bhāṣā Mlayu kuna
Old Malay
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian, Malayic) · historical / hidden variety
Old Malay was the official and trade language of the Srivijaya thalassocracy (7-14c. CE). The Kedukan Bukit inscription (683 CE) is the earliest dated Malay text; subsequent inscriptions across Sumatra, Java, and the Malay Peninsula attest its wide use. The Pallava-derived script descends ultimately from South Indian Brahmi. Modern Malay and Indonesian are direct descendants.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Old Malay
Water
ayar
/ajar/
Fire
api
/api/
Sun
matari
/matari/
Moon
bulan
/bulan/
Star
bintang
/bintaŋ/
Mother
ibu
/ibu/
Father
bapa
/bapa/
I
aku
/aku/
You
kamu
/kamu/
Name
ngaran
/ŋaran/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hand
tangan
/taŋan/
Heart
hati
/hati/
Love
sayang
/sajaŋ/
Tree
kayu
/kaju/
House
rumah
/rumah/
Dog
anjing
/andʒiŋ/
Cat
kucing
/kutʃiŋ/
Eat
makan
/makan/
Drink
minum
/minum/
One
sa
/sa/
Two
dua
/dua/
Hello
—
/—/
Thank you
—
/—/
Good
baik
/baik/
Sushi
pekasam
/pəkasam/
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian, Malayic) languages
| Meaning | Old Malay | Musi | Indonesian | Banjar | Malay | Ambon Malay | Simalungun Batak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ayar /ajar/ | ayek /ajek/ | air /ˈa.ir/ | banyu /baɲu/ | air /ˈa.ir/ | aer /aer/ | bah /bah/ |
| Fire | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | apuy /apuj/ |
| Sun | matari /matari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | mata hari /mata hari/ | mata ni ari /mata ni ari/ |
| 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 | ibu /ibu/ | mak /mak/ | ibu /ibu/ | uma /uma/ | ibu /ibu/ | mama /mama/ | inang /inaŋ/ |
| Father | bapa /bapa/ | bapak /bapak/ | ayah /ajah/ | abah /abah/ | ayah /ajah/ | papa /papa/ | bapa /bapa/ |
| I | aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ | saya /saja/ | aku /aku/ | saya /saja/ | beta /beta/ | ahu /ahu/ |
| You | kamu /kamu/ | kau /kau/ | kamu /kamu/ | ikam /ikam/ | awak /awaʔ/ | ose /ose/ | ho /ho/ |
| Name | ngaran /ŋaran/ | namo /namo/ | nama /nama/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | nama /nama/ | nama /nama/ | goran /goran/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hand | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | tangan /taŋan/ |
| Heart | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | uhur /uhur/ |
| Love | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | holong /holoŋ/ |
| Tree | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | pohon /pohon/ | batang /bataŋ/ | pokok /pokoʔ/ | pohon /pohon/ | hayu /haju/ |
| House | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | ruma /ruma/ | rumah /rumah/ |
| Dog | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | baliang /baliaŋ/ |
| Cat | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | pusa /pusa/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | huting /hutiŋ/ |
| Eat | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makang /makaŋ/ | mangan /maŋan/ |
| Drink | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | minum /minum/ | minong /minoŋ/ | minum /minum/ |
| One | sa /sa/ | siko /siko/ | satu /satu/ | asa /asa/ | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ | sada /sada/ |
| Two | dua /dua/ | duo /duo/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | halo /halo/ | halo /ˈhalo/ | salam /salam/ | hai /hai/ | hela /hela/ | horas /horas/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | terimo kasih /terimo kasih/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | diatebei /diatebei/ |
| Good | baik /baik/ | bagus /baɡus/ | baik /baiʔ/ | bagus /baɡus/ | baik /baiʔ/ | bagus /baɡus/ | dear /dear/ |
| Sushi | pekasam /pəkasam/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | susyi /su.ʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | susyi /suʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
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