Melanau–Kajang languages explained

Melanau–Kajang
Also Known As:	Central Sarawak
Region:	Indonesia and Malaysia (Borneo)
Familycolor:	Austronesian
Fam2:	Malayo-Polynesian
Fam3:	Greater North Borneo
Child1:	Kajang (Kayang)
Child2:	Melanau
Child3:	Punan–Müller-Schwaner
Glotto:	sara1342
Glottorefname:	Sarawak–Melanau–Kajang

The Melanau–Kajang languages or Central Sarawak languages are a group of languages spoken in Kalimantan, Indonesia and Sarawak, Malaysia by the Kenyah, Melanau and related peoples.

Classification

Smith (2017)

Smith (2017)^[1] uses the term Central Sarawak, and puts it as an independent branch within the Greater North Borneo subgroup. He classifies the languages as follows.

• Melanau (Dalat, Sarikei, Mukah, Balingian, Matu, Sibu, Kanowit)
• Kajang (Kejaman, Sekapan, Lahanan)
• Punan–Müller-Schwaner
  • Punan
    • Punan Bah, Punan Tubu, Sajau
    • Punan Lisum, Punan Aput, Beketan, Ukit, Buket
  • Müller-Schwaner
    • Hovongan
    • Kereho, Aoheng, Seputan

Austroasiatic influence

Kaufman (2018) notes that many Proto-Central Sarawak words (Smith 2017) are of likely Austroasiatic origin, including the following (Note: The Austroasiatic branch reconstructions are from Paul Sidwell's reconstructions; Proto-Pearic is from Headley (1985)^[2]).^[3]

• *siaw ‘chicken’ (cf. Proto-Khasic *sʔiar; Proto-Khmuic *(s)ʔiər)
• *tilaŋ ‘tiger leech’ (cf. Proto-Katuic *ɟləəŋ)
• *(ə)liŋ ‘saliva’

Proto-Kajang words of likely Austroasiatic origin:

• *diə̯k ‘chicken’ (cf. Proto-Pearic *hlɛːk)
• *(u)bəl ‘mute’ (cf. Proto-Bahnaric *kmlɔː)

Proto-Müller-Schwaner words of likely Austroasiatic origin:

• *ənap ‘fish scale’

References

• Rensch, Calvin R. 2012. Melanau and the Languages of Central Sarawak. SIL Electronic Survey Report. SIL International.

Notes and References

1. Smith, Alexander. 2017. The Languages of Borneo: A Comprehensive Classification. PhD Dissertation: University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
2. Headley, Robert K. 1985. "Proto-Pearic and the classification of Pearic." In Suriya Ratanakult et al. (eds.), Southeast Asian Linguistic Studies Presented to Andre-G. Haudricourt. Institute of Language and Culture for Rural Development, Mahidol University. pp. 428-478.
3. Kaufman, Daniel. 2018. Between mainland and island Southeast Asia: Evidence for a Mon-Khmer presence in Borneo. Ronald and Janette Gatty Lecture Series. Kahin Center for Advanced Research on Southeast Asia, Cornell University. (handout / slides)