Jahaic languages

Last updated
Northern Aslian
Jehaic
Geographic
distribution
Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand, possibly in the Great Nicobar Island
Linguistic classification Austroasiatic
Subdivisions
Glottolog nort2682

The Northern Aslian languages (also called Jehaic or Semang) are a group of Aslian languages spoken by about 5,000 people in inland areas of Peninsular Malaysia, with a few pockets in southern Thailand. The most distinctive language in the group is the outlier Cheq Wong, which is spoken south of the Central Aslian language Semai. The other languages apart from Tonga can be split into two divisions:

(unclassified) Ten'edn (Mos, Maniq)

The name Maniq (Məniʔ, Maniʔ) can refer to either Kensiu or Tonga, both of which also go by the name of Mos.

Some Aslian languages are already extinct, such as Wila' (also called Bila' or Lowland Semang), a language or various languages recorded having been spoken on the Province Wellesley coast opposite Penang in the early 19th century. Another extinct language is Ple-Temer, which was previously spoken near Gerik in northern Perak (Benjamin 2011).

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Batek people Group of Malaysian indigenous people

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The Maniq or Mani are an ethnic group of Thailand. They are more widely known in Thailand as the Sakai, a controversial derogatory term meaning 'slave' or 'barbarism'. They are the only Negrito group in Thailand and speak a variety of related Aslian languages, primarily Kensiu and Ten'edn. They have their own language, culture, and no alphabet.

The Southern Aslian languages are a sub-branch of the Aslian branch of the Austroasiatic language family. They have also been referred to as the Semelaic languages, but this label is no longer used. The four languages that make up the branch are:

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The Senoi are a group of Malaysian peoples classified among the Orang Asli, the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. They are the most numerous of the Orang Asli and widely distributed across the peninsula. The Senois speak various branches of Aslian languages, which in turn form a branch of Austroasiatic languages. Many of them are also bilingual in the national language, the Malaysian language.

Kensiu (Kensiw) is an Austro-asiatic language of the Jahaic subbranch. It is spoken by a small community of 300 in Yala Province in southern Thailand and also reportedly by a community of approximately 300 speakers in Western Malaysia in Perak and Kedah States. Speakers of this language are Negritos who are known as the Mani people or Maniq of Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jah Hut language</span> Austroasiatic language spoken in Malaysia

Jah Hut is an Austroasiatic language spoken around the Krau river in peninsular Malaysia. The Jah Hut are one of the indigenous Orang Asli peoples.

Mah Meri, also known as Besisi, Cellate, Hma’ Btsisi’, Ma’ Betisek, and “Orang Sabat”, is an Austroasiatic language spoken in the Malay Peninsula. Along with Semaq Beri, Semelai and Temoq, Mah Meri belongs to the Southern Aslian branch of the Aslian languages. Mah Meri is the only remaining Aslian language spoken in a coastal area and its speaker population is 3,675 as recorded at the Orang Asli Museum in Gombak. A dictionary of the Mah Meri language has been compiled by Nicole Kruspe.

Temiar is a Central Aslian (Mon–Khmer) language spoken in Western Malaysia by the Temiar people. The Temiar are one of the most numerous Aslian-speaking peoples, numbering around 30,000 in 2017.

Jahai (Jehai) is an aboriginal Mon–Khmer language spoken by the Jahai people living in the montane rainforests of northern Peninsular Malaysia and southernmost Thailand. It is the largest Northern Aslian language. Though spoken by only a little more than 1,000 people, Jahai does not appear to be in immediate danger of extinction due to the prevalence of Jahai parents passing on the language to their children as their mother tongue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheq Wong language</span> Austroasiatic language spoken in Malaysia

Cheq Wong is an Austroasiatic language spoken in the Malay Peninsula. It belongs to the Northern subbranch of the Aslian languages. Northern Aslian was labelled Jehaic in the past.

Ten'edn, also known as Mos in Thailand and Tonga-Mos or just Tonga in some literature, is an aboriginal Mon–Khmer language spoken by the Maniq tribe of Thailand and Malaysia.

Batek is an Aslian language of Malaysia, spoken by the Batek people. The Mintil, Dèq and Nong dialects may be separate languages. The number of speakers is small and decreasing.

Kintaq, or Kentaq Bong, is an Austroasiatic language spoken in Malaysia and Thailand. It belongs to the Northern Aslian sub-branch of the Aslian languages. The small number of speakers is decreasing.

Temoq is a severely endangered Austroasiatic language spoken in the state of Pahang in the Malay Peninsula. Temoq belongs to the Southern branch of the Aslian languages, along with Semelai, Semaq Beri, and Mah Meri.

Semaq Beri is an Austroasiatic language spoken in the Malay Peninsula in the states of Pahang and Terengganu. It belongs to the Southern division of the Aslian languages, along with Semelai, Temoq, and Mah Meri. A preliminary description of the Semaq Beri language by Nicole Kruspe was published in 2014.

Cheq Wong people Group of indigenous people of Malaysia

Cheq Wong people are an indigenous Orang Asli people of the Senoi branch in Peninsular Malaysia. Although they have the physical appearance of the Senoi sub-group, the Cheq Wong language that they speak is closely related to the Northern Aslian languages.

Jedek is an Aslian language from the Austroasiatic family first reported in 2017. Jedek speakers describe themselves as ethnic Menriq or Batek to outsiders, but their language, although very closely related, is distinct from these languages.

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