ABSTRACT
The Mori Bawah language area is located on the eastern coast of Sulawesi (Sneddon 1983), in the region where the southeastern and eastern peninsulas intersect to form the Tomori Bay. In 1988, the number of Mori Bawah speakers was estimated at between 12,000 and 18,000. Mori Bawah isolects are related through complex chaining, but following Esser (1927:4-5), five dialects may be recognized as principal: Tinompo, Tiu, Moiki, Watu and Karunsi’e. Tinompo was the variety spoken by the Mori royalty, and consequently was also promoted as a standard by the Dutch. Today Tinompo remains the prestige dialect, and is the subject of the present study.
