Atayal

Atayal is a member of the Formosan group of Austronesian languages. It is spoken in central and northern Taiwan along the Hsuehshan mountains by about 84,000 people. There are two main dialects: Squliq and C'uli' (Ts'ole). The language is also known as Tayal, Tyal, Taiyal, Ataiyal, Attayal, Taijyal, Bonotsek, Shabogala, Takonaans, or Tangao Yukaans, and it is 泰雅語 (tàiyăyŭ) in Chinese.

Atayal is written with the Latin alphabet and parts of the Bible have been translated into this language. There is also an Atayal-English dictionary and some Atayal grammar books.

In 1990 a number of schools in Wulai in Taipei County, where the majority of pupils are Atayal, started teaching the Ayatal language in extracurricular lessons.

Atayal alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Atayal (Excel)

Sample text

Smoya' saku' musa' pqwasan biru'. Musa' saku' mqbaq matas biru', mqbaq biru', mqwas qwas ru mzyugi'. Mqas saku krryax. Blaq balay ktan qu pintasan maku'. Baq saku' balay biru' uzi. Soyan saku' nya' sinsi maku'. Maki' ngasal ga, soyan mung na yaba', yaya', qbsuyan mlikuy, sswe' kneril, qu qwas maku' ru mita' zyugi' maku'.

Translation

I like to go to school and learn to draw, read, sing and dance. I am very happy every day. The picture I drew was very beautiful. I also read books very much, and the teacher likes me very much. At home, my father, mother, brother, and sister all like to listen to me singing and watching me dance.

Sample text provided by Michael Peter Füstumum. Source: 賽考利克泰雅語

Sample videos in Atayal

Information about Atayal | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about the Atayal language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atayal_language
http://language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/language.php?id=256

Formosan languages

Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Kanakanavu, Kavalan, Paiwan, Pazeh, Puyuma, Rukai, Saaroa, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Seediq, Tsou

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 29.06.23

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