TRANSLATE FROM / TO MALAY

Services of translation from / into Malay in our translation agency are performed by certified professional translators of Malay language.

We provide translation from / into Malay for both enterprises, including state organizations, and for private individuals as well. Our services involve all types of written / oral translation from / into Malay, including simultaneous interpretation.

SOME FACTS

The Malay language is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who are native to the Malay peninsula, southern Thailand, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, and parts of the coast of Borneo. It is the official language of Malaysia and Brunei, and is one of four official languages of Singapore. It is also used as a working language in East Timor. It is practically the same as or mutually intelligible with Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of Indonesia, but differentiated in name for political reasons.

The official standard for Malay, as agreed upon by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, is Bahasa Riau, the language of the Riau Archipelago, long considered the birthplace of the Malay language.

In Malaysia, it is known as Bahasa Melayu or Bahasa Malaysia, which means the Malay, or Malaysian, language. The latter term, which was introduced by the National Language Act 1967, was predominant until the 1990s, when most academics and government officials reverted to the older term, which is used in the Malay version of the Federal Constitution. Indonesia adopted a form of Malay as its official language upon independence, naming it Bahasa Indonesia. In Singapore and Brunei it is known simply as Malay or Bahasa Melayu. The reason for adopting these terms is political rather than a reflection of linguistic distinctiveness, as standard Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia are mutually intelligible. However, many Malay dialects are not as mutually intelligible: e.g. Kelantanese pronunciation is difficult even for some Malaysians to understand, while Javanese Malay tends to have a lot of words unique to it which will be unfamiliar to other speakers of Malay. The language spoken by the Peranakan (Straits Chinese, a hybrid of Chinese settlers from the Ming Dynasty and local Malays) is a unique patois of Malay and the Chinese dialect of Hokkien, which is mostly spoken in the former Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. The use of this interesting language is dying out, however, with the Peranakan now choosing to speak either Hokkien or English.

MALAY: a language of Malaysia (Peninsular)
SIL code: MLI
ISO 639-1: ms
ISO 639-2(B): may
ISO 639-2(T): msa

Population 7,181,000 or 47% of the population (1986), including 248,757 in Sarawak (1980 census), 2,000,000 in Kelantan and Trengganu, and 1,000,000 in other parts of Malaysia; 10,000,000 in Malaysia including second language speakers (1977 SIL). Population total all countries 18,000,000 or more.

Region All districts of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. Also spoken in Brunei, Indonesia (Sumatra), Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, USA.

Alternate names BAHASA MALAYSIA, BAHASA MALAYU, MALAYU, MELAJU, MELAYU, STANDARD MALAY

Dialects TRENGGANU, KELANTAN, KEDAH, PERAK (SOUTHERN MALAY), SARAWAK MALAY, BAZAAR MALAY (LOW MALAY, PASAR MALAY, PASIR MALAY, TRADE MALAY).

Classification Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian, Sundic, Malayic, Malayan, Local Malay.

Comments 'Bazaar Malay' is used to refer to many regional nonstandard dialects. Over 80% cognate with Indonesian. Bilingualism in English, Chinese, Tamil. National language. Grammar. SVO. Roman and Arabic (Jawi) scripts. Agriculturalists: wet and dry rice, rubber, fruits, vegetables; fishermen. Bible 1733-1993.

Also spoken in:
Brunei Language name MALAY
Alternate names STANDARD MALAY
Comments Used only in formal domains, like religion, government. Official language. Taught in school through third grade. Used in the classroom through the final year. Newspapers, radio programs, TV. Sunni Muslim. Bible 1733-1993.


Indonesia (Sumatra) Language name MALAY
Population 10,000,000 in Indonesia (1981 Wurm and Hattori) including 2,000,000 in Riau, 40,000 in Bangka, 170,000 in Belitung.
Alternate names MELAYU, MALAYU, MELAJU, BAHASA MELAYU, BAHASA MALAYU, STANDARD MALAY
Dialects RIAU (RIOUW-LINGGA, JOHOR), JAKARTA, SAMBAS, DELI, MELAYU PASAR (BAZAAR MALAY, PASIR), BORNEO (SINTANG), KOTA-WARINGIN, SUKADANA, MAKAKAU, IRIANESE, MAKASSARESE, MANADONESE (MENADONESE), LABU (LEBU, LABU BASAP), RITOK (SIANTAN, PONTIANAK), BALIKPAPAN, SAMPIT, BAKUMPAI, WEST BORNEO COAST MALAY, BELIDE, LENGKAYAP, AJI, DAYA, MULAK, BANGKA, BELITUNG, LARANTUKA (ENDE MALAY), BASA KUPANG (KUPANG), PERANAKAN.
Comments See separate entries for Kalimantan: Kutai Malay, Berau Malay, Bukit; Maluku: Ambonese Malay, Bacan Malay, North Moluccan Malay; Nusa Tenggara: Kupang Malay; Sumatra: Enim, Kaur, Kayu Agung, Lematang, Lembak, Jambi Malay, Lintang, Penesak, Rawas, Sindang Kelingi. Some listed as dialects are probably not inherently intelligible with Standard Malay or Indonesian. Kupang Malay and Larantuka Malay in Nusa Tenggara are very similar to each other. Over 80% cognate with Indonesian (J. Echols). Investigation needed: intelligibility with dialects. Sunni Muslim. Bible 1733-1993.


Singapore Language name MALAY
Population 396,000 in Singapore (1985 estimate), 15.5% of the population.
Alternate names BAHASA MALAY, MELAYU
Comments Mandarin and Hokien are used as second languages by some, and 70% use English. Ethnic groups who speak Malay: Malay 339,000, 85%; Javanese 21,000, 5%; Indians 14,000, 3.5%; Bawean Madurese 14,000, 3.5%; Arabs 2,500, .6%; Bugis 500, .1%. English used at home by 7%. National language. Literacy rate in second language: 85%. Sunni Muslim, Christian. Bible 1733-1993.

Thailand Language name MALAY
Alternate names BAHASA MALAY, MELAYU
Comments Shafi Muslim. Bible 1733-1993.