The Iban language (jaku Iban) is spoken by the Iban, a branch of the Dayak ethnic group formerly known as "Sea Dayak" who live in Sarawak, the Indonesian province of Kalimantan Barat and in Brunei. It belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family, and is related to Malay, more closely to Sarawakian Malay. The Iban language is also a subject tested in PMR and SPM, the Malaysian public examination for Form 3 and Form 5 students respectively. Students comment that questions from these exams mostly cover the classic Iban language, making them a daunting task for many who are more fluent in the contemporary tongue. The language is mostly taught to students in rural areas with a majority Iban population, including Baleh (Kapit), Betong, Saratok, Lubok Antu and Pelagus (Kapit).

Dialects [edit]

Iban has different ethnic groups. Each of them speak in different dialects. The most formal, intermediate and working dialect is the Saribas (mainly Betong and Saratok), others such as Remuns, Balaus, Sebuyaus, Ulu Ai, or Rejangs, they can still understand each other. But it will be hard if they speak with other dialects in Kalimantan such as Bugaus, Seberuangs, Mualangs, Chengkangs, Sebaruks, Daus and the other.

Phonology [edit]

vowel [edit]

Alphabet [edit]

The Iban language is written using the Latin alphabet and consists of 22 characters:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Grammar [edit]

The prefix is used to show work or something action to be. Prefix is put in front of the verb. There's a lot of prefix use in Iban language. For example jalai used in many style of prefix base on condition of the word.

Jalai - Walk

Bejalai - Walking

Dijalai - Be walked

Dipejalai - Had been walking

Tejalai - Was walked

Sayau - Love

Besayau - Loving

Disayau - Was loved

Disayauka - Was loved by

Penyayau - The love

Kiroh - Busy

Bekiroh - Busying

Ngirohka - Be busying

Pengiroh - The busy

enjok - give

berenjok - giving (present)

denjok - was give (past)

deka enjok - will be given (future)

kangau - call

ngangau - calling (present)

dekangau - was called (past)

deka kangau - will be call (future)

Sample lexicon [edit]

Sample phrases [edit]

Nama brita nuan? - "How are you?"

Sapa nama nuan? - "What is your name?"

Brapa 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 ___."

Pukol brapa diatu? - "What is the time now?"

Selamat lemai! - "Good evening!"

Selamat ngalih ari - "Good afternoon"

Selamat datai! - "Welcome!"

Anang manchal! - "Don't be naughty!"

Enda ulih datai - "cannot come"

Anang guai - "hold on" "Don't spoil it"

Nadai ngawa nya/enda ngawa - "nevermind that/it does not matter"

Nyamai, wai - "nice taste"

Pulai/mupok dulu-"I'm going back"

Aram bekelala-"Let's get to know each other"

Pengerindu-"Love, Passion"

Lelengau aku ke nuan-"I miss you/I am missing you"

Manah-"Good"

Jai-"Bad, damaged"

Sapa enggau nuan?-"Who came/is with you?"

Aku enggau ___-"I came / went with ___; I am with ___"

Alau dinga-"Please listen"

Anang inggar / ragak-"Silent, please"

Kini ka nuan?-"Where are you going?"

Mar amat! - "too expensive/difficult"

Tusah endar! - "too difficult"

Kapa nya! - "Couldn't be bothered/careless"

Selamat pagi, Pengajar. - "Good morning, Teacher."

Enda nemu aku tu - "I don't know"

Aram ngirup mih kitai''' - "Let's all drink"

Aku lelenggau ka nuan - "I miss you"

Sayau - "Love/Darling"

Mupok gawa aku - "I'm going to work"

Ka tinduk aku - "I want to go to sleep/bed"

Sapa kitak ke manchal? - "Who is being naughty?"

Bajik amat nuan - "You are pretty/beautiful (for women)"

Mali - "taboo"

Enda ulih nuan sayauka aku wai - "You can't love me"

Asaika kala pan temu enggau nuan - "I feel like that we had meet before this"

Bible Translation [edit]

Apai kami di serega, kudus mih nama nuan, datai mih perintah nuan, jadi peneka nuan, baka ka dalam serega bakanya dalam bumi. Meri ka kami pengidup tiap ari. Ampunka penyalah kami, baka ka kami ti ngampunka urang ti salah ngelaban kami. Intu kami ari penguji, lepas ke kami ari penyai. Laban nuan ti bempu perintah,enggau kuasa enggau mulia. Dataika belama - lama iya. Amin.

Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Thy kingdom come, on earth as in heaven. Gives us our daily bread. Forgive us of our sin, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temtation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours. Now and forever. Amen.

Another Phrases [edit]

Apai/Aba'(Informal) - "Father"

Indai/Ama'(Informal) - "Mother"

Aka - "Elder brother/sister"

Adi - "Younger brother/sister"

Aki - "Grandfather"

Ine - "Grandmother"

Jelu - "Animal"

Utai tumboh - "plant"

Ai - "Water"

Kampung - "Jungle/Forest"

Ai Wong - "Waterfall"

Pegong - "Pond"

Letong - "Lake"

Tasik - "Sea"

Sungai/Batang - "River"

Langit - "Sky"

Remang - "Cloud"

Kin - "Go there"

Kitok - "Come here"

Din - "There"

Ditok - "Here"

Nya - "That"

Tu - "This"

Kiba - "Left"

Kanan - "Right"

Pronoun [edit]

Aku - "i, me, my"

Nuan, dik, kuak - "you, your"

Iya - "he/she/it/him/her"

kami - "we, us"

kitai - "we, us (including ourself)

Sida Iya - "they"

Kitak - "you all"

Word phrase [edit]

Aku sayau ke nuan - "I love you"

Nuan mulakka aku - "You lie to me"

Kami nadai ditu - "We're not here"

Ke nuan - "to you"

Ke aku - "to me"

Ke kami - "to us"

Bup aku - "My book"

Bakih aku - "My friend"

Apai aku - "My father"

Gamal nuan - "You face"

Sulu nuan - "Your belove"

Sekula kami - "Our school"

Ke pangan aku -"To my belove"

Ke anak aku - "To my child"

Ari indai dik - "From your mother"

Ari bakih aku - "From my friend

mostly pronouns will put after subjects

Sources [edit]

Anthony Richards, An Iban-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 1981. [Paperback reprint in the 1990s by Penerbit Fajar Bakti, Petaling Jaya.]

Otto Steinmayer, Jalai Jako' Iban, a basic grammar of the Iban language of Sarawak. Klasik Publishing House: Kuching, 1999.

Renang Anak Ansali, Jaku Iban serta basa kitai. University of London Magazine, 2002.

Omniglot: Useful Iban phrases: http://omniglot.com/language/phrases/iban.php

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Ator Sambiang Mass Baru: The Holy Eucharist in Iban (1980) Anglican eucharistic liturgy digitized by Richard Mammana