ZLM ISO 639-3
Malay
Bahasa Melayu, ملايو (Melayu) Autonym
A language of Malaysia
- ISO 639
- zlm
- Alternate Names
- Colloquial Malay, Informal Malay, Local Malay, Malayu
- Autonym
- Bahasa Melayu, ملايو (Melayu)
- Population
- 13,500,000 in Malaysia, all users. L1 users: 10,500,000 in Malaysia (2004 census). 10 million in Peninsular Malaysia, 506,000 in Sarawak, and 30,000 in Labuan. L2 users: 3,000,000. Total users in all countries: 19,183,970 (as L1: 16,183,970; as L2: 3,000,000).
- Location:
- Peninsular Malaysia: widespread; Sarawak: Betong, Kuching, Samarahan, and Sri Aman districts.
- Language Status
- 5* (Developing).
- Classification
- Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
- Dialects
- Coastal Terengganu, Inland Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang, Southeast Island, Jugra-Muar-Melaka-Johor, Sarawak (Sarawak Malay), Tamiang, Deli, Riau Mainland, Akit, Sakai, Riau islands, Coastal Jambi, Belitung, Northwestern Kalimantan, Upstream Western Kalimantan, Southwestern Coastal Kalimantan. Kedah Malay [meo], Negeri Sembilan Malay [zmi], Jakun [jak], Orang Kanaq [orn], Orang Seletar [ors], Temuan [tmw], Sabah Malay [msi], and Brunei [kxd] are so closely related that they may one day be included as dialects of Malay. Coastal Terengganu, inland Terengganu, Kelantan most aberrant but evidently mutually intelligible with Pattani Malay [mfa]. A member of macrolanguage Malay [msa].
- Language Use
- Also use English [eng]. Also use Standard Malay [zsm]. Used as L2 by Baba Malay [mbf], Central Berawan [zbc], Central Melanau [mel], Cheq Wong [cwg], Duano [dup], Jah Hut [jah], Jehai [jhi], Kensiu [kns], Kintaq [knq], Lanoh [lnh], Mah Meri [mhe], Malaccan Malay Creole [ccm], Malaccan Portuguese Creole [mcm], Minriq [mnq], Mintil [mzt], Murik [mxr], Negeri Sembilan Malay [zmi], Orang Kanaq [orn], Remun [lkj], Sabüm [sbo], Salako [knx], Semai [sea], Semaq Beri [szc], Semelai [sza], Southern Sama [ssb], Tamil [tam], Temiar [tea], Temoq [tmo], Toraja [sda].
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Malay
- Writing
- Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Latin script [Latn].
- Other Comments
- This entry refers to local or vernacular Malay varieties not well differentiated from each other, and other varieties for which further research is needed to clarify differentiation from mainstream dialects. Distinguished from court-Malay-derived Standard Indonesian [ind] or Standard Malay [zsm] by sociolinguistic status as vernaculars, and other linguistic features.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Malay
User Population
17,900 in Australia (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Malay
User Population
12,300 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Malay
User Population
5,990 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Malay
User Population
12,600 in United Kingdom (2011 census).
- Location
- Aceh, Bangka Belitung Islands, Central Kalimantan, Jambi, North Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, and West Sumatra; widespread in central and north Sumatra, areas of Kalimantan, and island provinces between.
- Dialects
- Tamiang, Riau Mainland, Deli, Belitung, Akit, Sakai, Riau islands (Sea Tribe dialects), coastal Jambi, Sambas, Landak, Pontianak, Sukadana, Ketapang, Sanggau, Sintang, Sekadau, Kapuas Hulu.
- Language Status
- 6a (Vigorous)
- Other Comments
- This entry refers to numerous, local or vernacular, Malay varieties not well differentiated from each other, as well as varieties for which further research is required to clarify differentiation from more mainstream dialects. Distinguished from court-Malay-derived Standard Malay [zsm] and Indonesian [ind]. Muslim, Christian, traditional religion. View other languages of Indonesia
Language Name
Malay
User Population
4,910,000 in Indonesia (2000 census). 3,970,000 in Sumatra (100,000 in Belitung, 1,830,000 in Riau, 2,000,000 Deli, Asahan, etc. in North Sumatra and 40,000 Tamiang in Aceh), and 940,000 in Kalimantan (primarily Pontianak, Sambas and Ketapang).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Japan
Language Name
Malay
User Population
9,800 in Japan (Leclerc 2020b).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Madagascar
Language Name
Malay
User Population
33,000 in Madagascar (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of New Zealand
Language Name
Malay
User Population
6,780 in New Zealand (2013 census).
- Dialects
- Jugra-Muar-Melaka-Johor.
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Local Malay [zlm] in Singapore is distinguished from court-Malay-derived Standard Malay [zsm] by its sociolinguistic status as a vernacular, as well as by various linguistic features. Muslim. View other languages of Singapore
Language Name
Malay
User Population
602,000 in Singapore (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of China–Taiwan
Language Name
Malay
User Population
15,800 in China–Taiwan (2018 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Malay
User Population
14,600 in United States (2015 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Yemen
Language Name
Malay
User Population
43,000 in Yemen (2018).
Map
Location: Peninsular Malaysia: widespread; Sarawak: Betong, Kuching, Samarahan, and Sri Aman districts.
Size and Vitality
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