jaku Iban
Iban
Austronesian (Malayic)
Iban (Jaku Iban) is the principal language of Sarawak's indigenous population, with ~1.5M speakers in Malaysian Sarawak, Indonesian West Kalimantan, and Brunei. Part of the Malayic branch of Austronesian, closely related to Malay/Indonesian — the two are partially mutually intelligible. The Iban (formerly called "Sea Dayaks") were historically the largest Bornean indigenous group and are known for traditional longhouse architecture. The Dunging Iban script was invented in 1947 by Dunging anak Gunggu, a 70-character syllabary still occasionally used for cultural purposes. Recognized as a regional language of Sarawak. Today predominantly written in Latin script.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Iban
Water
ai
/ai/
Fire
api
/api/
Sun
mata-ari
/mataari/
Moon
bulan
/bulan/
Mother
indai
/indai/
Father
apai
/apai/
Eat
makai
/makai/
Drink
ngirup
/ŋirup/
Love
rinduai
/rinduai/
Heart
ati
/ati/
Tree
kayu
/kaju/
House
rumah
/rumah/
Dog
ukui
/ukui/
Cat
mayau
/majau/
Hand
jari
/dʒari/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hello
salam
/salam/
Thank you
terima kasih
/terima kasih/
One
satu
/satu/
Good
manah
/manah/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Malayic) languages
| Meaning | Iban | Banjar | Malay | Musi | Minangkabau | Indonesian | Ambon Malay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ai /ai/ | banyu /baɲu/ | air /ˈa.ir/ | ayek /ajek/ | aia /aia/ | air /ˈa.ir/ | aer /aer/ |
| Fire | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | mata-ari /mataari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matoari /matoaɾi/ | matahari /matahari/ | mata hari /mata hari/ |
| Moon | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Mother | indai /indai/ | uma /uma/ | ibu /ibu/ | mak /mak/ | amak /amaʔ/ | ibu /ibu/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | apai /apai/ | abah /abah/ | ayah /ajah/ | bapak /bapak/ | abak /abaʔ/ | ayah /ajah/ | papa /papa/ |
| Eat | makai /makai/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makang /makaŋ/ |
| Drink | ngirup /ŋirup/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minong /minoŋ/ |
| Love | rinduai /rinduai/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinto /tʃinto/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ |
| Heart | ati /ati/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ |
| Tree | kayu /kaju/ | batang /bataŋ/ | pokok /pokoʔ/ | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | pohon /pohon/ | pohon /pohon/ |
| House | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /ɾumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | ruma /ruma/ |
| Dog | ukui /ukui/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjiang /aɲdʒiaŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ |
| Cat | mayau /majau/ | pusa /pusa/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kuciang /kutʃiaŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ |
| Hand | jari /dʒari/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | salam /salam/ | salam /salam/ | hai /hai/ | halo /halo/ | salam /salam/ | halo /ˈhalo/ | hela /hela/ |
| Thank you | terima kasih /terima kasih/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | terimo kasih /terimo kasih/ | tarimo kasiah /taɾimo kasiah/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ |
| One | satu /satu/ | asa /asa/ | satu /satu/ | siko /siko/ | ciek /tʃieʔ/ | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ |
| Good | manah /manah/ | bagus /baɡus/ | baik /baiʔ/ | bagus /baɡus/ | rancak /ɾantʃaʔ/ | baik /baiʔ/ | bagus /baɡus/ |
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