Brunei

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A language of Brunei

ISO 639-3
kxd
Alternate Names
Brunei-Kadayan, “Orang Bukit” (pej.)
Autonym
Brunei, Melayu Brunei, ملايو بروني‎ (Melayu Brunei)
User Population

270,000 in Brunei (2019), increasing. Total users in all countries: 321,000.

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Originated and used as trade language in the archipelago of the Brunei sultanate centuries before British protectorate (1888–1984). Used as lingua franca between ethnic groups, widely used by young people.

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Dialects

Brunei Malay, Kadayan (Kadaian, Kadian, Kadien, Kadyan, Karayan, Kedayan, Kedien, Kedyan, Kerayan), Kampong Ayer. Lexical similarity: 94%–95% between Brunei and the Kampong Ayer dialects, 80%–82% with Standard Malay [zsm]. A member of macrolanguage Malay [msa].

Language Use

Vigorous. Used in Bandar Seri Begawan and surrounding areas, and by young people and educated older people from different language or dialect backgrounds. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Standard Malay [zsm]. Used as L2 by Belait [beg], Brunei Bisaya [bsb], Central Melanau [mel].

Language Development

Literature. Periodicals. Radio. Videos. Dictionary.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Brunei
Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Brunei and Kadayan are recognized indigenous groups. Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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