Yami

Facts

  • Language: Yami
  • Alternate names: Tao, Tawu, Botel Tabago, Botel Tobago, Lanyu
  • Language code: tao
  • Language family: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Batanic, Yami-Itbayat
  • Number of speakers: 3,384 (Language use
  • Vulnerability: Endangered [Read more...]
  • Script: Latin script

More information:

    Introduction

    The Yami language (雅美), also known as Tao (Chinese: 達悟語), is a Northern Philippine language spoken by the Tao people of Taiwan who live on Orchid Island. It is the only language of Taiwanese aborigines that does not fit in with the other Formosan languages but instead shares linguistic similarities with the Ivatan language spoken in the Batanes of northern Philippines.

    The verb

    Yami verbs can be classified into

    Dynamic verbs include:

    1. intransitive verbs with affixes such as -om-, mi-, ma-, maN-, maka-, and maci- , and
    2. transitive verbs with affixes such as -en, -an, and i- .

    Stative verbs include stative ma- , potential ma- , and involuntary ka-an verbs. Other derivational verb affixes include causative pa- , perfective ni-, and polysemous ka-.

    Tense and Aspect

    There are 3 moods in Yami

    1. Indicative
    2. Imperative
    3. Subjunctive

    Indicative has a neutral and perfective aspect.

    Verblist

    External Links