Sigulai language
The Sigulai language is an Austronesian language spoken on Simeulue island off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. It belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian languages. Sikule is one of Northwest Sumatra–Barrier Islands languages, which are a sub-group of Malayo-Polynesian languages|Western Malayo-Polynesian].
Sikule is spoken in Salang, Alafan and Simeulue Barat district, on the northern of Simeulue island. It is apparently related to the Nias language. Ethnologue lists Lekon and Tapah as dialects.
Simeulue is spoken in the rest of Simeulue outside of Alafan, while Jamu, related to Minangkabau, is spoken in the capital city of Sinabang.
Vocabulary
Sigulai is most closely related to Nias language, spoken on the island of Nias. However, it also shares many vocabulary similarities with Simeulue, spoken on the same island. The following is vocabulary in Sigulai.| Gloss | Sigulai |
| Interrogatives vocabulary | - |
| what | ati, atei |
| who | ate'ila |
| why | tolawu |
| how | atayya |
| where | a'ué |
| where to | aumey'i |
| where from | aufuluyi |
| how much | galofè |
| when | gafai |
| Pronouns vocabulary | - |
| I | yètu |
| you | yège, yami |
| he | ifei |
| they | i'ila |
| we | yaga, i'ita |
| Numerals vocabulary | - |
| one | amba |
| two | dumba |
| three | tulu |
| four | efa |
| five | lima |
| six | ene |
| seven | fitu |
| eight | olu |
| nine | siwa |
| ten | fulu |
| Verbs vocabulary | - |
| go | me'i |
| walk | deuleu |
| eat | manga |
| drink | manginu |
| sleep | mele |
| sit | dadau |
| stand | indô-indô |
| run | khumundung |
| bath | mondi |
| lift | bengkè |
| Times vocabulary | - |
| yesterday | mènèfi |
| tomorrow | fôngi |
| the day after tomorrow | mèlè fungilanin |
| morning | subu |
| afternoon | pastô |
| evening | aniôfi |
| night | akhemi |
| earlier | mènoa |
| later | inu'te |
| now | lali' ila |
| a moment | akhajap |
| formerly | nafi'i |
| Adverbs vocabulary | - |
| top | alawa |
| bottom | eteu, fa'aleu |
| left | bilok |
| right | gambele |
| side | ngayi |
| here | mandé'é |
| there | uhan, mènèn |
| front | khaifena |
| behind | khaifuli |
| this | mandé |
| that | mènèn |
| Basics vocabulary | - |
| in | kha |
| to | miy'èn |
| want | bakha |
| can | deyi |
| very | faga'a, kali |
| yes | e'e |
| no | ukhai |
| don't | deyya |
| for | miyège |
| with | afe |
| there is | u |
| already | mola |
| not yet | ya'na'e |
| just | ama |
| within | khaybakha |
| not | ténga |
| Adjectives vocabulary | - |
| many | uguya |
| few | atepénga |
| less | deahô' uguya |
| more | atua |
| enough | deila |
| Nouns vocabulary | - |
| board | fafa |
| lobster | lakhua |
| betel nut | elan |
| coconut | boniô |
| village | gampung |
| ricefield | nofi, belang |
| island | ulau |
| lightning | lôlô |
| water | idane |
Phonology
The vowel and consonant phonemes of Sikule are shown in the tables below.| Front | Central | Back | |
| Close | |||
| Mid | |||
| Open |