Native to Indonesia Native speakers 350,000 (2000 census) Glottolog reja1240 | Ethnicity Rejangese ISO 639-3 rej | |
Writing system Latin (Rejangese alphabet)
Historically Kaganga script Language family Austronesian languages, Malayo-Polynesian languages Regions North Musi Rawas Regency, Bengkulu |
Rejangese (Rejangese: Baso Jang/Baso Həjang, pronounced as basɔ ɟaŋɡ/basɔ dʒaŋɡ, basɔ həɟaŋɡ/basɔ hədʒaŋ ) is an Austronesian languages predominantly spoken by the Rejangese people in southwestern height of Sumatra (Bengkulu), Indonesia. There are five dialects, spread from mountainous region to the coastal region of Bengkulu, including the Cu'up dialect, the Lebong dialect, the Payang dialect, the Rawas dialect, and the Utara dialect (Pəsisia).
Contents
Rejangese was written with the Rejang script for a long time. The script is thought to pre-date the introduction of Islam to the area in the 12th century CE, although the earliest attested document has been dated to the mid 18th century. It is traditionally written on bamboo, buffalo horn, bark or copper plates. It was only recently that the Latin alphabet was introduced as a way of writing the language.
Classification
Rejangese is not obviously close to other Malayo-Polynesian languages. McGinn (2009) classified it among the Bidayuh languages of Borneo, closest to Bukar Sadong. It may be that it is related to the newly described language Nasal, but that is speculative at this point.
Sample Text
The following is a sample text in Rejangese, of the Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (by the United Nations):
Kutə tun tu'un mai dənio coa teket ngən punyo hak-hak dik samo. Kutə nə nəlie Diwo akəa ngən atəi, kərno o kəlak nə bəkuat ba do dik luyən nak ləm asai dəpasuakGloss (word-to-word):
Article 1 – All of human was born not bonded and have an equal rights. They given by God a way to think and conscience, because of it they need be friends each other in the sense of brotherhood.Translation (grammatical):
Article 1 – All human beings are born free and equal in ranking and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.