Ibanic languages

The Ibanic or Malayic Dayak languages are a branch of the Malayic languages indigenous to western Borneo. They are spoken by the Iban, Selako, Mualang, and other Dayak peoples.

For some time there was confusion as to the placement of various languages called Dayak; it is now apparent that some of these are Malayic and some are not. The Malayic Dayak languages include Iban; the term Ibanic sometimes applies to the whole or sometimes to a smaller group of Sea Dayak peoples, or Ibanic proper. Other Dayak languages, called Land Dayak, which are not Ibanic, are found in the northwest corner of Kalimantan, between Ibanic and Malayan.

Languages

• Ibanic proper: Iban, Balau, Remun (or Milikin), Mualang, Seberuang, Sebuyau
• Kendayan
• Keninjal

Ethnologue also lists a "Malayic Dayak" (Bamayo), which they note is probably three languages and is related to Kendayan and Keninjal, as well as merging into Seberuang (Ibanic) and Keninjal dialectically. Bamayo, Kendayan, and Keninjal are not placed under Ibanic in Ethnologue, but under the higher node Malayic.

References