Bunak language
| Bunak | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Indonesia, East Timor |
| Region | central Timor |
| Ethnicity | Bunak |
Native speakers | 76,000 (2010) |
| Official status | |
Recognised minority language in | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | bfn |
| Glottolog | buna1278 |
| ELP | Bunak |
Distribution of Bunak in East Timor (West Timor not shown) | |
The Bunak language (also known as Bunaq, Buna', Bunake, pronounced [bunaʔ]) is the language of the Bunak people of the mountainous region of central Timor, split between the political boundary between West Timor, Indonesia, particularly in Lamaknen District and East Timor. It is one of the few on Timor which is not an Austronesian language, but rather a Papuan language of the Timor–Alor–Pantar language family. The language is surrounded by Malayo-Polynesian languages, like Uab Meto and Tetum.
Bunak distinguishes between animate and inanimate noun classes.