Kayan (Kajan, Kayan proper) is a

dialect cluster A dialect continuum or dialect chain is a series of language varieties spoken across some geographical area such that neighboring varieties are mutually intelligible, but the differences accumulate over distance so that widely separated varie ...

spoken by the Kayan people of Borneo. It is a cluster of closely related dialects with limited mutual intelligibility, and is itself part of the Kayan-Murik group of Austronesian languages. Baram Kayan is a local trade language. Bahau is part of the dialect cluster, but is not ethnically Kayan.

Phonology

The following is based on the Baram dialect:

Consonants

* can be heard as either a tap or a trill in free variation. * can be heard as when in free fluctuation with in word-medial position. * can be realized as more fronted when preceding high vocoids. * may also be heard as a palatalized stop in free fluctuation. * may also be heard as in free variation, and may also fluctuate to a stop sound .

Vowels

* Length ːis said to occur in free variation or in word-final position. * can be heard as in initial or medial positions, or in free variation with . * can also be heard as in word-medial position. * can be heard as before a medial or final or . * can be heard as when before a or , or in fluctuation with .

External links

{{au-lang-stub Languages of Malaysia Languages of Indonesia Kayan–Murik languages