Naueti language
| Naueti | |
|---|---|
| Region | Southeast East Timor |
Native speakers | 16,500 (2015) 4,300 L2 speakers (2015 census) |
Austronesian
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | nxa |
| Glottolog | naue1237 |
| ELP | Nauete |
Distribution of Nauete mother-tongue speakers in East Timor | |
Naueti (also written as Nauoti, Nauete and Nauweti but ultimately from Naueti nau eti 'now') is an Austronesian language spoken by 15,045 (census 2010) in the subdistricts of Uato-Lari, Uatucarbau and Baguia in southeastern East Timor. 1,062 Naueti are living in Baguia.
It is closely related to Waima'a, Kairui and Midiki, three other Austronesian languages spoken on Timor. The Australian linguist Geoffrey Hull coined the acronym Kawaimina to refer to them as a dialect continuum but it is preferable to understand them as separate languages. The Dutch linguist Aone Van Engelenhoven applies the label Eastern Extra-Ramelaic languages.