Temuan language


Temuan language is a Malayic language spoken by the Temuan people, one of the Orang Asli or indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia which can be found in the states of Selangor, Pahang, Johor, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan. Temuan is a separate language but has a degree of mutual intelligibility with the Malay language. It is written in a Latin alphabet, but no standard orthography has been made.

Phonology

/ə/ may be pronounced as in syllable-initial prefixes.
The glottal stop is only heard in word-final and intervocalic positions.
can be heard as when in intervocalic positions. A trill is rarely heard as a pronunciation of.
Nasal sounds are heard as preploded, when in word-final positions.

Vocabulary

Examples of Temuan words:
EnglishMalay languageTemuan language
ISaya/AkuAkuk
You Kau/AwakAjih/Ong
You KamuHigun
TheyMereka/DiorangDidik/Gidi
AuntyMakcik/InangInak
UnclePakcik/MamakMamak
BadBuruk/JahatBarap/Nyap Elok/Nyahat
No/NotTakNyap
Don't haveTiadaHap
Alcohol/LiquorArakEngkem/Aii/Sukuk
Hokkien meeMi JalungHokieen Mee
Smoked monkey meatDaging kera salaiPantim
DayHariHaik
PeopleOrangUwang/Eang
TellBeritahu/KhabarKaba

Dialects

Temuan is divided into two major dialects, namely Belandas and Mantra, which differ mostly in terms of phonology and to some extent vocabulary but are still mutually intelligible.
Comparison between Belandas and Mantra dialects:
Sample of Temuan Belandas dialect – diak, hajak, kitak, tai.
Sample of Temuan Mantra dialect – dien, hajen, kiten, tea.