Sumba–Flores languages

Sumba–Flores
Bima–Sumba
Geographic distribution:	Lesser Sunda Islands (Indonesia)
Linguistic classification:	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian (MP) Nuclear MP (Central–Eastern) Sumba–Flores
Subdivisions:	? Bima Sumba–Manggarai
Glottolog:	bima1247  (Bima) flor1240  (Sumba–Manggarai)

The Sumba–Flores languages, approximately synonymous with Bima–Sumba, are a proposed group of Austronesian languages (geographically Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages) spoken on and around the islands of Sumbawa (eastern), Sumba, and western–central Flores in the Lesser Sundas. The main languages are Bima and Manggarai, which have half a million speakers apiece on the eastern half of Sumbawa Island and the western third of Flores, respectively, and Kambera, with a quarter million speakers on the eastern half of Sumba Island.

The Hawu language of Savu Island is suspected of having a non-Austronesian substratum, but perhaps not to any greater extent than the languages of central and eastern Flores, such as Sika, or indeed of Central Malayo-Polynesian languages in general.

Classification

Blust (2009) finds moderate support for linking Bimanese with Sumba–Manggarai.

• Bima (Bimanese)
• Sumba–Manggarai
  • Sumba languages (see)
  • Ende–Manggarai (western–central Flores)
    • Manggarai–Rembong: Komodo, Manggarai, Riung, Rembong, Rajong, Kepo', Wae Rana
    • Central Flores
      • Palu'e
      • Ngada–Lio
        • Ende–Lio: a dialect cluster of Ende, Li'o, Nage, Ke'o
        • Ngada: Ngad'a, Rongga, So'a (dialect cluster)