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Langkat Malay
Bahase Melayu Langkat بهاس ملايو لڠكت
Pronunciation	[bahasə mə.la.ju ˈlaŋ.kat]
Native to	Indonesia (North Sumatra)
Region	Langkat Regency
Ethnicity	Langkat Malays
Native speakers	(82,304 cited 1981 estimate)[1]
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian (disputed) Malayic Langkat Malay
Dialects	Stabat Tanjung Pura
Writing system	Latin (Indonesian alphabet) Jawi
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–
Glottolog	None
Regencies and cities in North Sumatra where Langkat Malay is spoken by a significant minority of the population
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Langkat Malay (Langkat Malay: Bahase Melayu Langkat, Jawi: بهاس ملايو لڠكت) is a Malayic language primarily spoken by the Malay people living in Langkat Regency in the northernmost part of North Sumatra, Indonesia. Langkat Malay is closely related to other Malay varieties spoken along the eastern coast of Sumatra, including Deli Malay, Serdang Malay, and Tamiang Malay.^[2] Several ethnic groups reside in Langkat, including the Malays, Javanese, Banjarese and Batak and Minangkabau.^[3] While the Malays are the indigenous people of Langkat, Javanese has become more widespread due to migration, as Javanese speakers now form the majority of the population.^[4] Despite this, Langkat Malay remains widely spoken in Langkat as the lingua franca and a common language for social interaction among residents. It coexists with other migrant languages such as Javanese, Banjar, and Orang Laut. As a result, some Malays can speak Javanese, Banjar, or Orang Laut, while many Javanese, Banjar, and Orang Laut speakers can also speak Langkat Malay.^[5]

The Malay people of Langkat use their language in both daily activities and traditional ceremonies. In everyday life, it serves a highly functional role, shaping various aspects of social interaction, including greetings, casual conversations on the street, visiting neighbors, chatting at the mosque before and after prayers, communicating during hunting in the forest, and other communal settings.^[6] Compared to its use as a daily communication tool, the use of Langkat Malay in traditional ceremonies exhibits a distinct pattern. This distinct pattern refers to variations that appear different from everyday usage. These variations primarily involve specific word choices or terms that are rarely used in other contexts. Nowadays, under the influence of Indonesian as the national language, many Langkat Malay speakers have begun to code-switch and code-mix between Langkat Malay and Indonesian.^[7] The language is currently under threat due to continued migration to Langkat from other parts of Indonesia such as Java, as well as a decline in fluency among Langkat Malays, especially among younger generations, who increasingly prefer to speak Indonesian.^[8]

Langkat Malay is a Malayic language. Speakers of Malayic languages are spread from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, to the southernmost part of the Philippines. Malay is a member of the Austronesian family of languages, which includes languages from Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Ocean, with a smaller number in continental Asia. Malagasy, a geographic outlier spoken in Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, is also a member of this language family. Although these languages are not necessarily mutually intelligible to any extent, their similarities are often quite apparent. In more conservative languages like Malay, many roots have come with relatively little change from their common ancestor, Proto-Austronesian. There are many cognates found in the languages' words for kinship, health, body parts and common animals. Numbers, especially, show remarkable similarities.^[9]

Langkat Malay is closely related to other Malay varieties spoken along the eastern coast of North Sumatra, including Asahan Malay, Batubara Malay, Deli Malay, Serdang Malay, and Tamiang Malay.^[2] Collectively, these varieties are classified as the East Sumatran Malay group.^[10] The differences between these varieties primarily lie in their phonology and lexicon. Despite these differences, they share a high degree of similarity. For instance, it is estimated that 90% of the lexicon in Langkat Malay and Deli Malay overlaps.^[11] Langkat Malay is also closely related to Riau Malay, which is spoken in the Riau to the south of North Sumatra.^[12]

Langkat Malay is mainly spoken in Langkat Regency, located in the northernmost part of North Sumatra. The language is primarily spoken in areas with a significant Malay population, particularly in coastal regions such as Stabat and, most notably, Tanjung Pura, which serves as both the cultural center of the Malay people in Langkat and the royal seat of the Langkat Sultanate.^[13][14] In contrast, Batak languages, such as Karo, dominate the interior of the regency.^[15][16] Langkat Malay is typically used as a daily communication tool among the Malay community or in informal settings, whereas in formal situations, such as in schools or government institutions, Indonesian is the commonly used language.^[1] The use of standard Indonesian, which evolved from Johor-Riau Malay, in schools is believed to have begun around the same time as the establishment of government schools in Langkat Regency during the Dutch East Indies era in the early 20th century, when Johor-Riau Malay served as the lingua franca among native Indonesians.^[1] Because Indonesian is the national language, it is common for Langkat Malay speakers, especially younger generations, to code-switch or code-mix between Langkat Malay and Indonesian.^[17]

Langkat Malay, as one of the regional languages in Indonesia spoken specifically in North Sumatra, particularly in Langkat, serves as a means of communication, a cultural support, and a symbol of identity for the Langkat Malay community.^[15] In the Langkat Malay community, Langkat Malay is used for cultural and traditional purposes, including ceremonies and rituals as well as oral traditions such as local folklores and pantuns, which are traditional Malay poems.^[18][19] In these ceremonies, Langkat Malay plays a significant role. Traditional ceremonies include events such as marriage proposals, weddings, baby bathing rituals, housewarming ceremonies, rituals for blessing farmland, welcoming esteemed guests, and the adoption process.^[20] In religious ceremonies, unlike in other regions of Indonesia where regional languages play a significant role, Langkat Malay is not particularly prominent. For example, in West Java, sermons can be delivered in Sundanese alongside Arabic. However, this is not the case for Langkat Malay, which is rarely used in religious contexts. In formal religious events, such as mosque sermons, funeral rites, and marriage contracts, Indonesian is typically used alongside Arabic.^[21]

Langkat Malay has two known dialects: the Stabat dialect and the Tanjung Pura dialect.^[5] The Tanjung Pura dialect is considered the prestige variety, as Tanjung Pura serves as both the cultural center of the Langkat Malay community and the royal capital of the Langkat Sultanate.

Langkat Malay, like many other regional languages in Indonesia, lacks a standardized phonological system. Nevertheless, many of the phonological system designed for Langkat Malay is loosely based on standard Indonesian orthography, especially the system created by the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.

Like Indonesian and Standard Malay, Langkat Malay has six vowels. These vowels are /i/, /e/, /ə/, /a/, /u/, and /o/.^[22]

Notes:

• In writing, /e/ and /ə/ are both represented as ⟨e⟩.

Langkat Malay has 20 consonants.^[23]

Notes: In writing, the following phonemes are represented as thus:

• /ŋ/ is ⟨ng⟩
• /ɲ/ is ⟨ny⟩
• /t͡ʃ/ is ⟨c⟩
• /d͡ʒ/ is ⟨j⟩
• /ʔ/ is ⟨k⟩
• /j/ is ⟨y⟩
• /ʀ̥/ is ⟨r⟩

Langkat Malay has 10 diphthongs.^[24] The following examples illustrate their usage:

• /ia/: alia 'ginger', derian 'durian'
• /iu/: tiup 'to blow', piut 'great-great-grandchild'
• /ee/: peel 'behavior'
• /ai/: kain 'cloth', dain 'salted fish'
• /ae/: kaet 'to link', jaet 'to sew'
• /aa/: saat 'moment', faal 'physiology'
• /ao/: paot 'to hang', daon 'leaf'
• /ui/: kuit 'to touch', duit 'money'
• /ue/: kueh 'cake'
• /ua/: kuari 'window', lengkuas 'blue ginger'

• Masindan; Sinar, T. Silvana; Zulkiffi; Muchtar, Muhizar; Harahap, Oliviana (1985). Kamus Melayu Langkat-Indonesia [Langkat Malay-Indonesian Dictionary] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation.
• Masindan; Bakar, Abu; Sembiring, Matius C.A.; Sinar, T. Silvana (1987). Sastra Lisan Melayu Langkat [Oral Literature of Langkat Malay] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation.
• Noor, Yusmaniar; Silitonga, Mangasa; Usman, Burhanuddin Ch.; Sihotang, Nasahon (1985). Struktur Bahasa Melayu Langkat [Structure of Langkat Malay] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation.
• Zulkifli; S., Anni Krisna; Noor, Yusmaniar; Hasan, Syaid (1986). Kata Tugas Bahasa Melayu Langkat [Function Words in the Langkat Malay] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation.