10,115,000 (1979). 6,396,790 speakers of Austronesian languages, 3,399,000 speakers of Chinese languages, 44,610 speakers of Austro-Asiatic languages (1991 J. Matisoff); 1,090,000 speakers of Dravidian languages (including 30,000 Telugu). Literacy rate 72% (1980 government report). Data accuracy estimate: B, C. Also includes Western Cham 1,800 to 10,000. Blind population 22,300. The number of languages listed for Malaysia, Peninsular is 38.
BATEK (BATEQ, BATEG, BATOK, KLEB, TOMO, NOGN) [BTQ] 700 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Northern Pahang, Kelantan, Trengganu. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, North Aslian, Eastern. Dialects: BATEK TEQ (TEQ), BATEK DE' (DEQ), BATEK IGA, BATEK NONG (NONG). Deq and Nong may be separate languages. Batek may be intelligible with Mintil. Survey needed.
BESISI (MAH MERI, CELLATE) [MHE] 1,356 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Selangor coast, Malacca. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, South Aslian. Dialects: KUALA LANGOT BESISI, MALAKKA BESISI, ULU LANGAT ORANG BUKIT, SELANGOR SAKAI, BETISE' (BETISEK), SISI. One other dialect became extinct in late 19th century. NT 1933.
CHEWONG (CHEQ WONG, CHE'WONG, SIWANG, BERI, CHUBA) [CWG] 270 (1975 SIL). Just south of Semai, Pahang. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, North Aslian, Chewong. Survey needed.
CHINESE, HAKKA [HAK] 985,635 in Malaysia, including 786,097 in West Malaysia; 109,060 in Sarawak; 90,478 in Sabah (1980 census); 34,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Sino-Tibetan, Chinese. Bible 1916. NT 1883-1993. Bible portions 1860-1995.
CHINESE, MANDARIN [CHN] 417,070 in Malaysia (1970 census); 885,000,000 in all countries. Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. Sino-Tibetan, Chinese. Speakers are primarily urban, in business. Bible 1874-1983. NT 1857-1981. Bible portions 1864-1986.
CHINESE, MIN DONG [CDO] 206,013 in Malaysia, including 85,368 in West Malaysia; 120,645 in Sarawak (1979), including Pu-Xian Chinese. West Malaysia and Sarawak. Mainly in China. Sino-Tibetan, Chinese. Dialect: FOOCHOW (FUZHOU). Bible 1884-1905. NT 1856. Bible portions 1852.
CHINESE, MIN NAN (MIN NAN, MINNAN) [CFR] 1,946,698 in Malaysia, including 1,824,741 in Peninsular Malaysia; 7,990 Teochew, 5,083 Hainanese, 24,604 Hokkien in Sabah (1980 census); 84,280 in Sarawak (1979); 49,000,000 in all countries Min Nan (1991 WA). Sino-Tibetan, Chinese. Dialects: FUKIENESE (AMOY, FUJIANESE, HOKKIEN), HAINANESE, CHAOCHOW (TEOCHOW, TEOCHEW). Bible 1933. NT 1896-1974. Bible portions 1875-1916.
CHINESE, PU-XIAN [CPX] West Malaysia and Sarawak. Mainly in China. Sino-Tibetan, Chinese. Dialect: XINGHUA (HSINGHUA, HINGHUA). Bible 1912. NT 1900. Bible portions 1892.
CHINESE, YUE (CANTONESE, YUEH, YUE) [YUH] 748,010 in Malaysia, including 704,286 in Peninsular Malaysia; 24,640 in Sarawak; 19,184 in Sabah (1980 census); 66,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Sino-Tibetan, Chinese. Dialects: CANTONESE, TOISHANESE. Bible 1894-1981. NT 1877, in press (1996). Bible portions 1862-1903.
DUANO' (ORANG KUALA, DESIN DOLA') [DUP] 1,922 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). South coast around Pontian Kecil and northwest. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian, Sundic, Malayic, Malayan, Para-Malay. Survey needed.
ENGLISH [ENG] 322,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Indo-European, Germanic, West, North Sea, English. Language of instruction in secondary schools. 28% literacy in English in Peninsular Malaysia, 54% in Sarawak, 29% in Sabah. Bible 1535-1989. NT 1525-1985. Bible portions 1530-1987.
JAH HUT (JAH HET) [JAH] 2,442 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Just south of main body of Semai, Kuala Krau, Pahang. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, Jah Hut. Dialects: KERDAU, KRAU, KETIAR KRAU (TENGGANU), KUALA TEMBELING, PULAU GUAI, ULU CERES (CHERES), ULU TEMBELING. Survey needed.
JAKUN (JAKUN, JAKU'D, JAKUD'N, JAKOON, DJAKUN, ORANG HULU) [JAK] 9,799 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). East coast and inland, Pairang River, Pekan to Sri Gading, east to Benut, northwest to around middle Muat River. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian, Sundic, Malayic, Malayan, Aboriginal Malay. Survey needed.
JEHAI (JAHAI, PANGAN) [JHI] 1,250 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Northeastern Perak and western Kelantan. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, North Aslian, Eastern. Dialects: JEHAI, BATEK TEH. May be intelligible with Menriq. Survey needed.
KENSIU (KENSEU, KENSIEU, KENSIW, SEMANG, MONIQ, MONIK, MENDI, NEGRITO, NGOK PA, ORANG BUKIT, ORANG LIAR) [KNS] 3,000 in Malaysia; 300 in Thailand; 3,300 in all countries (1984 D. Hogan). Northeast Kedah, near Thai border. Overlaps slightly into southern Yala Province of Thailand. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, North Aslian, Western. Dialects: IJOH (IJOK), JARUM, JEHER (SAKAI TANJONG OF TEMONGOH), KEDAH (QUEDAH), PLUS, ULU SELAMA, KENSIU BATU, KENSIU SIONG, KENTAQ NAKIL. Semang means 'debt slave' in Khmer, used more for primitive Negritos. Semang is used to differentiate western groups from eastern ones, called Pangan. Orang Asli means 'aborigine' in Malay. Tropical forest. Nomadic. Work in progress.
KINTAQ (KENTA, KINTAK, KINTAQ BONG, BONG) [KNQ] 100 in all countries (1975 SIL). Kedah-Perak border area, Thai border. Overlaps slightly into Southern Yala Province of Thailand. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, North Aslian, Western. Survey needed.
KUALA LUMPUR SIGN LANGUAGE (KLSL) [KGI] Kuala Lumpur and elsewhere in Peninsular Malaysia. Deaf sign language. American signs were introduced in the late 1960's in a club for deaf adults in the YMCA. Many former users of Penang Sign Language now use KLSL. Uses predominantly American signs in a mixture of English and Malay word order. Survey needed.
LANOH (JENGJENG) [LNH] 260 (1975 SIL). North central Perak. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, Senoic. Survey needed.
MALACCAN CREOLE MALAY (CHITTIES CREOLE MALAY) [CCM] Malacca Straits. Creole, Malay based. Spoken since the 16th century by descendants of Tamil merchants who intermarried with other groups. The speakers are called 'Chitties' (Lim 1981:126-8; Holm 1989:580). Has not been studied in detail. May be related to Sri Lankan Creole Malay. Survey needed.
MALACCAN CREOLE PORTUGUESE (MALAYSIAN CREOLE PORTUGUESE, MALACCAN, PAPIA KRISTANG, KRISTANG, PORTUGUESE PATOIS, SERANI, BAHASA SERANI, BAHASA GERAGAU, MALAQUEIRO, MALAQUENSE, MALAQUÊS, MALAQUENHO, PORTUGUÊS DE MALACA, MALAYO-PORTUGUESE) [MCM] 1,000 (1988 A. N. Baxter), including several hundred in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore (1981 Wurm and Hattori); 1,500 (1989 J. Holm). Trankera and Hilir, Melaka, Straits of Malacca, Malacca city and the southwest coast of the Malaysian Peninsula. Related varieties in parts of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Variety in Pulau Tikus, Penang is now virtually extinct. Creole, Portuguese based. Most people over 20 speak Kristang, and one-third of those under 20. Also spoken as second language by some Chinese shopkeepers in Hilir. Used in RC church services until World War II. Most speakers also know local varieties of Bazaar Malay and Malaysian English. Some older female speakers have limited English. Other Creole people speak only English. Church services now use English, Malay, or Cantonese. Mass is in English. English was used in education until 1971. 'Kristang' is their name for the language, people, and religion. Trade language. Fishermen. Christian. Bible portions 1884.
MALAY (BAHASA MALAYSIA, BAHASA MALAYU, MALAYU, MELAJU, MELAYU, STANDARD MALAY) [MLI] 7,181,000 or 47% of the population (1986), including 248,757 in Sarawak (1980 census); 10,000,000 in Malaysia including second language speakers (1977 SIL); 12,000 in Hong Kong; 6,253 in USA (1970 census); 10,000,000 in Indonesia; 396,000 in Singapore; 21,000 in Myanmar; 4,200 in United Arab Emirates; 17,600,000 or more in all countries first language speakers. 5,000 Peranakan speakers in Malaccan Straits area (1979 Tan Chee Beng); 10,000 or more in Singapore (1986 A. Pakir). All districts of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. Also in Brunei, a few in Thailand. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian, Sundic, Malayic, Malayan, Local Malay. Dialects: TRENGGANU, KEDAH, KELANTAN, PERAK (SOUTHERN MALAY), SARAWAK MALAY, BAZAAR MALAY (LOW MALAY, PASAR MALAY, PASIR MALAY, TRADE MALAY), PERANAKAN (BABA MALAY, STRAITS MALAY, CHINESE MALAY). Over 80% cognate with Indonesian. 'Bazaar Malay' is used to refer to many regional non-standard dialects. Roman and Arabic (Jawi) scripts. 62% literate in Sarawak (1980). Peranakan monolinguals are 70 years old or older. National language. Typology: SVO. Agriculturalists: wet and dry rice, rubber, fruits, vegetables; fishermen. Sunni Muslim. Braille code available. Bible 1733-1993. NT 1668-1938. Bible portions 1629-1932.
MALAYSIAN SIGN LANGUAGE (BAHASA MALAYSIA KOD TANGAN) [XML] Deaf sign language. Under development by the Ministry of Education since 1978, and used in government programs. It is manually coded Bahasa Malaysia; it is easier than manual codes for other languages because Bahasa Malaysia is comparatively noninflected. It has input from local and American signs and structure. Words without signs are fingerspelled using the international version of the American manual alphabet.
MINRIQ (MENRIQ, MENRIK, MENDRIQ, MENRAQ) [MNQ] 125 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Southeast Kelantan. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, North Aslian, Eastern. May be intelligible with Jehai. Survey needed.
MINTIL (MITIL) [MZT] 40 (1975 SIL). Tamun River, Pahang. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, North Aslian, Eastern. May be intelligible with Batek. Survey needed.
NEGERI SEMBILAN MALAY (MALAYSIAN MINANGKABAU, ULU MUAR MALAY, ORANG NEGERI) [ZMI] 300,000 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Southeast of Kuala Lumpur, Ulu Muar District. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian, Sundic, Malayic, Malayan, Para-Malay. Related to Minangkabau in Sumatra, Indonesia. People call themselves 'Orang Negeri' or use their district name, and call Minangkabau immigrants, who have come during the last 60 to 80 years, 'Minang'. Sunni Muslim. Survey needed.
ORANG KANAQ [ORN] 34 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Southeast and northeast of Mawai. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian, Sundic, Malayic, Malayan, Aboriginal Malay. Survey needed.
ORANG SELETAR [ORS] 541 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Southeast coast around Kukuo, Jahore Bahru, east and north, and the north coast of Singapore. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian, Sundic, Malayic, Malayan, Aboriginal Malay. Coastal. Survey needed.
PENANG SIGN LANGUAGE [PSG] Penang. Deaf sign language. Deaf school established in 1954, where only oral method was used. Sign language evolved outside the classroom. Use declined in the late 1970's due to spread of other sign languages, but there are still users. Survey needed.
SABÜM [SBO] North central Perak. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, Senoic. Closest to Lanoh and Semnam; but not the same as Lanoh. Survey needed.
SEMAI (CENTRAL "SAKAI", SENOI, SENGOI) [SEA] 18,327 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Northwest Pahang and southern Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, central mountain area. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, Senoic. Dialects: JELAI, ORANG TANJONG OF ULU LANGAT, SUNGKAI, PERAK I, PERAK II, CAMERON, TELOM, BIDOR, BETAU, LIPIS, BIL, ULU KAMPAR (KAMPAR). Sakai means 'slave'. The west Semai are more acculturated to Malay society than the east Semai. Tropical forest. Mountain slope. Agriculturalists: rice, sweet potatoes, bananas, fruit, rubber. Altitude: 2500 to 3000 feet. Bible portions 1951-1962. Work in progress.
SEMAQ BERI (SEMAQ BRI, SEMOQ BERI) [SZC] 2,080 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Pahang, Trengganu, Kelantan. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, South Aslian. Two dialects. Survey needed.
SEMELAI [SZA] 2,682 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Between Segamat (Johore) and the Pahang River. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, South Aslian. Two dialects became extinct in the early 20th century. It may be intelligible with Temoq. Survey needed.
SEMNAM [SSM] North central Perak. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, Senoic. Close to Lanoh and Sabüm. Survey needed.
TAMIL [TCV] 1,060,000 in Malaysia (1993); 69,000,000 or more in all countries (1995 WA). Primarily in India. Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil. Together with speakers of Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu, Gujarati, Sindhi, Panjabi they total 10% of the population or 1,528,000. Some are plantation workers. Hindu, Muslim, Christian. Braille Bible portions. Bible 1727-1995. NT 1715-1988. Bible portions 1714-1956.
TEMIAR (TEMER, NORTHERN SAKAI, SEROQ, PIE) [TMH] 11,593 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Mostly in Perak and Kelantan; also Pahang. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, Senoic. Dialects: GRIK, KENDERONG, KENERING, PO-KLO (SAKAI BUKIT OF TEMONGOH), SAKAI OF PLUS KORBU, SUNGAI PIAH, TANJONG RAMBUTAN, TEMBE' (TEMBI), ULU KINTA (KINTA SAKAI), LANOH KOBAK. Semi-nomadic. Survey needed.
TEMOQ [TMO] 350 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Jeram River, southeast Pahang. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, South Aslian. May be intelligible with Semelai. Survey needed.
TEMUAN (BENUA, NIAP) [TMW] 9,312 (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Southern extension of the main range in the southern half of the peninsula, Selangor, Pahang, Jahore, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Langat, scattered settlements. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian, Sundic, Malayic, Malayan, Aboriginal Malay. Dialects: BEDUANDA (BIDUANDA), BELANDA (BELANA, BLANDA, LANDA, BELANAS, BELANDAS), BEREMBUN (BIRMUN), MANTRA (MENTERA, MINTRA), TEMUAN, UDAI. Also classified as Malacca group of Austro-Asiatic phylum. Beduanda is sometimes considered to be a separate language. Traditional religion. Survey needed.
TONGA (MOS) [TNZ] 300 in all countries (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Northwest tip north of Kaki. Primarily in Thailand. Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, North Aslian, Tonga. Dialect: SATUN. Probably close to Kensiu. Survey needed.
Part of the Ethnologue, 13th Edition, Barbara F. Grimes, Editor.
Copyright © 1996, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc. All rights reserved.
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