Classification
As the westernmost language within the Pitu Ulunna Salu subgroup, Ulumanda' borders the Mamuju and Mandar languages. So extensive is dialect chaining in this area that Ulumanda' wasn’t recognized as a language separate from its neighbors until surveys were carried out in 1984 and 1985 (Strømme 1987:31–32; Strømme and Valkama 1987:83 ff.; see also Friberg and Laskowske 1989:6–8).
Population
In the 1980s the number of Ulumanda' in all regencies was estimated at around 30,000 speakers (Friberg and Laskowske 1989:8). An updated population estimate is not available.
References
Friberg, Timothy; and Thomas V. Laskowske. 1989. South Sulawesi languages, 1989. Studies in Sulawesi linguistics, part 1 (NUSA: Linguistic Studies of Indonesian and Other Languages in Indonesia, 31), edited by James N. Sneddon, 1–17. Jakarta: Badan Penyelenggara Seri Nusa, Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya. [Reproduced online. URL: http://sealang.net/archives/nusa/pdf/nusa-v31-p1-18.pdf (accessed January 13, 2014).]
Strømme, Kåre J. 1987. Kabupaten Polewali Mamasa, west-central section. UNHAS-SIL South Sulawesi sociolinguistic surveys, 1983–1987 (Workpapers in Indonesian Languages and Cultures, 5), edited by Timothy Friberg, 17–40. Ujung Pandang: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
Strømme, Kåre J.; and Kari Valkama. 1987. Kabupaten Polewali Mamasa, southwestern section, and Kabupaten Majene. UNHAS-SIL South Sulawesi sociolinguistic surveys, 1983–1987 (Workpapers in Indonesian Languages and Cultures, 5), edited by Timothy Friberg, 59–98. Ujung Pandang: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
