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.
Phonology
The data in this section are from Huber (2017).
Consonants
Native consonant phonemes are shown in the chart below for the Ossu dialect. Borrowed consonants are enclosed in parentheses. +Consonant phonemes Labial Alveolar Velar Glottal Plosive Fricative Nasal Lateral Trill
Vowels
Monophthongs Makasae has five vowel phonemes.
+Monophthong phonemes Front Central Back Close () () Mid () () Open ()
References
Further reading Huber, Juliette (2008). First steps towards a grammar of Makasae: a language of East Timor. LINCOM
External links Makasai at The Language Archive