Makasae language

Makasae
Native toEast Timor
RegionTimor Island, eastern end around Baucau and inland, west of Fataluku, from northern to southern coast in a dialect chain.
Native speakers
102,000 (2010 census)[1]
Dialects
  • Sa'ane
Official status
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-3mkz
Glottologmaka1316
Distribution of Makasae mother-tongue speakers in East Timor
Distribution of Makalero

Distribution of Sa'ane
Coordinates: 8°39′S 126°30′E / 8.650°S 126.500°E / -8.650; 126.500

Makasae (also known as Makassai, Macassai, Ma'asae, Makasai) is a Papuan language spoken by about 100,000 people in the eastern part of East Timor, in the districts of Baucau and Viqueque, just to the west of Fataluku. It is the most widely spoken Papuan language west of New Guinea.

  1. ^ Makasae at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)