Makassarese language

Makassarese (/məˌkæsəˈriːz/ mə-KASS-ər-EEZ; Basa Mangkasaraʼ, Lontara script: ᨅᨔ ᨆᨀᨔᨑ, Makasar script: 𑻤𑻰𑻥𑻠𑻰𑻭, Serang script: بَاسَ مَڠْكَاسَرَءْ, pronounced [ɓasa mãŋˈkʰasaraʔ]), sometimes called Makasar, Makassar, Macassar, or Macassan (Australian English) is a language of the Makassarese people, spoken in South Sulawesi province of Indonesia. It is a member of the South Sulawesi group of the Austronesian language family, and thus closely related to, among others, Buginese, also known as Bugis. The areas where Makassarese is spoken include the Gowa, Sinjai, Maros, Takalar, Jeneponto, Bantaeng, Pangkajene and Islands, Bulukumba, and Selayar Islands Regencies, and Makassar. Within the Austronesian language family, Makassarese is part of the South Sulawesi language group, although its vocabulary is considered divergent compared to its closest relatives. In 2000, Makassarese had approximately 2.1 million native speakers.