Page Type: languageMalay, Central | Ethnologue

PSE ISO 639-3

Malay, Central

A language of Indonesia

ISO 639
pse
Alternate Names
Bengkulu, Besemah, Enim, Lintang, Melayu Tengah, Midden Maleisch, Ogan, Pasemah, Semendo, Serawai
Population
1,590,000 (2000 census).
Location:
Bengkulu province: central Bukit Barisan highlands west to Indian Ocean along Bengkulu coast; Lampung province; South Sumatra province: Lematang and Ogan river valleys.
Language Status
6a (Vigorous).
Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Dialects
Serawai, Bengkulu, Semenda, Lintang, Benakat, Kisam, Pasemah, Kikim, Lematang Ulu, Ogan, Enim, Rambang. Lexical similarity: 75% with Kaur [vkk], 80% between Pekal [pel] and some dialects such as Pasemah and Bengkulu. A member of macrolanguage Malay [msa].
Language Use
Vigorous. Home, village, commerce, religion. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Indonesian [ind]. Also use Musi [mui].
Language Development
Indonesian [ind] preferred for educational and religious materials, but L1 for cultural stories and songs. Mixed preference for health and agricultural materials. Taught in primary schools. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1995.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Malay, Central
Writing
Latin script [Latn], limited usage.
Other Comments
Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Bengkulu province: central Bukit Barisan highlands west to Indian Ocean along Bengkulu coast; Lampung province; South Sumatra province: Lematang and Ogan river valleys.