Austronesian Family:
* Malayic: The most widely spoken language in Sumatra, with dialects including Minangkabau (West Sumatra), Riau Malay (East Coast), and Achehnese (Aceh).
* Batak: A group of closely related languages spoken in North Sumatra, including Toba Batak, Karo Batak, Simalungun Batak, and Mandailing Batak.
* Lampung: Spoken in the southern part of Sumatra, with close ties to the Malay language.
* Minangkabau: Predominant in West Sumatra, it is known for its matrilineal society and unique linguistic features.
* Acehnese: Spoken in Aceh province, known for its unique grammar and script.
Other Families:
* Sunda: While primarily spoken in West Java, there are communities in southern Sumatra who speak Sunda.
* Nias: Spoken on the Nias islands off the western coast of Sumatra.
* Enggano: An isolated language spoken on the Enggano island.
Regional Languages:
* Rejang: Spoken in the Rejang Lebong regency of Bengkulu province.
* Musi: Spoken in the Musi River area of South Sumatra.
* Palembang: Spoken in the Palembang city and surrounding areas of South Sumatra.
National Language:
* Indonesian: The official language of Indonesia, and widely understood and spoken throughout Sumatra.
It's important to note that this is not an exhaustive list. Sumatra boasts a rich linguistic tapestry with many other smaller languages and dialects. The exact number of languages spoken on the island varies depending on classification criteria.
For a deeper dive into Sumatra's linguistic diversity, you can explore resources like Ethnologue (https://www.ethnologue.com/).