Welcome to my channel! This is Andy from I love languages. Let's learn different languages/dialects together.

This video is created for educational, language awareness, and language preservation purposes. It aims to provide valuable insights and knowledge to viewers, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of different languages and their unique characteristics. By raising awareness about linguistic diversity, the video seeks to foster a greater respect and recognition for various languages, particularly those that are endangered or underrepresented. Additionally, it contributes to the preservation of languages by documenting and sharing linguistic knowledge, thus ensuring that these languages and their cultural heritage are not lost to future generations.

Submitted and Recorded by Kilang Biho :D

Nga'ay ho! Hello! Andy here. How are you?
Let's talk about the Amis language.

Amis is the largest Formosan language within the Austronesian language family, spoken in regions from Hualien in the north to Taitung in the south, with a separate community in Pingtung and south Taitung. Despite a reasonable estimate of the Amis population in Taiwan, the number of Amis speakers remains unclear. Estimates suggest that about a third of Amis people speak the language, though it may be lower given the decline among those under 20 in 1995. UNESCO's 2015 estimate lists 108,200 native speakers, classifying it as 'vulnerable.' Amis is a dialect cluster with at least five dialects, featuring 17 to 19 consonants and four vowels, including the schwa. As an Austronesian language, it shares many cognates with Southeast Asian and Pacific languages, with number terms well-preserved.

Amis is the largest indigenous ethnic group in Taiwan with a population of about 213,514 as of January 2020, are known for their vibrant rituals, particularly the annual harvest festival. They refer to themselves as "Pangcah," meaning "people" and "kinsmen." The term "Amis" was originally used by the neighboring Puyuma to denote "northerners" and has since been widely adopted. The Amis have two main origin myths: the northern Amis believe they are descendants of deities, while the southern Amis trace their ancestry to stone. Predominantly located east of Taiwan's Central Mountain Range. The Amis are divided into northern, central, and southern groups based on region and customs. Their earliest recorded interaction with outsiders dates back to a Dutch gold mining expedition 400 years ago, with significant external contact occurring during the last two decades of the Qing dynasty.

The Amis, traditionally reliant on agriculture and fishery, have recently shifted to technical labor industries. Initially cultivating foxtail millet, they transitioned to rice during the Qing dynasty, influencing cultural practices like the Harvest Festival. Many now work in urban fisheries and service industries. Their traditional communities feature assembly halls and Tafalong houses, though reinforced concrete buildings are now common. Rice, especially glutinous rice, is crucial in their diet and ceremonies, along with wild plants, hunted food, and betel nuts. Traditional clothing, originally made from natural materials, was replaced by cotton, with vibrant attire for chiefs and priests. Skilled in crafting natural implements, the Amis are known for musical instruments, utensils, and pottery. Singing and dancing are central to their culture. The Amis believe in polytheism, with spirits (kawas) classified into deities, ghosts, animals, and plants, existing in heaven and earth. Priests (cikawasay or sikawasay) communicate with these spirits through divination for healing, benedictions, and thanksgivings in rituals. In the Amis language, tribes are called “niyaro, meaning fencing. This suggests that Amis defend their geographical space with fences and gratings.

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