Iban language


The Iban language is spoken by the Iban, a branch of the Dayak ethnic group, who live in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan and in Brunei. It belongs to the Malayic languages, a Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family.

Classification

Iban is classified as a Malayic language, a Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family. The language is closely related to Malay, more closely to Sarawakian Malay. It is thought that the homeland of the Malayic languages is in western Borneo, where the Ibanic languages remain. The Malayan branch represents a secondary dispersal, probably from central Sumatra but possibly also from Borneo.

Background

The Iban language is the native language of the Iban people, who fall under the general grouping of "Dayak". Previously, the Iban were referred to during the colonial period as "Sea Dayaks". Their homeland is the island of Borneo, which is politically divided between Malaysia and Indonesia; the Iban can mostly be found in the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
The language is mostly taught to students in rural areas with a majority Iban population, including Baleh, Betong, Sri Aman, Saratok, Lubok Antu, Pelagus, Pakan and Julau. In big cities liked Kuching, only a small number of school teaches Iban language. This is due to the limited amount of teacher who are capable of teaching Iban language. Form 5 and Form 3 students are allowed to take Iban language in their SPM & PT3 exam.

Dialects

The Iban can be subdivided into different sub-ethnic groups, each of which speak in different dialects. The most formal, intermediate, and working dialect is the Saribas dialect, and mainly Betong and Saratok. Others such as Balau, Sebuyau, Ulu Ai, and Rejang are mutually intelligible throughout the Sarawak region. The exception is the Iban Remun/milikin dialect, which is still understood by Ibans from other districts. In West Kalimantan, dialects such as Bugau, Seberuang, Mualang, Chengkang, Sebaru, and Dau are more disparate.

Dialect comparison

EnglishStandard IbanRemun/Milikin
NoEndaEntai
SeeMedaNgilau
KnowNemuBadak
ShirtGariKelatang
RunBelandaBelawa
Silence!Anang inggarSengian
StupidBeli'/Palui/bangkaLabuan
No/Did notNadaiEntai
TomorrowPagilaPagi
LaterLagi/legiIla
MatTikaiKelaya
GoodManahNyelaie

-Sample phases in Iban Remun-
EnglishStandard IbanSebuyau/Kua'
YouNuanKua'
WhyLapaMentang
StupidTuyu, beliBanga
NoEndaAdai
LaterLagiIla
TomorrowPagilaPagi
KnowNemuSiba
To hurryBeguai/BerumbanTemengat
Side dishesEngkayuHempah
Come outPansutTemenyul
RestlessKekasakKekajal
UntidyTemerakKemada
Like thisBaka nyaBaka nia
CausesNgasuhMela
ShockedTekenyitTekanyat
SlowLubahLumbu

Phonology

Iban has the following consonant inventory:

Consonants

Vowels

Iban has a six-vowel systen, with five cardinal vowels plus schwa:
FrontCentralBack
Closeiu
Mideəo
Opena

Vowel sounds are nasalized when preceded by a nasal consonant.

Writing system

Although the Iban language is presently written using the Latin alphabet, an Iban syllabary was devised by Dunging anak Gunggu, who reportedly spent fifteen years from 1947 to 1962 devising the script. Twenty generations before Dunging, which would represent approximately 400–600 years, an ancestor named Renggi also devised a script, but it was apparently lost in a flood. The Iban syllabary is published but is not widely distributed; recent efforts by Dr. Bromeley Philip of Universiti Teknologi MARA to promote and revitalize the use of script have resulted in the creation of digital fonts, a teaching program, and the transcription of several traditional folktales.
In 2010, extending Dunging's work, Dr Bromeley Philip of Universiti Teknologi MARA Sarawak developed computer fonts for the Iban alphabet, called LaserIban. His aim is to help preserve the Iban alphabet in digital form in the modern world. The LaserIban is available for Windows and Macintosh computers and is completely cross-platform compatible.

Grammar

Lexical roots can be expanded by many affixes in Iban, as exemplified here with the verb gagai.
There are four types of affixes in Iban language, namely prefixes, suffixes, circumfixes and infixes.
Type of noun affixesAffixExample of root wordExample of derived word
Prefixpe-mangah pemangah
pen-datai penatai
penge-rindu pengerindu
be-reta bereta
bepe-rindang beperindang
beke- betekitang bekekitang
ke-rimpak kerimpak
m- n- me- nge- nyepanduk manduk
di-sium disium
dipe-jaku dipejaku
se-iku seiku, siku
sepe-panjai sepemanjai
te-indik terindik
Infixtitik teritik
Suffix-kapasuk pasukka
-igaram garami, gerami
Circumfixng-...-knayah ngayahka
be-...-kakena bekenaka

Other examples:
Iban has separate words for inclusive and exclusive we, and distinguishes singular, dual, and plural.
singulardualplural
First-person exclusiveakukami səduaikami
First-person inclusive---tuakitai
Second persondeʔ
noan		deʔ səduai
noan səduai		kitaʔ
Third personiyasəduaisidaʔ

Sample
Mostly pronouns are put after subjects

Possessive pronouns

Sample phases:
There are three demonstrative determiners in Iban. Tu "this, these" is used for a noun which is generally near to the speaker, nya "that, those" is used for a noun which is generally far from the speaker and "Nyin" which is the furthest from the speaker.
PronounIbanEnglish
tubup tuThis book, these books
nyaukui nyaThat dog, those dogs
nyinbungai nyinThat flower

These words can also act as demonstrative pronouns where they can stands on theirs own, replacing rather than modifying a noun.
Example:
In Iban, demonstrative pronouns are words that show which person or thing is being referred in relation to the location of the addressee to the speaker. There are three demonstrative pronouns in Iban depending on location to the speaker. They can only be used to refer to an addressee and cannot be used to refer to inanimate objects.
SpaceFormGloss
Proximaliya tuthis person
Medialiya nyathat person
Distaliya nyinthe other person

Examples:

Demonstrative adverbs

Demonstrative adverbs in Iban are closely related to the demonstrative pronouns in Iban grammar. For example, corresponding to the demonstrative pronouns are the adverbs such as kitu, kia and kin equivalent adverbs corresponding to the demonstrative pronoun this are tu, nya and nyin.
SpaceFormGloss
Proximalkitugoing here
Medialkiagoing there
Distalkingoing there or going yonder

Examples:
SpaceFormGloss
Proximaldituhere
Medialdiathere
Distaldinthere or yonder

Examples:
Iban also has a set of adverbs referring to manner. They are a combination of baka and the abbreviated determiner forms tu, nya and nyin.
SpaceFormGloss
Proximalbaka tulike this, this way
Medialbaka nyalike that, that way
Distalbaka nyinlike that, that way

Examples:

Numbers

Family

Days

Example:
Tulat tua betemu - We'll meet again the third day.
Ensanus ku bisi meda iya - I saw him two days ago.

Months

The Iban calendar is one month ahead of the Gregorian calendar as follows:
IbanEnglish/Gregorian
Empalai rubaiJanuary
Emperega/EmpekapFebruary
LelangMarch
Turun panggulApril
Sandih tundanMay
TujuhJune
Berenggang rebanJuly
KelebunAugust
Labuh benihSeptember
Gantung sendukOctober
ChechangukNovember
Pangka di labuDecember

Sample phrases

Bible Translation

Genesis 1:1-3

Ba pun iya kelia, lebuh Allah Taala berengkah ngaga langit enggau dunya, dunya endang apin bisi bakal tauka gamal sereta nadai utai nguan. Semina ribut ti deras ari Allah Taala aja ti bepuput atas tasik ti agi petang. Allah Taala lalu bejaku, “Awakka penampak pegari.” Penampak lalu pegari. Allah Taala meda penampak nya manah; lalu Iya nyeraraka penampak nya ari pemetang. Iya ngumbai penampak nya “Siang” lalu pemetang nya dikumbai Iya “Malam.” Lemai ambis lalu pagi pen datai. Nya hari ti keterubah.

Translation

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The spirit of God was hovering over the water. Then God said, "Let there be light!" So there was light. God saw the light was good. So God separated the light from the darkness. God named the light "day", and the darkness he named "night". There was evening, then morning, the first day.