Wolio language

Wolio is definitely an Austronesian language spoken around Baubau on Buton Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is one of the Wotu-Wolio branch from the Celebic subgroup. Also referred to as Buton, it’s a trade language and also the former court language from the Sultan at Baubau. Today it’s an official regional language street signs are designed in the Buri Wolio alphabet, in line with the Arabic script.

Stress is around the penultimate syllable. The 5 vowels are /i e a o u/.

/b, d, f/ are located in loans, mostly from Arabic. /b/ is transcribed w, /tʃ/ c. /r/ is really a trill.