Pontianak Malay

Pontianak Malay (Pontianak Malay: Bahase Melayu Pontianak, Jawi: بهاس ملايو ڤونتيانق) is a Malayic language primarily spoken by the Malay people in Pontianak and the surrounding areas in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is also widely spoken in neighboring regencies, including Kubu Raya and Mempawah, both of which were historically part of the now-dissolved Pontianak Regency. Pontianak Malay was also the primary language of the Pontianak Sultanate, a Malay state that once governed the area now known as Pontianak. In these regions, Pontianak Malay is not limited to being spoken exclusively by the Malay community. It functions as a lingua franca alongside standard Indonesian, enabling communication among the diverse ethnic groups in the area. However, the use of Pontianak Malay faces a slight threat as many speakers are gradually shifting to Indonesian, the national language.

Pontianak Malay is more closely related to the Malay dialects spoken in Peninsular Malaysia and the Riau Islands than to other Bornean Malay dialects, such as Sambas Malay, or Sarawak Malay, spoken in Sarawak, Malaysia. Elements from Johor–Riau Malay, Chinese, standard Indonesian, and various Dayak languages as well as many localism can be seen in the language, reflecting the various ethnic origins residing in the city. Although Pontianak is relatively homogeneous, some regional dialects are notable. The Malay varieties spoken in Pontianak, Kubu Raya, and Mempawah differ slightly from each other, especially in terms of vocabulary and phonology.