Dayak languages

Used to describe the languages of Borneo apart from the Languages of Chinese, Indian or European origin. Most languages on Borneo seem to be in branches of the Austronesian family

Classification

• Austronesian
  • Malayo-Polynesian (MP)
    • Nuclear MP
      • Sunda-Sulawesi languages
      • Borneo-Philippines languages

In Detail

Sunda-Sulawesi languages

Among many other languages of Sulawesi, Java, Sumatra, Maduras and Guam this group is present on Borneo with this branch:

• Malayic languages (25 languages dispersed from central Sumatra, including Minangkabau in central Sumatra, Acehnese in Aceh, Cham in Vietnam and Moken in Thailand and Burma)
  • Malay (Malaysian/Indonesian)
    • Local Malay languages such as Banjarese and Sabah Malay
  • Iban of northern Borneo

Borneo-Philippines languages

There are a large number of small clusters of languages in the Borneo-Philippines family whose interrelationship remains uncertain. The languages of this group present on Borneo are thus:

• Barito languages (12 languages of south Borneo and Madagascar, including Ngaju Dayak and Malagasy)
• Kayan languages (18 languages of central Borneo, including Kayan)
• Penan (Punan-Nibong)
• Land Dayak (Bidayuh) (12 languages of west Borneo, such as Lara’)
• Melanau-Kajang languages
  • Kajang (Rejang) (3)
  • Melanau (Lower Rejang) (3)
• Berawan-Lower Baram (Baram-Tinjar) (5)
• Bintulu
• Dayic languages (languages of Sabah-Sarawak-Kalimantan border area)
  • Kelabitic (Apo Duat) (5 languages, including Kelabit)
  • Murutic (Murut-Tidong) (12 languages, including Tagol Murut, Tidong)
• Kenyah (11 languages of central Borneo called Kenyah
• Rejang-Sajau languages (5 languages, including Punan Bah-Biau)
• Sabahan languages (languages of Sabah)
  • Dusunic (Dusun-Bisaya) (15 languages, including Kadazan-Dusun, Minokok, Lotud, Rungus?)
  • Ida’an
  • Paitanic (5 languages, including Tambanuo, Rumanau)

External links

• Family tree on the www.ethnologue.com site
• Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database
• Borneo Languages at the KITLV, Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies.

Dayak languages test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator