Makasar Today's Makassar Bible (MAKLAI)

Overview

The Makasar Today's Makassar Bible, titled Kitta' Matangkasa', is a complete Old and New Testament in the contemporary Makassarese language, published in 1999 by the Indonesian Bible Society (Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia, LAI). [1] The translation provides Scripture in a modern, accessible Makasar style for the Makassarese-speaking community of South Sulawesi. [2] Makassarese is one of the principal languages of southern Sulawesi, and this translation serves a predominantly Muslim population where the Christian minority had limited access to Scripture in their mother tongue.

Language and People

Makasar (ISO 639-3: mak) is spoken by approximately 1,710,000 people in Indonesia, Sulawesi. [Glottolog: maka1311]

Makassarese (also spelled Makasar) is an Austronesian language of the South Sulawesi branch, spoken primarily in the southern tip of the island of Sulawesi around the city of Makassar (formerly Ujung Pandang). The Makassarese people have a rich literary and seafaring tradition. Historically, the language was written in the Lontara script, a Brahmi-derived abugida shared with other South Sulawesi languages such as Buginese. Modern Makassarese writing predominantly uses the Latin script.

Publishing and Organizations

Published by Indonesian Bible Society.

References