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The Iban language (jaku Iban) is spoken by the Iban, a branch of the Dayak ethnic group, who live in Brunei, the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan and in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It belongs to the Malayic languages, a Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family.

Iban
Jaku Iban
Native to	Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia
Region	Borneo
Ethnicity	Iban
Native speakers	2,300,000 (2017)[1] 1,700,000 L2 speakers in Malaysia (2017)[1]
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Malayic Ibanic Iban
Writing system	Latin, Dunging
Language codes
ISO 639-2	iba
ISO 639-3	iba
Glottolog	iban1264

Classification

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2020)

Iban is classified as a Malayic language, a Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family. The language is closely related to Malay, more closely to Sarawakian Malay. It is thought that the homeland of the Malayic languages is in western Borneo, where the Ibanic languages remain. The Malayan branch represents a secondary dispersal, probably from central Sumatra but possibly also from Borneo.[2]

Background

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2020)

The Iban language is the native language of the Iban people, who fall under the general grouping of "Dayak"(i.e. native peoples of Borneo). Previously, the Iban were referred to during the colonial period as "Sea Dayaks". Their homeland is the island of Borneo, which is politically divided between Malaysia and Indonesia; the Iban can mostly be found in the Malaysian state of Sarawak.

The language is mostly taught to students in rural areas with a majority Iban population, including Baleh (Kapit), Betong, Sri Aman, Saratok, Lubok Antu, Pelagus (Kapit), Pakan and Julau. In big cities liked Kuching, only a small number of school teaches Iban language. This is due to the limited amount of teacher who are capable of teaching Iban language. Form 5 and Form 3 students are allowed to take Iban language in their SPM & PT3 exam.

Dialects

The Iban can be subdivided into different sub-ethnic groups, each of which speak in different dialects. The most formal, intermediate, and working dialect is the Saribas dialect, and mainly Betong and Saratok. Others such as Balau, Sebuyau, Ulu Ai, and Rejang are mutually intelligible throughout the Sarawak region. The exception is the Iban Remun/Milikin dialect, which is still understood by Ibans from other districts. In West Kalimantan, dialects such as Bugau, Seberuang, Mualang, Chengkang, Sebaru, and Dau are more disparate.

Dialect comparison

Comparison between Sarawak Iban and Mualang

English	Balau (Sarawak)	Mualang (Kalimantan)
Rooster	Manuk	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

Comparison between Standard Iban and Remun

English	Standard Iban	Remun/Milikin
No	Enda	Entai
See	Meda	Ngilau
Know	Nemu	Badak
Shirt	Gari	Kelatang
Run	Belanda	Belawa
Silence!	Anang inggar	Sengian
Stupid	Beli'/Palui/bangka	Labuan
No/Did not	Nadai	Entai
Tomorrow	Pagila	Pagi
Later	Lagi/legi	Ila
Mat	Tikai	Kelaya
Good	Manah	Nyelaie

-Sample phases in Iban Remun-

• Entai ku ngilau – "Nadai aku meda." (I did not see it.)
• Entauk ku badak – "Enda ku nemu." (I don't know.)

Comparison between Standard Iban and Sebuyau

English	Standard Iban	Sebuyau/Kua'
You	Nuan	Kua'
Why	Lapa	Mentang
Stupid	Tuyu, beli	Banga
No	Enda	Adai
Later	Lagi	Ila
Tomorrow	Pagila	Pagi
Know	Nemu	Siba
To hurry	Beguai/Berumban	Temengat
Side dishes	Engkayu	Hempah
Come out	Pansut	Temenyul
Restless	Kekasak	Kekajal
Untidy	Temerak	Kemada
Like this	Baka nya	Baka nia
Causes	Ngasuh	Mela
Shocked	Tekenyit	Tekanyat
Slow	Lubah	Lumbu

Phonology

Consonants

Iban has the following consonant inventory:[3]

Iban consonants

		Labial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Nasal		m	n	ɲ	ŋ
Plosive/ Affricate	voiceless	p	t	tʃ	k	ʔ
	voiced	b	d	dʒ	ɡ
Fricative			s			h
Lateral			l
Rhotic			r
Approximant		w		j

Vowels

Iban has a six-vowel system, with five cardinal vowels plus schwa:[4]

Iban vowels

	Front	Central	Back
Close	i		u
Mid	e	ə	o
Open		a

Vowel sounds are nasalized when preceded by a nasal consonant.[4]

Writing system

Although the Iban language is presently written using the Latin alphabet, an Iban syllabary[5] (the Dunging script) was devised by Dunging anak Gunggu, who reportedly spent fifteen years from 1947 to 1962 devising the script.[6] Twenty generations before Dunging, which would represent approximately 400–600 years, an ancestor named Renggi also devised a script, but it was apparently lost in a flood. ^{[citation needed]} The Iban syllabary is published but is not widely distributed; recent efforts by Dr. Bromeley Philip of Universiti Teknologi MARA to promote and revitalize the use of script have resulted in the creation of digital fonts, a teaching program, and the transcription of several traditional folktales.[7]

In 2010, extending Dunging's work, Dr Bromeley Philip of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak developed computer fonts for the Iban alphabet, called LaserIban. His aim is to help preserve the Iban alphabet in digital form in the modern world. The LaserIban is available for Windows and Macintosh computers and is completely cross-platform compatible.[8]

Grammar

This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2021)

Lexical roots can be expanded by many affixes in Iban, as exemplified here with the verb gagai.

• gagai = chase
• begagai = Chasing/playing with each other
• begagaika = Chasing something/someone
• ngagai = to chase
• digagai = being chased by
• dipegagaika = being chased by many
• pengagai = chaser
• tegagaika = outrun/outpace

There are four types of affixes in Iban language, namely prefixes, suffixes, circumfixes and infixes.

Type of noun affixes	Affix	Example of root word	Example of derived word
Prefix	pe-	mangah (angry)	pemangah (hot tempered)
	pen-	datai (arrive)	penatai (arrival)
	penge-	rindu (love) (verb)	pengerindu (love) (noun)
	be-	reta (property, possessions)	bereta (rich)
	bepe-	rindang (entertained)	beperindang (being entertained )
	beke- bete	kitang (hang)	bekekitang (hanging in group)
	ke-	rimpak (break)	kerimpak (broken pieces)
	m- n- me- nge- nye	panduk (cooked)	manduk (cooking)
	di-	sium (kiss)	disium (being kissed)
	dipe-	jaku (word, talk)	dipejaku (being talk about, gossiped)
	se-	iku (tail)	seiku, siku (one (person) )
	sepe(m)-	panjai (long)	sepemanjai (as long as, measurement of long)
	te-	indik (footstep)	terindik (accidentally stepping on something)
Infix	⟨er⟩	titik (drip)	teritik (dripping)
Suffix	-ka	pasuk (wear)	pasukka (wear) (command)
	-i	garam (salt)	garami, gerami (marinade)
Circumfix	ng-...-kn	ayah (waste)	ngayahka (wasting, playing)
	be-...-ka	kena (hit, for)	bekenaka (wears)

Other examples:

• Sayau – Love
• Dikesayauka – Was loved by
• Penyayau – Affection
• Kiruh – Busy
• Ngiruhka – to make someone busy
• Pengiruh – preoccupied
• Pengiruh-ngiruh – really preoccupied
• Enjuk – give
• Berenjuk – giving each other (present)
• ngenjuk
• Dienjuk – gave (past)
• Deka ngenjuk – will be given (future)
• Pengenjuk – giver
• Kangau – call
• Bekangau – calling each other (present)
• Ngangau – calling (present)
• Dikangau – was called (past)
• Deka dikangau – will be called (future)
• Pengangau – caller

Personal pronouns

Iban has separate words for inclusive and exclusive we, and distinguishes singular, dual, and plural.[9]

	singular	dual	plural
First-person exclusive	aku	kami səduai	kami
First-person inclusive	---	tua	kitai
Second person	deʔ noan	deʔ səduai noan səduai	kitaʔ
Third person	iya	səduai	sidaʔ

Sample

• Ke nuan – "for you"
• Ke aku – "for me"
• Ke kami – "for us"
• Bup aku – "My book"
• Bakih aku – "My friend"
• Apai aku – "My father"
• Gamal nuan – "Your look"
• Sulu nuan – "Your beloved"
• Sekula kami – "Our school"
• Ke pangan aku -"for my beloved"
• Ke anak aku – "for my child"
• Ari indai di – "From your mother"
• Ari bakih aku – "From my friend"

Mostly pronouns are put after subjects

Possessive pronouns

Iban	English
engku	mine
enggi di, ngedi,	your
enggi iya, ngi'ya	his/her
enggi tua	ours (both of us)
engkita	belong to all of you
enggi sida	theirs

Sample phases:

• baju tu engku – "This shirt is mine."
• Tu enggi nuan – "This is yours"
• Siti nyin enggi tua – "That one belongs to both of us"

Demonstrative determiners

There are three demonstrative determiners in Iban. Tu "this, these" is used for a noun which is generally near to the speaker, nya "that, those" is used for a noun which is generally far from the speaker and "Nyin" which is the furthest from the speaker.

Pronoun	Iban	English
tu	bup tu	This book, these books
nya	ukui nya	That dog, those dogs
nyin	bungai nyin	That (furthest) flower(s)

These words can also act as demonstrative pronouns where they can stands on theirs own, replacing rather than modifying a noun.

Example:

• Nyamai tu. – This is good.
• Ok meh nya. – That's Ok.
• Peda di nyin dih. – Look at that.

Demonstrative pronouns

In Iban, demonstrative pronouns are words that show which person or thing is being referred in relation to the location of the addressee to the speaker. There are three demonstrative pronouns in Iban depending on location to the speaker. They can only be used to refer to an addressee (human) and cannot be used to refer to inanimate objects.

Demonstrative pronouns

Space	Form	Gloss
Proximal	iya tu	this person
Medial	iya nya	that person
Distal	iya nyin	the other person (furthest)

Examples:

• Nama gaga iya tu baka nya? – Why is this person acting in such a way?
• Kini ke iya nya tadi? – Where is he going? (Referring to the second closest person to the speaker)
• Ni iya nyin tadi dih? – Where is the other (person) one?.(referring to third person which is the furthest form the speaker)

Adverbs

Demonstrative adverbs

Demonstrative adverbs in Iban are closely related to the demonstrative pronouns in Iban grammar. For example, corresponding to the demonstrative pronouns are the adverbs such as kitu (= going here), kia (= "going there") and kin (= "going there (farthest)") equivalent adverbs corresponding to the demonstrative pronoun this are tu, nya and nyin.

Demonstrative adverbs

Space	Form	Gloss
Proximal	kitu	going here
Medial	kia	going there
Distal	kin	going there or going yonder

Examples:

• Kitu nuan. – Come here (you).
• Kini di kia? – Why are you going there? (Within the sight of the speaker)
• Aram kin tua. – Let's go there. (Referring to location far away from speaker)

Locatives

Locative determiners

Space	Form	Gloss
Proximal	ditu	here
Medial	dia	there
Distal	din	there or yonder

Examples:

• Ditu ku nganti nuan. – I wait for you here.
• Dia ku nganti nuan. – I wait for you there. (Not far from the speaker's location)
• Din ku nganti nuan. – I wait for you there. (Referring to a far place)

Manner

Iban also has a set of adverbs referring to manner. They are a combination of baka (ke) ("like/as") and the abbreviated determiner forms tu, nya and nyin.

Locative determiners

Space	Form	Gloss
Proximal	baka tu	like this, this way
Medial	baka nya	like that, that way
Distal	baka nyin	like that, that way

Examples:

• Aku ka iya baka tu. – I want it to be like this.
• Nama di ngaga iya baka nya? – Why did you treat him like this?
• Uji gaga di baka ke nyin. – Try to do it like that.

Interrogative words

Iban also has a few interrogative words. Sapa, Nama, Ni, Lapa, Kemaya and Berapa.

• Sapa – Who

• Nama – What

• Sapa – Who

• Ni – Where (Dini and Ba ni also used to ask for specific location)

• Lapa – Why (Nama kebuah also used.)

• Kemaya – When

• Berapa – How many

• Bakani – How

Examples

Numbers

Iban	Iban Standard	English
San	Sa/satu	One
Duan	Dua	Two
Dangku	Tiga	Three
Dangkan	Empat	Four
Dana/Tebak	Lima	Five
Dia/Tunggul	Nam	Six
Tuchung/Kusil	Tujuh	Seven
Dalun/Kulat	Lapan	Eight
Dunggau/Kedu	Semilan	Nine
Dupuk/Kedat	Sepuluh	Ten

Family

Iban	English
Apai/Aba	Father
Indai/Ina	Mother
Aki	Grandfather
Ini	Grandmother
Aya	Uncle
Ibu	Aunt
Menyadi/Madi	Siblings
Aka/Ika/Menyadi tuai	Elder brother/Elder sister
Adi/Menyadi biak	Younger brother/sister
Uchu	Grandchildren
Ichit	Great grandchildren

For Extended Family in Iban

Iban	English
Entua	Parent in law
Entua ke laki	Father in law
Entua ke indu	Mother in law
Apai/Indai tiri	Step Father or Step Mother
Menyadi/Madi ipar	Siblings in law
Ipar ke laki	Brother in law
Ipar ke indu	Sister in law
Aki ichit	Great-grandfather
Ini ichit	Great-grandmother
Anak buah	Nibling
Anak buah ke laki	Nephew
Anak buah ke indu	Niece
Petunggal	Cousin
Isan	One’s parent to parents-in-law

Example;

• Anak buah bini ku nya. – That is my wife's nibling.
• Anak buah ke indu laki ku nya.- That is my husband's niece.
• Entua laki ku nya. – That is my husband's parent in law.
• Entua ke laki laki ku nya.- That is my husband's father in law.
• Petunggal bini ku nya. – That is my wife's cousin.

Days

Iban	English/Roman
Ensanus/Ensana	Day before yesterday
Kemari	Yesterday
Saritu	Today
Pagila	Tomorrow
Lusa	Day after tomorrow
Tulat	3 days later
Lupat	The fourth day

Example:

• Tulat tua betemu – We'll meet again the third day.

• Ensanus ku bisi meda iya – I saw him two days ago.

Months

The Iban calendar is one month ahead of the Gregorian calendar as follows:

Iban	English/Gregorian
Empalai rubai	January
Emperega/Empekap	February
Lelang	March
Turun panggul	April
Sandih tundan	May
Tujuh	June
Berenggang reban	July
Kelebun	August
Labuh benih	September
Gantung senduk	October
Chechanguk	November
Pangka di labu(1st month of Iban calendar)	December

Sample phrases

Iban	English/Roman
Nama berita nuan?	How are you?
Sapa nama nuan?	What is your name?
Berapa/mesa 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 ___
Pukul berapa diatu?	What is the time now?
Selamat lemai!	Good evening!
Selamat ngalih ari!	Good afternoon!
lalu nemuai!	Welcome!
Anang manchal!	Don't be naughty!
Enda ulih datai	Couldn't make it
Anang guai	Hold on/Wait a sec
Nadai ngawa nya/enda ngawa	Nevermind/it does not matter
Ka belaya	Do you want to fight
Pulai/mupuk dulu	going back
Aram bekelala tua	Let's get to know each other
Pengerindu	Love, Passion
Aku lelengauka nuan	I miss you/I am missing you
Sapa enggau nuan?	Who came/is with you?
Aku enggau ___	I came / went with ___; I am with ___
Alau dinga	Please listen (Saratok dialect)
Anang inggar / ragak	Silent, please
Kini ke nuan?	Where are you going?
Mar amat!	Too expensive/difficult
Tusah endar!	Too difficult
Kapa nya!	Couldn't care less/what is that for!
Selamat pagi, Pengajar	Good morning, Teacher
Enda nemu aku tu	I don't know
Aram ngirup mih kitai	Let's we drink
Ka ke pasar ku pagila	I want to go to the town tomorrow
Mupuk gawa aku	I'm going to work
Ka tinduk aku	I want to go to sleep/bed
Sapa kita ke manchal?	Who is being naughty?
Bajik amat nuan	You are pretty/beautiful (for women)
Sigat amat nuan	You are handsome (for men)
Aku meruan sayauka nuan belama	I will always loving you
Asai ke kala meda nuan	I feel like that I have seen you before

Bible Translation

Genesis 1:1–3

Ba pun iya kelia, lebuh Allah Taala berengkah ngaga langit enggau dunya, dunya endang apin bisi bakal tauka gamal sereta nadai utai nguan. Semina ribut ti deras ari Allah Taala aja ti bepuput atas tasik ti agi petang. Allah Taala lalu bejaku, “Awakka penampak pegari.” Penampak lalu pegari. Allah Taala meda penampak nya manah; lalu Iya nyeraraka penampak nya ari pemetang. Iya ngumbai penampak nya “Siang” lalu pemetang nya dikumbai Iya “Malam.” Lemai ambis lalu pagi pen datai. Nya hari ti keterubah.[10]

Translation

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The spirit of God was hovering over the water. Then God said, "Let there be light!" So there was light. God saw the light was good. So God separated the light from the darkness. God named the light "day", and the darkness he named "night". There was evening, then morning, the first day.

References

Sources

• Richards, Anthony (1981). An Iban-English Dictionary. New York: Oxford University Press. [Paperback reprint in the 1988 by Penerbit Fajar Bakti, Petaling Jaya. ISBN 967653384X]
• Asmah Haji Omar (1969). The Iban Language of Sarawak: A Grammatical Description (PhD thesis). SOAS University of London.
• Asmah Haji Omar (1981). The Iban Language of Sarawak: A Grammatical Description. Kuala Lumpur: Kementarian Pelajaran Malaysia.
• Steinmayer, Otto (1999). Jalai Jako' Iban: A Basic Grammar of the Iban Language of Sarawak. Kuching: Klasik Publishing House.
• Renang Anak Ansali (2002), "Jaku Iban serta basa kitai", University of London Magazine

• Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia / Jabatan Pelajaran Sarawak /Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum KPM 2007

External links

• Digitized books about Iban at the SOAS library
• Ator Sambiang Mass Baru: The Holy Eucharist in Iban (1980) Anglican eucharistic liturgy digitized by Richard Mammana

На других языках

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[de] Iban (Sprache)

Iban ist eine Sprache, die von der gleichnamigen Dayak-Volksgruppe der Iban gesprochen wird. Die Iban leben im Nordwesten der Insel Borneo im malaysischen Bundesstaat Sarawak, in der indonesischen Provinz Kalimantan Barat sowie in Brunei. Die Sprache Iban gehört zum malayo-polynesischen Sprachzweig der austronesischen Sprachfamilie, und ist sehr eng mit dem Malaiischen verwandt, von dem das moderne Indonesisch und Malaysisch abstammen. Frühe Forscher bezeichneten das Iban bisweilen sogar als Dialekt des Malaiischen.[2]

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- [en] Iban language

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[fr] Iban (langue)

L’iban (ou dayak de la mer[2]) est une langue austronésienne parlée sur l’île de Bornéo par l'ethnie Iban, principalement en Malaisie (État de Sarawak, sur la rivière Sadong, au nord de Bintulu), ainsi qu'au Brunei et en Indonésie, dans le Kalimantan. La langue appartient à la branche malayo-polynésienne des langues austronésiennes.

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[ru] Ибанский язык

Ибанский язык (Bahasa Iban) — язык народа ибан, один из австронезийских языков, входит в малайско-даякскую группу западнозондской зоны. Распространён на острове Калимантан в широком регионе, включающем малайзийские штаты Саравак и Сабах и территорию Индонезии. Число говорящих — около 700 тысяч человек. Преобладают аналитические способы выражения грамматического значения. Письменность на латинской графической основе.

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