Jakarta - The National Language Center has since the 1970s researched and documented a total of 746 different languages across Indonesia, a spokesman said.
The number represents 12 percent of the number of languages existing in the world, Dendy Sugono, head of the center at the National Education Ministry, said here Thursday.
"The data on Indonesia`s languages is increasing. When the center began its research in the 1970s, it found 250 languages across the country. After the next research effort the number had risen to 400, and now we know there are 746 languages spoken by many tribes in different regions," Sugono said.
He said the center would continue its efforts to find, research and document existing languages in the country and was expecting to finish its work in the next five years.
"Language research cannot be left to laymen. It has to be done under strict control since this is an applied research. Before conluding we have found a language variant, we must know the number of people who speak it, the extent of their familiarity with the language, and the width of the area where the language is used," he said.
He said one of the factors which was slowing down the research was Indonesia`s geographical conditions.
"Some of our staffers must climb mountains, cross rivers, and then walk to reach target areas. Papua, Maluku, and East Nusa Tenggara are among the regions where researchers face the toughest challenges," he said.
The center would document 420 of the researched languages by including them in a language map. The map would be shown to the public at a Language Congress to be held on Oct 28, 2008 in Jakarta.
Source: http://www.antaranews.com (October 24, 2008)
