Buru

Introduction

Buru is a language of Indonesia. It is spoken in Maluku Province, all of Buru island, except northeast corner, 70 villages. Some on Ambon island, in Jakarta. Also in Netherlands.

Dialects

Central Buru (Rana, Wae Geren, Wae Kabo), Fogi (Li Emteban, Tomahu), Masarete (South Buru), Wae Sama (Waesama). Li Garan is a special taboo dialect spoken by the Rana people (3,000 to 5,000 users). Ethnic population Fogi dialect: 500, but no remaining speakers. Lexical similarity: 90% between Masarete and Wae Sama dialects, 88% between Masarete and Rana, 80% between Wae Sama and Rana, 68% between Lisela (See: Lisela?) and Masarete, 48% between Leliali dialect of Kayeli (See: Kayeli?) and Masarete, 45% between Kayeli (See: Kayeli?) and Masarete, 44% between Ambelau (See: Ambelau?) and Masarete, 27%–33% between Buru dialects and Sula (See: Sula?).

The Buru Verb

Verblist

• aŋak, bafak, kita, touk -- to see
• bage boana -- to lie down
• bage -- to sleep
• bate, em tako, posboti -- to fear
• dobo -- to swell
• doso, hisak, mupu, mupuk, napu, opi, soso -- to suck
• eprepa -- to say
• ethufa, stuha -- to spit
• eʔhanuk, odo -- to think
• eʔmasa -- to cook
• eʔmata -- to kill
• fage -- to throw
• faka, fola -- to split
• fgogi -- to scratch
• fuka -- to open, uncover
• gau, pese -- to hold
• hack -- to count
• hada -- to bite
• hapu -- to tie up, fasten
• hesa ahen, mahek -- to breathe
• hiwi, naŋo, uka -- to swim
• iko -- to walk
• inu -- to drink
• irohi, pahagaʔ -- to hunt
• ka -- to eat
• kadak, suba -- to come
• kali -- to dig
• keha -- to climb
• kerek -- to stand
• labak, loi, sobak -- to fly
• lata, tete -- to cut, hack
• luba, paha -- to hit
• m|aek, mumuk -- to sniff, smell
• m|nipi -- to dream
• mali -- to laugh
• -mano -- to flow
• mata -- to die, be dead
• mawa -- to yawn
• mewe -- to live, be alive
• moho -- to fall
• muta -- to vomit
• opi -- to blow
• p|reŋe, čan -- to hear
• pana -- to shoot
• pefa -- to burn
• pifroni -- to hide
• pili -- to choose
• ptea -- to sit
• pulik -- to turn
• puma -- to work
• safe -- to buy
• sau -- to sew
• seka -- to plant
• seka -- to stab, pierce
• skapi -- to squeeze
• suri -- to grow
• tal|mamak -- to chew
• taŋi -- to cry
• tewa -- to know, be knowledgeable
• toto -- to pound, beat
• ʔmaka -- to steal