Orang Kanaq language

Orang Kanaq
Pronunciation	[ˈoraŋ ˈkanaʔ]
Spoken in	Malaysia
Native speakers	83  (date missing)
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian (MP) Nuclear MP Malayic Malayan Aboriginal Malay Orang Kanaq
Language codes
ISO 639-3	orn

Orang Kanaq language is one of the Aboriginal Malay languages and it is grouped under the Austonesian Language family.^[1] It is spoken by the Orang Kanaq, which is one of the 19 Orang Asli groups living in Peninsular Malaysia. It is listed as one of the endangered languages in Asia.

Orang Kanaq is a variant of Malay which is distinct from the dialects spoken by ethnic Malays living near them.^[2]

Geographic Distribution

The Orang Asli (lit. "original people") are the aboriginal tribes inhabiting the rainforests of the Malay peninsula. Most are believed to have migrated to the region over a long period between 8000 and 3000 years ago, following the southward movement of peoples throughout South-East Asia. A 1970 census gave an overall figure of nearly 71,000 people.

The Orang Kanaq are one of the Proto-Malay tribes. Proto-Malays live among the straits of Malacca and in Southern Johore. Some have been absorbed into the Malay community.^[3]

Sounds

The language of Orang Kanaq shows similarities to the Malay language, especially in terms of its lexicon and sound system.

Speakers

The Orang Kanaq were originally from Pulau Sekanak in the Riau Islands of Indonesia. They started to migrate to Peninsula Malaysia in around 1784. Initially, they settled at Mawai Lama, Kota Tinggi but relocated to Selayang during the Malayan Emergency during the 1950s.^[4] Currently, they are situated at Kampung Sungai Selangi, Mawai, Kota Tinggi. They are considered to be one of the country's earliest inhabitants even though they have been living on the Peninsula for only about 200 years.

Out of the 147,412 Orang Asli from 18 tribes in Malaysia, the Kanaqs make up the smallest number. The inhabitants of the Sungai Selangi village comprise 87 Orang Kanaq people, including 3 Malays, from 23 families. The village took shape in 1965, with only 40 Kanaq residents from 10 families.^[5]

In the past, the Orang Kanaq were slave workers tapping trees in rubber plantations. Today, they lag behind in modern technology and education and are still working as labourers in rubber and shrub plantations. It is difficult for the close-knitted Orang Kanaq community to be separated as they avoid marrying outsiders. They believe that such unions will bring curses upon their tribe. Low birthrates have caused their numbers to dwindle over the years.^[6]

Although, the population of the Orang Kanaq is dwindling, according to the Center of Orang Asli concern, the Orang Kanaq language is still very much vibrant.^[7]

Study By Non-native Speakers

A study^[8] reported there are only 83 native speakers of the Orang Kanaq Language. It has also reported that all members of the Orang Kanaq tribe are able to understand the language. However, the language's lexicon has largely been influenced by the Malay Language.

See also

• Orang Asli
• Austronesian Languages
• Malay Languages
• Aboriginal Malay languages
• List of endangered languages in Asia

References

1. ^ http://www.sorosoro.org/en/austronesian-languages
2. ^ http://www.kitlv-journals.nl/index.php/btlv/article/viewFile/2923/3684
3. ^ http://www.faqs.org/minorities/South-East-Asia/Orang-Asli-of-the-Malayan-Peninsula.html
4. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/topic,463af2212,497478492,49749ce85,0.html
5. ^ http://www.gomalaysia.net/malaysianews/154-latest-news/1018-smallest-orang-asli-community-in-malaysia
6. ^ http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=14207&rog3=MY
7. ^ http://www.coac.org.my/codenavia/portals/coacv2/code/main/main_art.php?parentID=11489123149742&artID=11492212828044
8. ^ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/6750/1/UKM_2007_4(1-24).pdf

External links

• Joshua Project on Orang Kanaq
• Ethnologue