Malay-based creole languages

 

The Malay language, through its history, also experiences pidginization and creolization processes. It occurred mostly by inter-islands trading and interactions where people from various ethnic groups, languages and background meet.

Malay, particularly in Eastern Indonesia was brought by trading and missionary, particularly during Dutch colonization for more than 3 centuries.

As the result, for daily speaking Malay has been creolized with many European languages influences (specially Dutch and Portuguese) as well as local languages surroundings.

The creoles are based on Malay, but highly influenced by European and indigenous structures, as examples :

• Rumah saya -becomes- Saya punya rumah : My house
• Saya pukul dia - becomes - Saya kasih pukul dia : I hit him
• Ini bukan milik Mama- becomes- Ini bukan Mama punya : It is not Mom's belongings
• Megat dipukul Husin - becomes- Megat dipukul dek Robert : Nick is hit by Robert

In pronunciation, the creolized Malays are also influenced by local phonological systems and in Eastern Indonesia, nasalization and simplification are common, such as :

• makan - becomes - makang
• pergi - becomes - pigi, or pi
• terkejut - becomes - takajo
• lembut - becomes - lombo
• dapat - becomes - dapa

There are several varieties of Malay Creoles which scattered through Indonesia :

Betawian Malay

Betawian Malay is a creolized-Malay which is spoken in Jakarta -- the modern name of Betawi -- and its surroundings. Betawian or Omong Betawi is based on Bazar Malay (Melayu Pasar) but influenced by various languages as Javanese, Sundanese for the area is surrounded by Sundanese speaking area, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Balinese and other ones. Betawian creole begun to be used after 1750 in Batavia, and replaced Portuguese creole as lingua franca.

Betawian Malay is also formed by Chinese-style Malay spoken by Chinese settlers who came earlier and it also highly influenced Betawian Malay's development.

It has now become very popular speech particularly among younger generations in Indonesia for it is popularized through television (such as sinetron or sitcom).

Betawian Malay is divided into two main dialects

• Betawi Kota dialect: Originally spoken within Jakarta with the typical strong e like (ada becomes ade).
• Betawi Udik dialect: Originally spoken in suburban Jakarta, Tangerang, Banten, and Bogor and Bekasi in West Java. It has a strong a like (ada, pronounced adah).

Another Betawi Udik variant is called Betawi Ora, which highly influenced by Javanese.

There is a significant Chinese community who lives around Tangerang, called Cina Benteng, who have lost their mother tongue. Now the Cina Benteng speak Betawian Malay.

Examples :

• aye (kota), sayah (udik), gue (informal) : I
• lu (informal or intimate) : you
• iye (strong e, not schwa like Malaysian), iyah : yes
• kagak, ora (udik variant and it is Javanese influence) : no
• Encing mo pegi kemane? : Where will you go, mam?
• Dagangan aye udeh bures, dah : My stuff has been sold out

Baba Malay

Baba Malay is also spoken in Malaysia even though now it is now almost extinct. It is a Malay spoken by Chinese descendants who live in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. A kind of Baba Malay is spoken among Chinese living in East Java. It is a mixture between Malay or Indonesian with local Javanese (East Javanese dialect) and Chinese elements (particularly Hakka). The variant is found only in East Java, particularly Surabaya and its surroundings. While other Chinese tend to speak according to where they live (in Central Java, the Chinese speak high or standard Javanese in daily conversation even among themselves; in West Java, they tend to speak Sundanese). However, in Surabaya the younger Chinese tend to speak pure Javanese (Surabaya dialect) and learn Mandarin in courses.

Example (Spoken in Surabaya):

• Yak apa kabarnya si Eli? : How's Eli?
• Nti' kamu pigio ambek cecemu ae ya : Go with your sister, okay?
• Nih, makanen sa'adae : Please have a meal!
• Kamu cari'en bukune koko ndhek rumae Ling Ling : Search your brother's book in Ling Ling's house.

Manado Malay

Manado Malay is another creole which is spoken as a lingua franca, particularly in Manado and Minahasa, North Sulawesi. It is based on Ternatean Malay and highly influenced by Ternatean, Dutch, Minahasa languages and some Spanish words.

Examples :

• Kita = I
• Ngana = you
• Torang = we
• Dorang = they
• Yo = yes
• Nyandak = no

Sentences :

• Kita pe mama ada pi ka pasar  : My mom is going to the market
• Ngana so nyandak makan dari kamareng : You haven't eaten since yesterday.
• Ngana jang badusta pa kita : Don't lie to me
• Torang so pasti bisa : we can surely do that

Ternatean Malay

It resembles Manado Malay, but with different accent and some vocabularies. A large percentage of its vocabulary is borrowed from Ternatean, such as: ngana : you (sg) ngoni : you (pl) bifi  : ant ciri  : to fall Spoken in Ternate, Tidore and Halmahera islands, North Maluku for intergroup communications, and in the Sula Islands.

Example :

• Jang bafoya : don't lie!

Bacanese Malay

Spoken in Bacan islands and its surroundings, North Maluku. Distinct either to Ambonese or Ternate Malay.

Larantuka Malay

Spoken as lingua franca in Larantuka, East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. Based on Malay and distinct to Kupang Malay.

While other parts of Flores island tend to speak standard Indonesian, though in Sikka and some community in Larantuka also speak some Portuguese particularly in religious matters. It can be heard in Holy Week rituals in Larantuka.

Example :

• Ongko te pi? : You don't go, do you?

Kupang Malay

Spoken in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara West-end of Timor Island. It is based on archaic Malay which mixed mostly with Dutch, Portuguese and local languages. Similar to Ambonese Malay with several differences in vocabularies and accents. Its grammatical system is resembling to other East Indonesian Malay Creoles.

Examples :

• beta = I
• lu = You
• sonde = No
• Beta sonde tau, lai = I don't know

Ambonese Malay

This Malay creole was appeared since around the 17th century. Firstly it was brought by traders from Western Indonesia, but more developed when the Dutch Empire colonized the Molluccas (Maluku). It was the first time Malay transliterated into Roman script and used as missionary tools in Eastern Indonesia. Malay had been taught in schools and churches in Ambon, since that, Malay has become a lingua franca in Ambon and its surroundings.

Christian speakers use Ambonese Malay as their mother tongue, meanwhile Muslims speak it as second language for they have got their own language. Muslims in Ambon island particularly live in several areas in Municipality of Ambon, dominant in Salahutu and Leihitu Peninsula. While in Lease (pron : LAY-AH-SAY) islands, Christian Ambonese-speaking community is dominant in part of Haruku, Saparua and Nusa Laut islands. Ambonese Malay Creole is also become lingua franca in Buru, Seram, Geser-Gorom and South-West Maluku islands, though with different accents.

Ambonese Malay is based on Malay with high influences from European languages (Dutch and Portuguese) as well as indigenous ones either vocabularies or grammatical structures. It is very famous for its melodious accent. Muslims and Christian speakers tend to be different in vocabulary choice.

Examples :

• Beta pung nama Ahmad = My name is Ahmed
• Ose su tau Ahmad pung maitua? = Do you Ahmed's wife?
• Jang bakudapa deng dia dolo, dia ada gagartang deng ose = Never see him for a moment, he's angry to you.
• Susi dong pung kaka mo pi kamari = Susi's brother will come
• Ini beta kasi akang voor ose = This is for you.
• Ale badiang jua, beta cumang mo tipu-tipu Tuang Ala = Shut up, I am tricking God ( for joking )
• Beta seng tau = I don't know

Ambonese word samples

• Beta = I
• Ose, Ale = you (ose is based on voce in Portuguese)
• Dia = he, she
• Akang = (may) it
• Katong = we (cut from kita orang)
• Dong = they (cut from dia orang)
• Kamong, kamorang = you (pl) (cut from kamu orang)
• Antua = he, she (respectful form)
• iyo = yes
• seng = no
• bakubae = peace

Bandanese Malay

A distinct variant of Moluccan Malay. Spoken in Banda islands, Maluku and it has specific accents. Different to Ambonese Malay and for Ambonese, Bandanese Malay heards funny for its uniqueness.

Example :

• Beta : I
• pane : you
• katorang : we
• mir : ants (deviated from Dutch : mier)

Papuan/Irian Malay

It is a contact language among tribes in Indonesian New Guinea (Papua and West Irian Jaya), for trading and daily communication. Papuan or Irian had declared Malay as their unifying language since 1926 prior to Sumpah Pemuda declaration. Nowadays, they tend to speak more formal Indonesian. This variant is also understood in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea near Indonesian border.

Example :

• Ini tanah pemerintah punya, bukan ko punya! = It's government's land, not yours!
• Kitorang tar pernah bohong = We don't lie

Penangite Malay

Penang island was opened by British in 1786 and became a mecca for immigrants. Penangite Muslims are consisted of various ethnic groups such as Malays, Thais, Burmese, Cambodians, Chinese, Indians, Javanese, Minangkabaus, Bataks, Boyanese, Buginese, Banjarese, Arabs and Persians. Through inter-marriages, the local Kedah dialect have been influence of lots foreign words.

Examples:

• "Hangpa mai mana?" = Where do you all come from?
• "Saya pi merket tiap-tiap haghi neik baiskel" - I go to the market everyday with bicycle.
• "Hang ni ghaplah!" - You're careless!
• "Hangpa dorang mai sini sat!" - Both 2 of you, come here now!
• "Insat" - Wait
• "Haria!!" - Ambush!!

Penangite word samples:

• "Saya", "Aku", "Cek" - I
• "Hang" - You (singular)
• "Hangpa" - You (plural)
• "Dia", "Dea" - He/She
• "Depa" - They
• "Mai" - Come
• "Pi" - Go
• "Merket" - Market
• "Beiskel" - Bicycle
• "Ghaplah" - Careless

Sarawakian Malay

Sarawakian Malay is a Malay dialect influenced with many Javanese (since that parts of Borneo was under Majapahit rule) and Dayak words, and it has many unique words as compared to standard Malay.

Examples:

• "Ne rumah gitak?" = Where is your house?
• "Kamek dari Kuching." = I am from Kuching.
• "Nya tetak liat Awang jatuh ke dalam parit" = He laughed seeing Awang fell down into the sewers.
• "Pusak tok kamek empun!" = "This is my cat!"
• "Kamek sik kerja hari tok" = "I'm not working today"

Sarawakian word samples:

• "Gitak", "Kawu" = You
• "Kamek" = I
• "Kamek orang" = we
• "Ne" = Where
• "Pusak" = Cat
• "Nya" = He/She
• "Asuk" = Dog
• "Tetak" = laugh
• "Burid" = buttocks
• "Paluk" = hit
• "Aok" = yes
• "Sik" (equivalent to "tidak" in Standard Malay) = no, not

Bruneian Malay

Although Bruneians speak standard Malay, which is the official language, it has some varying vocabularies in comparison with Malaysian and Indonesian.

Examples:

• "Dia itu seorang bini." = She is a lady.
• "Awda sudah makan?" = Have you eaten?
• Tekaduhung kitani kemari ani baiktah tarus makan saja sini = Since we're here, we might as well have lunch here too

Examples given:

• "Awda" = You
• "Bini" = lady
• "Baiktah" ("Baik saja" in Malay) = might as well
• "tarus" = straight ahead, immediately

External links

• A Baba Malay Dictionary by William Gwee Thian Hock

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