Old Malay
Encyclopedia
The Old Malay language, also called Classical Malay, is the ancestor of the modern Malay language
, including Indonesian
and Malaysian
. It developed in the now Melayu Kingdom
of Sumatra
. It was heavily influenced by Sanskrit
and Kawi
(Old Javanese), and was grammatically quite similar to modern Malay.
found in the area of the former Kingdom of Melayu, located on the Jambi river, approximately 40 kilometres north of modern Palembang
, (in Sumatra
, Indonesia
. Since Old Malay was influenced by Hindu-Buddhist culture, there is some sankrit loanwords in Old Malay vocabulary. are Several other inscriptions dating from the 7th to 9th centuries have been found in Sumatra
, western Java
, and other islands of the Sunda archipelago
. These texts are considered examples of Old Malay or Early Malay language. All these inscriptions were in the Kawi form of the Javanese script
.
in the 14th century, with the Batu Bersurat text, a Malay Kawi text with Arabic influence inscribed on stones at Pengkalan Kempas
. The Batu Bersurat text has large number of Old Malay Sanskrit terms which are now obsolete.
developed rapidly due to trade activities of the Chinese and Persian, and the spread of Islam and Islamic literature. This development changed the nature of the language with a massive influx of Hokkien
, Arabic, Persian
and later Tamil
words. The development slowed down after 1511 with the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese
.
in the 19th century. The language absorbed manyloan words from Portuguese
, Dutch
, and later English
. It became an official language of Brunei
, Malaysia, Indonesia
, and Singapore
after their independence.
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, including Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
and Malaysian
Malaysian language
Malaysian or Standard Malay is the official language of Malaysia and a standardized form of the Malay language of the Austronesian family. It is over 80% cognate with Indonesian and is spoken natively by over 10 million people...
. It developed in the now Melayu Kingdom
Melayu Kingdom
Melayu Kingdom was a classical Southeast Asian kingdom that existed between the 7th and the 13th century of the common era. It was established around present-day Dharmasraya on Sumatera, Indonesia, approximately 300 km north of Palembang...
of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. It was heavily influenced by Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Kawi
Kawi language
Kawi is a literary and prose language on the islands of Java, Bali, and Lombok, based on Old Javanese, a language with a sizable vocabulary of Sanskrit loanwords. Kawi is the ancestor language of modern Javanese. The name "kawi" is derived from the root ku, which in Sanskrit means “poet”, and, in...
(Old Javanese), and was grammatically quite similar to modern Malay.
Old Malay
Written Malay is attested from 1,500 years ago. The oldest known text, from 682 CE, is the Kedukan Bukit InscriptionKedukan Bukit Inscription
The Kedukan Bukit Inscription was discovered by the Dutchman M. Batenburg on 29 November 1920 at Kedukan Bukit, South Sumatra, on the banks of the River Tatang, a tributary of the River Musi. It is the oldest surviving specimen of the Malay language, in a form known as Old Malay. It is a small...
found in the area of the former Kingdom of Melayu, located on the Jambi river, approximately 40 kilometres north of modern Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
, (in Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. Since Old Malay was influenced by Hindu-Buddhist culture, there is some sankrit loanwords in Old Malay vocabulary. are Several other inscriptions dating from the 7th to 9th centuries have been found in Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, western Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, and other islands of the Sunda archipelago
Sunda Islands
The Sunda Islands are a group of islands that form part of the Malay archipelago.They are further divided into the Greater Sunda Islands and the Lesser Sunda Islands.-Administration:...
. These texts are considered examples of Old Malay or Early Malay language. All these inscriptions were in the Kawi form of the Javanese script
Javanese script
The Javanese alphabet, natively known as Hanacaraka or Carakan , known by the Sundanese people as Cacarakan is the pre-colonial script used to write the Javanese language....
.
Transitional period
Early Modern Malay is attested from TerengganuTerengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
in the 14th century, with the Batu Bersurat text, a Malay Kawi text with Arabic influence inscribed on stones at Pengkalan Kempas
Pengkalan Kempas
Pengkalan Kempas is a small town in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The Pengkalan Kempas Historical Complex or Fort Kempas is located here. It is also called "Keramat Ujung Pasir".-Pengkalan Kempas Historical Complex :...
. The Batu Bersurat text has large number of Old Malay Sanskrit terms which are now obsolete.
Malacca period
During the Sultanate of Malacca, the Malay languageMalay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
developed rapidly due to trade activities of the Chinese and Persian, and the spread of Islam and Islamic literature. This development changed the nature of the language with a massive influx of Hokkien
Hokkien
Hokkien is a Hokkien word corresponding to Standard Chinese "Fujian". It may refer to:* Hokkien dialect, a dialect of Min Nan Chinese spoken in Southern Fujian , Taiwan, South-east Asia, and elsewhere....
, Arabic, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and later Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
words. The development slowed down after 1511 with the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Modern Malay
Malay developed into a major language of Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
in the 19th century. The language absorbed manyloan words from Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, and later English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. It became an official language of Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, Malaysia, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
after their independence.