Glottolog: nort2682 | ||
Geographic
distribution: Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand Linguistic classification: Austroasiatic
Aslian
Jahaic Subdivisions: Chewong
Eastern
Tonga
Western | ||
The Jahaic languages (also called Semang and North Aslian) 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 Chewong, which is spoken south of Semai. The other languages apart from Tonga can be split into two divisions:
(unclassified) Tonga (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), which was 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).