Baso Minangkabau
Minangkabau
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian, Malayic)
Minangkabau (baso Minangkabau) is the language of the matrilineal Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, Indonesia, with ~5.5M speakers. Closely related to Malay/Indonesian, it preserves more vowel distinctions than standard Malay and has its own oral literary tradition (kaba) of long sung narrative poems. The Minangkabau are renowned for adat matriarchaat, the world's largest matrilineal society, and rantau (tradition of male migration). Historically also written in Jawi (Arabic-derived script) for Islamic religious literature.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Minangkabau
Water
aia
/aia/
Fire
api
/api/
Sun
matoari
/matoaɾi/
Moon
bulan
/bulan/
Star
bintang
/bintaŋ/
Mother
amak
/amaʔ/
Father
abak
/abaʔ/
I
ambo
/ambo/
You
ang
/aŋ/
Name
namo
/namo/
Eye
mato
/mato/
Hand
tangan
/taŋan/
Heart
ati
/ati/
Love
cinto
/tʃinto/
Tree
kayu
/kaju/
House
rumah
/ɾumah/
Dog
anjiang
/aɲdʒiaŋ/
Cat
kuciang
/kutʃiaŋ/
Eat
makan
/makan/
Drink
minum
/minum/
One
ciek
/tʃieʔ/
Two
duo
/duo/
Hello
salam
/salam/
Thank you
tarimo kasiah
/taɾimo kasiah/
Good
rancak
/ɾantʃaʔ/
Computer
komputer
/komˈputər/
Sushi
sushi
/ˈsuʃi/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian, Malayic) languages
| Meaning | Minangkabau | Musi | Malay | Indonesian | Banjar | Iban | North Moluccan Malay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | aia /aia/ | ayek /ajek/ | air /ˈa.ir/ | air /ˈa.ir/ | banyu /baɲu/ | ai /ai/ | aer /aer/ |
| Fire | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | matoari /matoaɾi/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | mata-ari /mataari/ | matahari /matahari/ |
| Moon | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Star | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ |
| Mother | amak /amaʔ/ | mak /mak/ | ibu /ibu/ | ibu /ibu/ | uma /uma/ | indai /indai/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | abak /abaʔ/ | bapak /bapak/ | ayah /ajah/ | ayah /ajah/ | abah /abah/ | apai /apai/ | papa /papa/ |
| I | ambo /ambo/ | aku /aku/ | saya /saja/ | saya /saja/ | aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ | kita /kita/ |
| You | ang /aŋ/ | kau /kau/ | awak /awaʔ/ | kamu /kamu/ | ikam /ikam/ | nuan /nuan/ | ngana /ŋana/ |
| Name | namo /namo/ | namo /namo/ | nama /nama/ | nama /nama/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | nama /nama/ | nama /nama/ |
| Eye | mato /mato/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hand | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | jari /dʒari/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ |
| Heart | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | ati /ati/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ |
| Love | cinto /tʃinto/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | rinduai /rinduai/ | cinta /tʃinta/ |
| Tree | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | pokok /pokoʔ/ | pohon /pohon/ | batang /bataŋ/ | kayu /kaju/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ |
| House | rumah /ɾumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | ruma /ruma/ |
| Dog | anjiang /aɲdʒiaŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | ukui /ukui/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ |
| Cat | kuciang /kutʃiaŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | pusa /pusa/ | mayau /majau/ | ikung /ikuŋ/ |
| Eat | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makai /makai/ | makang /makaŋ/ |
| Drink | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | ngirup /ŋirup/ | minong /minoŋ/ |
| One | ciek /tʃieʔ/ | siko /siko/ | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ | asa /asa/ | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ |
| Two | duo /duo/ | duo /duo/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ |
| Hello | salam /salam/ | halo /halo/ | hai /hai/ | halo /ˈhalo/ | salam /salam/ | salam /salam/ | cerang /tʃeraŋ/ |
| Thank you | tarimo kasiah /taɾimo kasiah/ | terimo kasih /terimo kasih/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | terima kasih /terima kasih/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ |
| Good | rancak /ɾantʃaʔ/ | bagus /baɡus/ | baik /baiʔ/ | baik /baiʔ/ | bagus /baɡus/ | manah /manah/ | bae /bae/ |
| Computer | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /kɔmˈpu.tə(r)/ | komputer /kɔmˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | susyi /suʃi/ | susyi /su.ʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
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