Terengganu Dialect

Terengganu Malay (; Terengganu Malay: ) is a Malayic language spoken in the Malaysian state of Terengganu all the way southward to coastal Pahang and northeast Johor. It is the native language of Terengganu Malays and highly localised Chinese Peranakan (locally known as "Mek and Awang") community as well as a second language among the smaller Indian minority.

The language has developed distinct phonetic, syntactic and lexical distinctions which makes it mutually unintelligible for speakers from outside the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, especially those who speak Standard Malay. Terengganu Malay still shares close linguistic ties with neighboring Kelantan and Pahang of which it forms under the umbrella term East Coast Peninsular Malayic languages but maintain its own features distinct from both Pahang and Kelantan-Patani.

Terengganu Malay also coexists with two closely related Malayic varieties. In the districts of Besut and northern part of Setiu, the majority of the population speak a variant of Kelantan-Pattani Malay, but in recent years many people from southern Terengganu started to migrate into these two districts and both variants now coexist with each other. In the inland mukim of Pasir Raja, Dungun, several villages still speak a variant of Ulu Tembeling dialect of Pahang Malay, locally known as Pasir Raja dialect.

Terengganu Malay is considered to be the most recognisable identity of the state. This can be seen in many local television dramas, movies, songs, poems and religious sermons which emphasize the usage of Terengganu Malay. Radio stations in Terengganu whether public (Terengganu FM) or privately owned ( Hot FM and Molek FM) mainly use Terengganu Malay in its broadcast alongside standard Malaysian. Recent years show an increase of awareness of the uniqueness of Terengganu Malay, such as the increasing use of Terengganu Malay in shop signs and recently the publication of a Hulu Terengganu Malay dictionary.

Names

The people of Terengganu refer to their language as () which means 'the language of Terengganu' or () which means 'Terengganu speech'. In Standard Malay, it is known as or . Besides Tranung, ''Tranu'', ''Ganung'', ''Teganung'', ''Teganu'' and ''Ganu'' are also used with the latter (Ganu) being used as an exonym by people outside of Terengganu when referring to Terengganu.

Distribution

Terengganu Malay is natively spoken in most parts of Terengganu other than Besut and the northern part of Setiu. Besides Terengganu, it is also spoken in coastal Pahang, from Cherating near the border with Kemaman district to as far south as Mersing district in the state of Johor. A variety spoken in the village of Tanjung Sedili in the district of Kota Tinggi is said to be a mixture of Terengganuan, Johorean and several other Malay varieties, reflecting the historical demographics of the area, which once received Malay migrants from Terengganu.

Dialects

Terengganu Malay has two major dialects: Coastal () and Inland () and each of these two dialects has several regional differences depending on districts or villages. The dialect spoken in Kuala Terengganu district is the de facto standard dialect of Terengganu Malay. The major differences between Coastal (known as ''Pata'') and Inland (known as ''Ulu'') dialects is the pronunciation of the letter "e" of which Coastal Terengganu speakers tend to pronounce it as a schwa while Inland Terengganu speakers pronounce it with strong "e" (as in red).

People in the northernmost regions of Terengganu, specifically in the district of Besut and several parts of Setiu do not speak Terengganu Malay, but instead uses Kelantan-Pattani Malay. The dialects spoken in Dungun, Marang and Kemaman as well as outside of Terengganu such as in Pahang (Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin) and Johor (Mersing) does not have significant differences than those in Kuala Terengganu and is classified as part of the Coastal dialect. The residents of Tanjung Sedili which is a small coastal village in Kota Tinggi, Johor spoke a dialect that is a mixture of Johorean and Terengganuan as the residents there are mostly of Terengganu Malay ancestry.

In Pasir Raja which is a mukim located in the interior parts of Dungun, majority of the Malays there spoke a variant of Pahang Malay specifically the Ulu Tembeling dialect instead of Terengganuan. It is because the majority of the people in those areas are descendants of Pahang migrants that migrated into Dungun more than a hundred years ago. Today both varieties (Pahang Malay and Terengganu Malay) coexists in Pasir Raja and the residents can fluently speak both of those varieties.

Based on 2013 research, the division of Terengganu Malay are as follows

*Terengganu Malay
**Coastal Terengganu
***''Kuala Nerus-Kuala Terengganu''
****''Kedai Buluh''
***''Dungun''
***''Marang''
***''Kemaman-Coastal Pahang-Mersing''
****''Kemaman''
****''Kuantan''
****''Kuala Rompin''
****''Mersing''
**Inland Terengganu
***''Kuala Berang''
***''Ulu Telemong''
***''Jerengau''
***''Kuala Jengai
***''Hulu Dungun
***''Hulu Nerus

Comparison between Coastal and Inland dialects

Literature

Although essentially a spoken language with no standard orthography, Terengganu Malay is widely used in folk songs, poems, and also in mainstream and local media (such as local radio stations, dramas and movies). Ibrahim Taib, a famous Terengganu poet was known for his usage of Inland Terengganu dialect in his poems such as "" ('Mom, I want to get out') and "" ('Enough Awang').

Music

Terengganu has a rich history of folk songs sung mostly in Terengganu Malay, among those are ''Anok Udang'', ''Anok Burung Baniong'', '' Ulek Mayang'' and ''Watimang Landok''.

Besides traditional folk songs, Terengganu Malay has also made way into modern contemporary songs especially singers or bands who were born and raised in Terengganu. Among the most well known was the song "" by a famous Malaysian band Iklim. It was a hit song not just in Terengganu but also across Malaysia in the 90s and 2000s. "", a 1999 song composed by Suhaimi Mohd Zain and recorded by traditional singers Noraniza Idris and Siti Nurhaliza, contains an old Terengganuan Malay poem in the bridge based on the traditional Terengganu dance called Rodat. Another band called Spring also recorded a song sung in Terengganuan, called "".

Phonology

Consonants

Consonant inventory of Terengganu Malay

Vowel Inventory

Pronunciation

followed by a nasal consonant changes to : ('chicken') becomes ; ('to eat') becomes

at the end of syllables changes to : ('to ask') becomes

changes to : ('house') becomes

changes to : ('I') becomes

changes to : ('here') becomes

changes to : ('crocodile') becomes

becomes : ('river') becomes

becomes : ('knife') changes to

before a nasal vowel changes to : ('Siam') becomes

changes to : ('once') becomes

and at the end of syllables changes to : ('lazy') changes to

and at the end of syllables changes to : ('judge') changes to

changes to : ('person') becomes

Final consonants are often only pronounced as a glottal stop.
('hill') becomes ()

Words are distinguished by lengthened initial consonant.

Final is silent. Example: ('left') becomes ; ('thick') becomes .

Usually as in is removed and becomes . Example: ('so many') becomes .

('moon') vs. ('many months'); ('to strike') vs. ('frog'); ('elbow') vs. ('hand tool')

Vocabulary

Several comparisons between Standard Malay and Terengganu Malay with English translations:

Notable Terengganuan phrases

means 'really', a popular phrase used to show or express something that is really serious or true.

Example: , as opposed to Standard Malay or West coast Malay dialects:

Another famous Terengganuan Malay phrase is which means in standard Malay and 'Smile always' in English. It is widely used by Terengganu people to wish other people well and to brighten their days.

denotes two situations whereby one is totally exhausted or someone who is very weak.

Sample text

Terengganu Malay:

Standard Malay:

English

'Kids today don't know about traditional foods, it's not just traditional cakes, even the rice as well, what can we do all foods these days are modern, younger generations don't want to learn always rely on old people.'

References

Further reading

*

External links

*Ensiklopedia Sejarah dan Kebudayaan Melayu, DBP Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia

Loghat Terengganu , Terengganu

{{DEFAULTSORT:Malay, Terengganu, Language
Agglutinative languages
Malay language
Malay dialects
Languages of Malaysia
Terengganu Malay
Terengganu
Malayic languages