Language/Ambonese-malay

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Facts about Ambonese Malay[edit | edit source]

Language code (ISO 639-3): abs
Other names for "Ambonese Malay": Ambonese, Ambong, Bahasa Ambon, Bahasa Melaju Ambon, Malayu Ambon, Moluccan (Maluku) Malay
The Ambonese Malay language is spoken in: Indonesia

Ambonese Malay is a language of Indonesia. Numbering 245,000 (1987, J. Collins), its speakers are mainly found in the center of the Moluccas, notably in the islands of Ambon, Haruku, Nusa Laut (en) and Saparua, as well as on the coast of Ceram, and in the southern Moluccas. There are also people speaking this language in the Netherlands and the United States, mainly political refugees from the Republic of South Moluccas and their families.

It appeared since the 17th century. It was first brought by traders from western Indonesia, then expanded when the Dutch Empire colonized the Maluku Islands. It was the first example of transliteration from Malay to Roman script and used as a tool of missionaries in eastern Indonesia. Malay was taught in schools and churches in Ambon and as such became a lingua franca in and around Ambon. Christian speakers use Ambonese Malay as their mother tongue, while Muslims speak it as a second language as they have their own language. The Muslims of Ambon Island particularly live in several areas of Ambon Municipality, dominant in Salahutu and Leihitu Peninsula. While in the Lease Islands, the Ambonese-speaking Christian community is dominant in part of the Haruku, Saparua and Nusa Laut islands. Ambonese Malay Creole has also become a lingua franca in Buru, Seram, Geser-Gorom and the southwestern Maluku Islands, but with different accents. Ambonese Malay is based on Malay with great influence from both European languages as well as vocabularies or grammatical structures from indigenous languages. He is famous for his melodious accent. Muslim and Christian speakers tend to make different vocabulary choices.