The Piru Bay languages are a group of twenty Malayo-Polynesian languages, spoken on Ambon Island and around Piru Bay on the island of Seram, Indonesia. None of the languages have more than about twenty thousand speakers, and several are endangered with extinction.
Classification The languages are as follows:James T. Collins. 1983. The historical relationships of the languages of Central Maluku, Indonesia. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University. (Pacific Linguistics: Series D-47.)
Piru Bay West Piru Bay (Seram and Ambon islands) Asilulu Hoamoal: Luhu (Piru), Manipa, Larike-Wakasihu, Boano East Piru Bay Sepa, Teluti Solehua Paulohi Seram Straits Kaibobo Ambon: Hitu, Tulehu, Laha, Seit-Kaitetu Uliase (Lease Islands) Kamarian Hatuhaha Haruku Saparuan Elpaputi: Amahai, Nusa Laut Saparua: Saparua, Latu
Many of the Piru Bay languages form a dialect continuum. The Ambon branch should not to be confused with distantly related Ambonese Malay, which is also often simply known as Ambonese.
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