Sahu language

{{Short description|North Halmahera language spoken in Indonesia}}

{{Distinguish|text=the Saho language}}

{{Infobox language

| name = Sahu

| states = Indonesia

| region = Halmahera

| speakers = 7,500 excluding Waioli and Gamkonora

| date = 1987

| ref = e25

| speakers2 = (12,000 cited in 1987)Visser, L. E. and C.L. Voorhoeve. 1987. Sahu-Indonesian-English Dictionary and Sahu Grammar Sketch. Dordrecht: Foris.

| familycolor = Papuan

| fam1 = West Papuan?

| fam2=North Halmahera

| fam3 = Sahu

| dia1 = Waioli

| dia2 = Pa'disua

| dia3 = Gamkonora

| dia4 = Tala'i

| dia5 = Ibu †

| lc1 = saj

| ld1 = Sahu

| lc2 = ibu

| ld2 = Ibu

| glotto = sahu1245

| glottoname = Sahu

| glotto2 = ibuu1240

| glottoname2 = Ibu

| ELP=1789

| ELPname=Ibu

}}

Sahu (Sa’u, Sahu’u, Sau) is a North Halmahera language. Use is vigorous; dialects are Pa’disua (Palisua), Tala’i, Waioli, and Gamkonora. A fifth dialect, Ibu, used to be spoken near the mouth of the Ibu River. Ethnologue considers Waioli and Gamkonora to be separate languages.

Sahu has many Ternate loanwords, a historical legacy of the dominance of the Ternate Sultanate in the Moluccas.{{cite book |last1=Holton |first1=Gary |last2=Klamer |first2=Marian |editor1-last=Palmer |editor1-first=Bill |date=2018 |title=The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide |chapter=The Papuan languages of East Nusantara and the Bird’s Head |series= The World of Linguistics |volume=4 |location=Berlin |publisher=De Gruyter Mouton |pages=569–640 |isbn=978-3-11-028642-7}}