Iban language

Iban
Spoken in	Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei
Region	Borneo
Native speakers	700,000  (date missing)
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian (MP) Nuclear MP Malayic Ibanic (Malayic Dayak) Ibanic proper Iban
Language codes
ISO 639-2	iba
ISO 639-3	iba

The Iban language (jaku Iban) is spoken by the Iban, a branch of the Dayak ethnic group formerly known as "Sea Dayak" who live in Sarawak, the Indonesian province of Kalimantan Barat and in Brunei. It belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family, and is related to Malay, more closely to Sarawakian Malay. The Iban language is also a subject tested in PMR and SPM, the Malaysian public examination for Form 3 and Form 5 students respectively. Students comment that questions from these exams mostly cover the classic Iban language, making them a daunting task for many who are more fluent in the contemporary tongue. The language is mostly taught to students in rural areas with a majority Iban population, including Baleh (Kapit), Betong, Saratok, Lubok Antu and Pelagus (Kapit).

Dialects

Iban has different ethnic groups. Each of them speak in different dialects. For some dialects in Sarawak such as Remuns, Balaus, Sebuyaus, Ulu Ai, or Rejangs, they can still understand each other. But it will be hard if they speak with other dialects in Kalimantan such as Bugaus, Seberuangs, Mualangs, Chengkangs, Sebaruks, Daus and the other.

Dialects between Sarawak Ibans and Mualang

English	Balau(Sarawak)	Mualang(Kalimantan)
Rooster	Manok	Renyau
Smell	Nyium	Lulum
Stupid	Tuyu, banga	Mawa
Twins	sapit	Rakup
Window	Penyinga/jenila	Telingu'
Father	Apai	Mpai
Feel	Asai	Asa'
And	Enggau	Aba'
Animal	Jelu	Ibun
Arrange	Tusun	Tunsun, tipan
Breathe	Seput	Penyuan

Phonology

vowel

	Front vowel	Central vowel	Back vowel
close vowel	i [i]		u [u]
half-close vowel	e [e]	ə [ə]	o [o]
open vowel		a [a]

Alphabet

The Iban language is written using Latin Alphabet and consist of 22 characters:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Grammar

The prefix is used to show work or something action to be. Prefix is put in front of the verb. There's a lot of prefix use in Iban language. For example jalai used in many style of prefix base on condition of the word.

Jalai - Walk

Bejalai - Walking

Dijalai - Be walked

Dipejalai - Had been walking

Tejalai - Was walked

Sayau - Love

Besayau - Loving

Disayau - Was loved

Disayauka - Was loved by

Penyayau - The love

Kiroh - Busy

Bekiroh - Busying

Ngirohka - Be busying

Pengiroh - The busy

Prefix

b-

be-

beke-

bete-

bel-

ber-

bes-

di- di-

dike-

dipe-

diper-

em-

en-

em-

en-

eng-

ke- ke-

kem-

m- m-

me-

n-

n-

ng-

nge-

ny-

pe-

pe-

pel-

pem-

pen-

peng-

penge-

eny-

per-

se-

se-

sem-

seng-

sepem-

sepen-

sepeng-

te-

te-

ter-

beke-

bekekaung (kaung-kaung)

bekekebap (kebap-kebap)

bekekiak (kiak-kiak)

bete-

betekating (kating-kating)

beteketik (ketik-ketik)

betekuir (kuir-kuir)

Sample lexicon

Iban	English
Agi'	Again
Aja	Only
Aku	I, me
Amat	Truly, true
Auk	Yes
Apai	Father
Asai	Feel
Bedau	Not yet
Bai'	Bring
Ba	At
baka	Like
Sebaka	Alike
Baka selama	Same as usual
Baka nya	Like that
Baru	New, just about now
Bejalai	To walk or going for a sojourn
Belanda/belawa	Run
Dani	Wake up
Lenyau	Lost
Laboh	Fall
Makai	Eat
Empa	Eat
Ngelusu	Lazy
Ngirup	Drink
Nuan	You
Nyumai	Cook
Tindok	Sleep
Nemu	Know
Kemari'	Yesterday
Gali'	Lie down
Aram	Let's go
Dini	Where
Kamah	Dirty
Kemi'	Pee
Mereti	Good behavior
Reti	The meaning of
Sayau	Love
Sinu	Sad
suba	Ago
Tabin	Ill
Tuyuk	Stupid
Tambai	Flag
Tandak	Dance
Ukoi/udok	Dog

Sample phrases

Nama brita nuan? - "How are you?"

Sapa nama nuan? - "What is your name?"

Brapa rega utai tu? - "How much is this?"

Dini alai ___? - "Where is ___?"

Ari ni penatai nuan? - "Where are you from?"

Datai ari ___aku. - "I come from ___."

Pukol brapa diatu? - "What is the time now?"

Selamat lemai! - "Good evening!"

Selamat ngalih ari - "Good afternoon"

Selamat datai! - "Welcome!"

Anang manchal! - "Don't be naughty!"

Enda ulih datai - "cannot come"

Anang guai - "hold on" "Don't spoil it"

Nadai ngawa nya/enda ngawa - "nevermind that/it does not matter"

Nyamai, wai - "nice taste"

Pulai/mupok dulu-"I'm going back"

Aram bekelala-"Let's get to know each other"

Pengerindu-"Love, Passion"

Lelengau aku ke nuan-"I miss you/I am missing you"

Manah-"Good"

Jai-"Bad, damaged"

Sapa enggau nuan?-"Who came/is with you?"

Aku enggau ___-"I came / went with ___; I am with ___"

Alau dinga-"Please listen"

Anang inggar / ragak-"Silent, please"

Kini ka nuan?-"Where are you going?"

Mar amat! - "too expensive/difficult"

Tusah endar! - "too difficult"

Kapa nya! - "Couldn't be bothered/careless"

Selamat pagi, Pengajar. - "Good morning, Teacher."

Enda nemu aku tu - "I don't know"

Aram ngirop mih kitai - "Let's all drink"

Aku lelenggau ka nuan - "I miss you"

Sayau - "Love/Darling"

Mupok gawa aku - "I'm going to work"

Ka tindok aku - "I want to go to sleep/bed"

Sapa kitai manchal? - "Who is being naughty?"

Bajik amat nuan - "You are pretty/beautiful (for women)"

Mali - "taboo"

Enda ulih nuan sayauka aku wai - "You can't love me"

Asaika kala pan temu enggau nuan - "I feel like that we had meet before this"

Bible Translation

Apai kami di serega, kudus mih nama nuan, datai mih perintah nuan, jadi peneka nuan, baka ka dalam serega bakanya dalam bumi. Meri ka kami pengidup tiap ari. Ampunka penyalah kami, baka ka kami ti ngampunka urang ti salah ngelaban kami. Intu kami ari penguji, lepas ke kami ari penyai. Laban nuan ti bempu perintah,enggau kuasa enggau mulia. Dataika belama - lama iya. Amin.

Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Thy kingdom come, on earth as in heaven. Gives us our daily bread. Forgive us of our sin, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temtation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours. Now and forever. Amen.

Another Phrases

Apai/Aba'(Informal) - "Father"

Indai/Ama'(Informal) - "Mother"

Aka - "Elder brother/sister"

Adi - "Younger brother/sister"

Aki - "Grandfather"

Ine - "Grandmother"

Jelu - "Animal"

Utai tumboh - "plant"

Ai - "Water"

Babas - "Jungle/Forest"

Ai Ung - "Waterfall"

Pegong - "Pond"

Letong - "Lake"

Tasik - "Sea"

Sungai/Batang - "River"

Langit - "Sky"

Remang - "Cloud"

Kin - "Go there"

Kitok - "Come here"

Din - "There"

Ditok - "Here"

Nya - "That"

Tu - "This"

Kiba - "Left"

Kanan - "Right"

Sources

Anthony Richards, An Iban-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 1981. [Paperback reprint in the 1990s by Penerbit Fajar Bakti, Petaling Jaya.]

Otto Steinmayer, Jalai Jako' Iban, a basic grammar of the Iban language of Sarawak. Klasik Publishing House: Kuching, 1999.

Renang Anak Ansali, Jaku Iban serta basa kitai. University of London Magazine, 2002.

Omniglot: Useful Iban phrases: http://omniglot.com/language/phrases/iban.php

External links

• Ator Sambiang Mass Baru: The Holy Eucharist in Iban (1980) Anglican eucharistic liturgy digitized by Richard Mammana