Semai

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A language of Malaysia

ISO 639-3
sea
Alternate Names
Semay, Seng’oi, Sengoi, Senoi, “Central Sakai” (pej.)
Autonym
Semai
User Population

45,000 (2020 G. Benjamin).

Location

Pahang state: northwest; Perak state: south; Selangor state: north.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). The lingua franca of the Malaysian Aslian military armed forces unit (Bradley 2007a).

Classification
Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Aslian, Senoic
Dialects

Jelai, Perak I, Perak II, Cameron (Cameron Highlands), Telom, Bidor, Betau, Lipis, Bil, Ulu Kampar (Kampar), Gopeng, Tanjung Malim, Parit, Tapah (Jalan Pahang). Some dialects not mutually intelligible (2006 T. Phillips).

Language Use

Vigorous. Cameron Highlands dialect is used on radio and is a school language (Bradley 2007a). Home, church, village. Used by all. Positive attitudes. All also use Malay [zlm] (Bradley 2007a). Some also use Temiar [tea] (Bradley 2007a).

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 5%. Literacy rate in L2: 60%. Literacy in Semai growing. Literature. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1951–2011.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Semai
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

‘Sakai’, slave. ‘Sengoi’, people, in Semai. West Semai more acculturated to Malay society than east Semai.