Semai language


Semai is a Mon–Khmer language of western Malaysia spoken by about 44,000 Semai people. It is perhaps the only Aslian language which is not endangered, and even has 2,000 monolingual speakers.
One notable aspect of Semai phonology is its highly irregular pattern of expressive reduplication, showing discontiguous copying from just the edges of the reduplicant's base, thus forming a minor syllable.
Examples of words in Semai:
EnglishMalaySemai
ISayaEng
EatMakanCak
DrinkMinumNgaut
BatheMandiMehmu
CleanBersihParlain
GoodBagusBor
ChickenAyamBafung/Fung
RiceBerasCengroy
MushroomCendawanCenai
WhyKenapaJalek
HowBagaimanaRahalook

Phonology

Vowels

FrontCentralBack
Closeĩ ĩːɨ̃ ɨ̃ːũ ũː
Midɛ̃ ɛ̃ːə̃ɔ̃ ɔ̃ː
Openɑ̃ ɑ̃ː

Consonants