Batak Karo language

Karo
Cakap Karo
Native to	Indonesia
Region	Karo Regency, North Sumatra
Native speakers	unknown (600,000 cited 1991)
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Nuclear MP Northwest Sumatran Karo
Writing system	Batak, Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	btx
Glottolog	bata1293

Karo, referred to in Indonesia as Bahasa Karo (Karo language), is an Austronesian language that is spoken by the Karo people of Indonesia. It is used by around 600,000 people in North Sumatra. It is mainly spoken in Karo Regency, southern parts of Deli Serdang Regency and northern parts of Dairi Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia. It was historically written using the Batak alphabet which is descended from the Brahmi script of ancient India by way of the Pallava and Old Kawi scripts, but nowadays only a tiny number of Karo can write or understand the script, and instead the Latin script is used.

Sample

Karo

Ope denga ijadiken Dibata doni enda Kata e enggo lit. Kata e ras Dibata, janah Kata e me Dibata

English Translation

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

References

http://www.language-museum.com/encyclopedia/b/batak-karo.htm http://www.omniglot.com/writing/batak.htm#karo

Bibliography

• KARO BATAK: PASSIVE, ERGATIVE OR NEITHER?
• ACTOR VOICE IN KARO BATAK
• Paradisec archive of recordings from a 2010 Field Methods class on Batak Karo.

External links

• Indonesian to Karonese Dictionary
• Batak Karo Christian Bible