Semelai language


Semelai is an Austroasiatic language spoken in the Malay Peninsula by Semelai people. It belongs to the Southern branch of the Aslian language subgrouping. The Semelai people reside predominantly around the Bera, Serting and associated river systems in the states of Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Johor.
Semelai is notable for being a language with a tripartite verbal alignment.

Phonology

Semelai has 32 consonants and 20 vowels.
  • Stops are heard as word-final position.
  • Palatal sounds are slightly affricated as when in word-initial position.
  • may occur as or within free variation.
  • Nasals can occur as prestopped when in word-final position.
  • can be heard as when in word-final position. When preceded by a nasal it is heard as.
  • are heard as off-glides when in word-final position. After nasal vowels, they are then heard as nasalized.
Vowels are also distinguished with nasal counterparts:
FrontCentralBack
Close
Close-mid
Open-mid
Open