Languages of Brunei
See language map.[See also SIL publications on the languages of Brunei.]
State of Brunei Darussalam, Negara Brunei Darussalam. 374,000. National or official languages: English, Malay [zsm]. Literacy rate: 93%. Immigrant languages: Korean, Nepali. Also includes languages of South Asia (4,200), and the Philippines. Information mainly from P. Martin 1991; P. Martin, C. Oxog, and G. Poedjosoedarmo 1996; R. Needham 1954; K. Purnama 1991; S. Wurm and S. Hattori 1981. The number of individual languages listed for Brunei is 15. Of those, all are living languages.
| Belait | [beg]
1,000 in Brunei. Scattered in Belait District; Tutong District in Kampung Kiudang. Also in Malaysia (Sarawak).
Alternate names: Balait Jati, Lemeting, Meting.
Dialects: Related to Kiput [kyi] and Narom [nrm]. Lexical similarity: 54% with Tutong [ttg].
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, North Borneo, North Sarawakan, Berawan-Lower Baram, Lower Baram, Central, A
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| Bisaya, Brunei | [bsb]
37,600 in Brunei. Population total all countries: 57,600. Brunei dialect is spoken around Seria town, and in a few villages near the Sarawak border; central and interior Belait and Tutong districts, south of Tutong [ttg]. Also in Malaysia (Sarawak).
Alternate names: Basaya, Bekiau, Besaya, Bisaia, Bisaya Bukit, Bisayah, Jilama Bawang, Jilama Sungai, Lorang Bukit, Southern Bisaya, Visayak, Tutong 1, Dusun.
Dialects: Brunei Bisaya, Sarawak Bisaya, Tutong 1. Lexical similarity: 57%–59% with Sabah Bisaya [bsy], and 50% with other Dusunic languages.
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, North Borneo, Sabahan, Dusunic, Bisaya, Southern
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| Brunei | [kxd]
215,000 in Brunei (1984 SIL), increasing. Population total all countries: 266,000. Brunei in the capital, Brunei-Muara District, and the coastal strip; Kedayan in West Brunei-Muara District and Tutong District. Also in Malaysia (Sabah).
Alternate names: Brunei-Kadaian, Orang Bukit.
Dialects: Brunei Malay, Kedayan (Kadaian, Kadayan, Kadian, Kadien, Kadyan, Karayan, Kedyan, Kedien, Kerayan), Kampong Ayer. Lexical similarity: 94%–95% between Brunei and the Kampong Ayer dialects, 80%–82% with Standard Malay [zsm].
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Sumbawan, North and East, Malayic, Malay
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| Chinese, Hakka | [hak]
5,650 in Brunei (2006).
Alternate names: Hakka.
Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
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| Chinese, Mandarin | [cmn]
10,600 in Brunei (2006).
Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
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| Chinese, Min Dong | [cdo]
7,060 in Brunei (2006).
Dialects: Foochow.
Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
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| Chinese, Min Nan | [nan]
13,100 in Brunei (2006).
Alternate names: Min Nan, Minnan.
Dialects: Chaochow (Tiuchiu, Teochow), Hainan, Fujian (Hokkien).
Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
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| Chinese, Yue | [yue]
6,350 in Brunei (2006).
Alternate names: Cantonese, Yue, Yueh.
Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
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| English | [eng]
8,000 in Brunei.
Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
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| Iban | [iba]
21,400 in Brunei. Rural areas of Belait and Tutong districts; Temburong District.
Alternate names: Sea Dayak.
Dialects: Batang Lupar, Bugau.
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Sumbawan, North and East, Malayic, Ibanic
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| Lun Bawang | [lnd]
500 in Brunei (2006 SIL). Temburong District. 7 villages.
Alternate names: Lun Daya, Lun Dayah, Lun Daye, Lun Dayoh, Lundaya, Southern Murut.
Dialects: Trusan, Long Iluk, Lun Ba.
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, North Borneo, North Sarawakan, Dayic, Kelabitic
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| Malay, Standard | [zsm]
Alternate names: Formal Malay, Malay, Malayu, Melayu, Melayu Baku.
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Sumbawan, North and East, Malayic, Malay
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| Melanau, Central | [mel]
280 in Brunei (2006 SIL). Around Kuala Belait town.
Alternate names: Belana’u, Melanau , Milanau, Milano.
Dialects: Mukah-Oya (Mukah, Muka, Oya, Oya’, Oga).
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, North Borneo, Melanau-Kajang, Melanau
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| Penan, Eastern | [pez]
55 in Brunei (2003 P. Sercombe). West of the Baram River.
Dialects: Nibong (Nibon, Penan Nibong), Bok Penan (Bok), Penan Silat, Penan Gang (Gang), Penan Lusong (Lusong), Sipeng (Speng), Penan Lanying, Jelalong Penan.
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, North Borneo, North Sarawakan, Kayan-Kenyah, Penan
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| Tutong | [ttg]
16,600 (2006 SIL). Around Tutong town on the coast and central Tutong District.
Alternate names: Tutong 2, Tutung.
Dialects: Lexical similarity: 54% with Belait [beg].
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, North Borneo, North Sarawakan, Berawan-Lower Baram, Lower Baram, Central, B
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