Uab Meto
Atoni
Austronesian (Central Malayo-Polynesian, Timor-Babar)
Atoni (Uab Meto, "people's language") is a Central Malayo-Polynesian language of West Timor in Indonesia, the largest indigenous language of the Indonesian Timor region (East Nusa Tenggara province). Closely related to Tetum (tet) of Timor-Leste; the two together represent the major Austronesian languages of the Timor island. The Atoni people retain a distinctive cultural identity with elaborate traditional house architecture (lopo conical houses) and a matrilineal kinship system.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Atoni
Water
oe
/oe/
Fire
ai
/ai/
Sun
manas
/manas/
Moon
fun
/fun/
Mother
ainat
/ainat/
Father
amat
/amat/
Eat
ah
/ah/
Drink
ninu
/ninu/
Love
nekat
/nekat/
Heart
nesa
/nesa/
Tree
hau
/hau/
House
ume
/ume/
Dog
asu
/asu/
Cat
mose
/mose/
Hand
ʼniman
/ʔniman/
Eye
matan
/matan/
Hello
neut
/neut/
Thank you
neno biluk
/neno biluk/
One
mese
/mese/
Good
malaek
/malaek/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Central Malayo-Polynesian, Timor-Babar) languages
| Meaning | Atoni | Tetum | Mandar | Toraja-Sa'dan | Hiri Motu | Motu | Bunun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | oe /oe/ | bee /beː/ | uai /uai/ | uai /uai/ | ranu /ɾanu/ | ranu /ɾanu/ | danum /danum/ |
| Fire | ai /ai/ | ahi /ahi/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | lahi /lahi/ | lahi /lahi/ | sapuz /sapuz/ |
| Sun | manas /manas/ | loron /loɾon/ | mata allo /mata alːo/ | mata allo /mataʔalːo/ | dina /dina/ | dina /dina/ | vali /vali/ |
| Moon | fun /fun/ | fulan /fulan/ | bulang /bulaŋ/ | bulan /bulan/ | hua /hua/ | hua /hua/ | buan /buan/ |
| Mother | ainat /ainat/ | inan /inan/ | indo /indo/ | indo /indo/ | sina /sina/ | sinana /sinana/ | tina /tina/ |
| Father | amat /amat/ | aman /aman/ | ama /ama/ | ambe /ambe/ | tama /tama/ | tamana /tamana/ | tama /tama/ |
| Eat | ah /ah/ | han /han/ | ma'ande /maʔande/ | kumande /kumande/ | ania /ania/ | aniani /aniani/ | maun /maun/ |
| Drink | ninu /ninu/ | hemu /hemu/ | minung /minuŋ/ | ma'iru /maʔiru/ | inua /inua/ | inuinu /inuinu/ | muqun /muqun/ |
| Love | nekat /nekat/ | domin /domin/ | mappinawa /mapːinawa/ | ma'pa'iya /maʔpaʔija/ | lalokau /lalokau/ | lalokau /lalokau/ | madaidaz /madaidaz/ |
| Heart | nesa /nesa/ | fuan /fuan/ | ate /ate/ | penaa /penaː/ | kudouna /kudouna/ | kudouna /kudouna/ | is-ang /isaŋ/ |
| Tree | hau /hau/ | ai /ai/ | kaju /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | kahu /kahu/ |
| House | ume /ume/ | uma /uma/ | boyang /bojaŋ/ | banua /banua/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | lumaq /lumaq/ |
| Dog | asu /asu/ | asu /asu/ | asu /asu/ | asu /asu/ | sisia /sisia/ | sisia /sisia/ | asu /asu/ |
| Cat | mose /mose/ | busa /busa/ | mio /mio/ | serre /serːe/ | pusi /pusi/ | gosi /ɡosi/ | ngingiyaw /ŋiŋijaw/ |
| Hand | ʼniman /ʔniman/ | liman /liman/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | imana /imana/ | imana /imana/ | ima /ima/ |
| Eye | matan /matan/ | matan /matan/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | matana /matana/ | matana /matana/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | neut /neut/ | bondia /bondia/ | salama' ma'ondong /salamaʔ maʔondoŋ/ | tabe /tabe/ | namona /namona/ | namo gida /namo ɡida/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ |
| Thank you | neno biluk /neno biluk/ | obrigadu /obɾiɡadu/ | kuru' sumanga' /kuɾuʔ sumaŋaʔ/ | kurre sumanga' /kurːe sumaŋaʔ/ | tanikiu /tanikiu/ | oi namo /oi namo/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ |
| One | mese /mese/ | ida /ida/ | mesa /mesa/ | mesa /mesa/ | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | tasa /tasa/ |
| Good | malaek /malaek/ | di'ak /diʔak/ | macoa /matʃoa/ | melo /melo/ | namo /namo/ | namo /namo/ | masial /masial/ |
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