The Central Maluku languages are a proposed subgroup of the Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family which comprises around fifty languages spoken principally on the

Seram Seram (formerly spelled Ceram; also Seran or Serang) is the largest and main island of Maluku province of Indonesia, despite Ambon Island's historical importance. It is located just north of the smaller Ambon Island and a few other adjacent is ...

Buru Buru (formerly spelled Boeroe, Boro, or Bouru) is the third largest island within the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. It lies between the Banda Sea to the south and Seram Sea to the north, west of Ambon and Seram islands. The island belongs to ...

Ambon Ambon may refer to: Places * Ambon Island, an island in Indonesia ** Ambon, Maluku, a city on Ambon Island, the capital of Maluku province ** Governorate of Ambon, a colony of the Dutch East India Company from 1605 to 1796 * Ambon, Morbihan, a co ...

, Kei, and the

Sula Islands The Sula Islands Regency ( id, Kabupaten Kepulauan Sula) is one of the regencies in North Maluku province of Indonesia. It covers a land area of 3,338.67 km2 and consists of two of the three large islands comprising the Sula Archipelago, together w ...

. None of the languages have as many as fifty thousand speakers, and several are extinct.

Classification

The traditional components of Central Maluku are the

Sula Sula may refer to: Places Norway * Sula (island), an island in Sula municipality, Møre og Romsdal county * Sula, Møre og Romsdal, a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county * Sula, Solund, an island in Solund municipality, Vestland county * Y ...

, and

East Central Maluku languages The Central Maluku languages are a proposed subgroup of the Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family which comprises around fifty languages spoken principally on the Seram, Buru, Ambon, Kei, and the Sula I ...

, plus the Ambelau isolate.

Collins (1983)

The following classification of the Central Maluku languages below is from

Collins Collins may refer to: People Surname Given name * Collins O. Bright (1917–?), Sierra Leonean diplomat * Collins Chabane (1960–2015), South African Minister of Public Service and Administration * Collins Cheboi (born 1987), Kenyan middl ...

(1983:20, 22) and (1986).Collins, J.T. (1986)
"Eastern Seram: a subgrouping argument".
In Geraghty, P., Carrington, L. and Wurm, S.A. eds, ''FOCAL II: Papers from the Fourth International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics.'' C-94:123-146. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University. *West Central Maluku ** Ambelau ** Buru–Sula–Taliabo ***Buru:

, Lisela, Palumata (extinct), Moksela (extinct) ***Sula:

Mangole Mangoli or Mangole (Xulla Mangola - earlier name.) is a large island in the Sula Islands, which are part of North Maluku province in Indonesia. It is located at , east of Taliabu Island and north of Sanana Island. It has an area of 2,142.48 km2 ...

*** Taliabo (Kadai, Padang/Samala, Mananga, Mangei/Soboyo) *East Central Maluku (around

and

Aru Aru or ARU may refer to: Education * Alpha Rho Upsilon, a defunct fraternity in the United States * Anglia Ruskin University, a university in England * Ardhi University, a Tanzanian public university Places * Aru Islands Regency, a group of isl ...

) **Banda–Geser ***

Banda Banda may refer to: People *Banda (surname) *Banda Prakash (born 1954), Indian politician *Banda Kanakalingeshwara Rao (1907–1968), Indian actor *Banda Karthika Reddy (born 1977), Indian politician *Banda Singh Bahadur (1670–1716), Sikh warr ...

***Geser: Bati, Geser, Watubela **East Seram *** Bobot– Masiwang ***Setic: Hoti, Benggoi, Salas, Liana-Seti ** Nunusaku ***'' Kayeli'' ***Patakai–Manusela ****

Nuaulu The Nuaulu, Naulu or Nunuhai are a tribe located in Seram, Maluku, Indonesia. Description The tribe name 'Nuaulu' means head atersof the Nua River, which is the ancestral homeland of the Nuaulu people. In the late 19th century or early 20th cen ...

**** Huaulu, Manusela ***Three Rivers **** Wemale ****Amalumute ***** Yalahatan *****Northwest Seram: Hulung, Saleman, Loun, Ulat Inai ( Alune, Naka'ela), Lisabata-Nuniali *** Piru Bay languages (20 languages)

References

{{Languages of Indonesia Central Malayo-Polynesian languages C