The South Sulawesi group and neighbouring languages

The languages of the genetically based South Sulawesi (SSul.) group share many specific substantial and structural features with other languages of Southern and Central Sulawesi. Among the non‐SSul. languages of the area, it is the so‐called Highland Toraja languages that bear the strongest resemblance to the SSul. group. Within the last‐named group, the northern languages show more numerous Toraja (esp. Highland Toraja) characteristics than the southern ones. This pattern of isoglosses must be explained as due to areal contacts. In all likelihoo'd, during the greatest part of the history of the SSul. group its languages have been subject to deep influence of old local languages (which were probably similar to present‐day Highland Toraja idioms).