Page Type: languageBrunei | Ethnologue

KXD ISO 639-3

Brunei

Brunei, Melayu Brunei, ملايو بروني‎ (Melayu Brunei) Autonym

A language of Brunei

ISO 639
kxd
Alternate Names
Brunei-Kadayan, “Orang Bukit” (pej.)
Autonym
Brunei, Melayu Brunei, ملايو بروني‎ (Melayu Brunei)
Population
270,000 in Brunei (2019), increasing. Total users in all countries: 321,000.
Location:
Widespread.
Language Status
3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Originated and used as trade language in the archipelago of the Brunei sultanate centuries before British protectorate (1888–1984). Used as lingua franca between ethnic groups, widely used by young people.
Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Dialects
Brunei Malay, Kadayan (Kadaian, Kadian, Kadien, Kadyan, Karayan, Kedayan, Kedien, Kedyan, Kerayan), Kampong Ayer. Lexical similarity: 94%–95% between Brunei and the Kampong Ayer dialects, 80%–82% with Standard Malay [zsm]. A member of macrolanguage Malay [msa].
Language Use
Vigorous. Used in Bandar Seri Begawan and surrounding areas, and by young people and educated older people from different language or dialect backgrounds. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Standard Malay [zsm]. Used as L2 by Belait [beg], Brunei Bisaya [bsb], Central Melanau [mel].
Language Development
Literature. Periodicals. Radio. Videos. Dictionary.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Brunei
Writing
Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Brunei and Kadayan are recognized indigenous groups. Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Brunei
User Population
51,000 in Malaysia (2013 SIL), decreasing. 35,000 monolinguals (2015 S. Damit). Ethnic population: 350,000 (2014 census).
Location
Sabah: Kota Kinabalu southwest to Labuan Federal Territory and Brunei border; Sarawak: north Lawas district; Batang Baram river mouth to Bintulu town.
Dialects
Brunei, Kadayan (Kadaian, Kadian, Kadien, Kadyan, Karayan, Kedayan, Kedien, Kedyan, Kerayan).
Language Status
6b (Threatened)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Regional, not ethnic, dialect variations. Muslim.
View other languages of Malaysia

Map

Location: Widespread.