mbf ISO 639

Peranakan Autonyms

Malay, Baba

  • Geography

    SG Mainly Kallang district, near city center; Geylang and Jao Chiat districts.
  • Language Cloud

A language of Singapore

mbf
Baba, Chinese Malay, Low Malay, Straits Malay
Peranakan
10,000 in Singapore (Pakir 1986). Ethnic population: 250,000 (1986). Total users in all countries: 12,000.
Mainly Kallang district, near city center; Geylang and Jao Chiat districts.
Malaysia: Peninsular
8a (Moribund).
Creole, Malay based
None known. Baba Malay developed after 15th century from Low Malay with many Min Nan Chinese [nan] borrowings. Regional variants between Malacca and Singapore. Partially intelligible with Standard Malay [zsm]. It is generally believed that Baba of Malaysia is more refined, and that of Singapore more rough. Most learn Standard Malay and English in school. Distinct from Peranakan Indonesian [pea]. Baba in Melaka, Malaysia speak a Hokkien-influenced Malay creole; those in Penang, Malaysia speak a localized version of Hokkien [nan] (2006 Tan Chee Beng).
Mainly in the home. Older adults only. Shifted to Malay [zlm]. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn]. Also use Min Nan Chinese [nan]. Also use Yue Chinese [yue].
NT: 1913–2007.
Latin script [Latn].
OLAC resources in and about Malay, Baba
Malay, Baba
2,000 in Malaysia (Salleh 2006).
Melaka: Melaka city area and nearby coast; Pulau Pinang: Malacca Straits, Pinang island.
8a (Moribund)
Older adults only. Shifted to Malay [zlm]. Used as L2 by Malaccan Malay Creole [ccm].
Non-indigenous. Developed since the 15th century from Low Malay with many Hokkien Chinese borrowings. Lim (1981) and Holm (1989) treat it as a Malay-based creole.
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