Biga language explained

Biga
States:Indonesia
Region:Misool Island
Speakers:300
Date:2001
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Austronesian
Fam2:Malayo-Polynesian
Fam3:Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian
Fam4:Eastern Malayo-Polynesian
Fam5:South Halmahera–West New Guinea
Fam6:Raja Ampat–South Halmahera
Fam7:Raja Ampat
Fam8:Nuclear Raja Ampat
Fam9:Ma'ya–Salawati
Fam10:Ma'ya
Iso3:bhc
Glotto:biga1238
Glottorefname:Biga
Coordinates:-2°N 130.27°W
Pushpin Map:Indonesia Western New Guinea
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Misool Island, Biga is spoken in the southern part of this island.

Biga is a heavily Papuan-influenced Austronesian language spoken in Southwest Papua, Indonesia in the south of the island of Misool. It is the predominant spoken language in the single village of Biga in Misool Timur Selatan District.[1]

Its status is slightly less precarious than other Raja Ampat–South Halmahera languages, as children of the village still learn the Biga language. However, its use by the younger generation is limited to speech to elders, and Papuan Malay dominates child-to-child speech.[2]

Laura Arnold classifies Biga as a divergent dialect of the Ma'ya language.[3]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Ronsumbre, Adolof . 2020 . Ensiklopedia Suku Bangsa di Provinsi Papua Barat . Yogyakarta . Penerbit Kepel Press . 978-602-356-318-0.
  2. Arnold . Laura . 2020-07-31 . Four undocumented languages of Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia . Language Documentation and Description . en-US . 17 . 10.25894/ldd95 . 2756-1224.
  3. Arnold, Laura (2025). The Diachrony of Word Prosody in the Maˈya-Salawati Languages of Raja Ampat. Oceanic Linguistics: University of Hawai'i Press.