Malaysia Languages

Malaysia Wiki Topics

Malaysia Beginning Research

Finding Town of Origin Getting Started Online Learning Record Finder Research Strategies

Record Types

Business & Occupations Cemeteries Census Church Records Civil Registration Colonial Records Compiled Genealogies Directories Emigration & Immigration Land & Property Notarial Records Online Genealogy Records Probate Records Religious Records Taxation Websites

Malaysia Background

Church History For Further Reading History Languages Maps Naming Customs Periodicals Social Life & Customs

Malaysia Genealogical Word Lists

Dutch

Cultural Groups

Cultural Groups

Local Research Resources

Archives & Libraries Societies Local FamilySearch Center

Malaysia

Languages

Description

• The national, or official, language is Malay which is the mother tongue of the majority Malay ethnic group.
• The main ethnic groups within Malaysia are the Malays, Chinese and Indians, with many other ethnic groups represented in smaller numbers, each with its own languages.
• The largest native languages spoken in East Malaysia are the Iban, Dusunic, and Kadazan languages.
• Malaysia contains speakers of 137 living languages, 41 of which are found in Peninsular Malaysia.
• English is widely understood and spoken in service industries and is a compulsory subject in primary and secondary school. It is also the main language spoken in most private colleges and universities. English may take precedence over Malay in certain official contexts as provided for by the National Language Act, especially in the states of Sabah and Sarawak, where it may be the official working language.

Word List(s)

Malay

• Useful Malay phrases (Omniglot)
• 1,000 Most Common Malay Words (101Languages)
• 100 Basic Malay Vocabularies (Pinhok Languages)

Chinese - Malaysian Mandarin

• Chinese Genealogical Word List
• Useful Mandarin Chinese phrases (Omniglot)
• 121 Core Chinese Words — The Most Commonly Used Words in Mandarin Chinese (Fluent in 3 Months)

Iban

• Useful Iban phrases (Omniglot)
• Iban Word List (Borneo Dictionary)
• Iban Phrasebook (Wikitravel)

Kadazan

• Useful phrases in Central Dusun, a variety of Kadazan Dusun (Omniglot)
• Useful phrases in Coastal Kadazan, a variety of Kadazan Dusun (Omniglot)

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Malay

• Malay Alphabet and Pronunciation (Wikipedia)
• Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)

Chinese - Malaysian Mandarin

• Chinese - Malaysian Mandarin Alphabet and Pronunciation (Wikipedia)
• Mandarin Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)

Iban

• Iban Alphabet and Pronunciation (Wikipedia)
• Iban Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)

Kadazan

• Kadazan Alphabet and Pronunciation (Wikipedia)
• Kadazandusun Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)

Language Aids and Dictionaries

Malay

• English to Malay Dictionary (Glosbe)
• Malay Dictionary (Lexilogos)
• Oey, Thomas, and Sharifah Zahrah Alwee Alkadri. Everyday Malay : phrasebook and dictionary. Singapore: Tuttle Publishing, 2012. Available at: WorldCat.
• Malay : phrasebook and dictionary. Carlton: Lonely Planet, 2020. Available at: WorldCat.
• Malay Language Basic's (YouTube)

Chinese - Malaysian Mandarin

• Chinese Dictionary (Lexilogos)
• English to Chinese Dictionary (Glosbe)
• Learn Chinese (Duolingo)
• Chinese Core 100 Word List (Chinese Class 101)
• Free Mandarin Chinese Online Lessons (China Education Center)

Iban

• English to Iban Dictionary (Glosbe)
• The Sound of the Iban language (YouTube)

Kadazan

• English to Kadazan Dusun Dictionary (Glosbe)

Additional Resources

• Malaysia (Britannica)
• Malaysia (Wikitravel)