Tombulu
Minahasa
Native toIndonesia
Regionnorthern Sulawesi
Native speakers
(60,000 cited 1981)[1]
Latin
Malesung (historical)
Language codes
ISO 639-3tom
Glottologtomb1243

Tombulu, also known as Minahasan language, is an Austronesian language of northern Sulawesi in Indonesia. It is a Minahasan language, a sub-group of the Philippine languages.

It is a local language of the Minahasa people spoken in the city of Tomohon and in the villages under the Kota Tomohon administration such as Rurukan, Pinaras, Kumelembuai, Woloan, and Tara-Tara. It is also spoken in the villages under the administration of the Minahasa Regency in the Tombulu district, Tombariri district, Pineleng district, and two villages in the Sonder district, namely Rambunan and Sawangan.

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Post-alv./
Palatal
Velar Glottal
Plosive/
Affricate
voiceless p t k ʔ
voiced b d ɡ
Nasal m n ŋ
Fricative voiceless s h
voiced z
Lateral l ʎ
Trill r
Approximant w j

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i u
Mid e ə o
Open a

[2][3]

Vocabulary

The Tombulu language is unique among the Minahasan languages in its pronunciation of the letter l. In the other four Minahasan languages the letter l is pronounced as is, but in Tombulu it is pronounced like the th of the English language.

For example: kulo, meaning 'white', would be pronounced as kutho.

EnglishTombulu
OneEsa
TwoZua
ThreeTellu
FourEpat
FiveLima
SixEnem
SevenPitu
EightWallu
NineSiou
TenMapulu
ElevenMapulu wo Esa
TwelveMapulu wo Zua
TwentyZua nga pulu
Twenty-oneZua nga pulu wo Esa
YesEne
NoZei'kan
NorthAmian
SouthTimu
WestTalikuran
EastSendangan
HandLengan
HeadUlu
EarLunteng
EyeWeweren
StomachPo'ot
FeetA'e
GrandmaNene
GrandfatherTete
MomIna
DadAma
MeNiaku
YouNiko
WeKai
TheySera
Him, herSia
FriendKaria
BeautifulFasung
FemaleWewene
MaleTuama
KidsK'oki
Female teacherEnci
Male teacherEngku
BadLewo
GoodLe'os
WaterZano
ShowerLemele
DrinkMelep
SchoolSumikolah
Can I have some?Wehane toyo?
GiveWehape
HungryMa'arem
Full (Kenyang)Wesu
EatKuman
BreakfastSumokol
FishSeza
Good morningSyambae
Good dayTabea
WhenSawisa
WhereWisa
WhoSei
GoMange
StopMento
Sit downRumemez
StandRumendai
WalkLampang
WalkingLumampang
Let's goMeimo
Until thenTeintu mo
BecausePah'paan
ButTa'an
OrKa'pa
Verytotoz
YesterdayKawi'i
TodayN'endo
TonightWengindo mokan
TomorrowSando
Face (Menghadap)Sumaru
SleepTekel
SleepingTumekel
RiseSumaup
AscendSumosor
DescendMeros
LeftKawi-i
RightKakan
GodOpo
Holy SpiritAseng Lengas

Phrases & examples

EnglishTombulu
How are you?Kura-mo?
What's your name?Sei sia ngaranu?
Where are you going?Mange wisako?
What are you doing?Ma'kura'ko?
Where are you from?Wisako ameye?
Who is he/she?Sei sia?
See you tomorrowSando mokan
How much?Pira?
Can I have some?Wehane toyo?
Thank youMakase mo
I love youKo'rara ateku
God of The HighestOpo Wananatas
God AlmightyOpo Wailan Wangko

Status

The Tombulu language is in critical need of revitalization. It is not being spoken as a first language in highly populated areas such as Tomohon, Pineleng, and Tanawangko. Traditionally Tombulu-speaking villages such as Woloan, Tara-Tara, Lolah, and Lemoh are not so today. The Board of Education of the Indonesian government has not offered any help either to the Tombulu language or any other local languages that are in decline. It is responsible for the removal of the Muatan Lokal from the daily curriculum of all grade schools across the nation in the past few years. Muatan Lokal, if available, is a daily class which most provinces in Indonesia use to teach the new generations the local languages.

Tombulu is still spoken in villages such as Kayawu, Rurukan, Kumelembuai, Pinaras, Suluan, Kembes, Tombuluan, Rumengkor, Kali, Tondangow, Sawangan, and Rambunan all the way to the children. Once every month, it is used in sermons in local churches.

At the beginning of 2013, an Indonesian-Tombulu dictionary was first released. A New Testament version of the Bible in Tombulu language was released in November 2018.[4]

References

  1. Tombulu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Sahulata, D. (1993). Struktur bahasa Tombulu. Jakarta: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan.
  3. Makalew-Palar, J.A.; Kembuan, L.D.; Terak, R. (1994). Fonologi Bahasa Tombulu. Jakarta: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan.
  4. "Penyusunan Alkitab Bahasa Tombulu Butuh 17 Tahun". ManadoPostonline.com (in Indonesian). 30 November 2018.
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