:Melanau–Kajang languages

{{short description|Subgroup of the Austronesian language family}}

{{Infobox language family

|name=Melanau–Kajang

|altname=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)Smith, Alexander. 2017. The Languages of Borneo: A Comprehensive Classification. PhD Dissertation: University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. 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)Headley, Robert K. 1985. "[http://sealang.net/sala/archives/pdf8/headley1985proto.pdf 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.).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. ([https://bahasawan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Cornell-Borneo-handout.pdf handout] / [https://bahasawan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Cornell-Borneo-slides.pdf slides])

*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. [http://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/47763 Melanau and the Languages of Central Sarawak]. SIL Electronic Survey Report. SIL International.

Category:Central Sarawak languages