)
Liquiçá is one of the districts of East Timor. Its capital is also called Liquiçá.-Geography:Liquiçá District is situated on the northern coast of East Timor, and borders the districts of Dili to the east, Aileu to the Southeast, Ermera to the south, and Bobonaro to the southwest. To the...
, especially the subdistricts of Maubara
Maubara
Maubara is a village in East Timor and is a subdistrict of the district of Liquiçá, just west of the city of Liquiçá.During the beginning of the Portuguese occupation, it was taken by the Netherlands. There is a historic Dutch fort, located at the entrance to the village on the seaside overlooking...
and Liquiçá
Liquiçá
Liquiçá is a coastal city in East Timor, 32 km to the west of Dili, the national capital. Liquiçá is the capital of Liquiçá district...
along the Lois River. The number has declined in recent years. It is a Malayo-Polynesian language
Malayo-Polynesian languages
The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, with approximately 385.5 million speakers. These are widely dispersed throughout the island nations of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean, with a smaller number in continental Asia...
, in the Timor group.
The first significant text published in Tocodede was Peneer meselo laa Literatura kidia-laa Timór, translated by João Paulo T. Esperança, Fernanda Correia, and Cesaltina Campos from an article by João Paulo T. Esperança entitled "A Brief Look at the Literature of Timor". The Tocodede version was published in the literary supplement Várzea de Letras, published by the Department of Portuguese Language of the National University of Timor-Leste, in Dili
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
, in December 2005.