Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Besisi, Cellate, Southern Sakai, Betise', Betisek, Belandas, Süd-Sakai
CLASSIFICATION		Austro-Asiatic, Aslian, South Aslian
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		mhe
VARIANTS & DIALECTS		Sisi Kuala Langot Besisi Selangor Sakai Betise' Malakka Besisi Ulu Langat Orang Bukit
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

Compare Sources (4)

Information from: “A dictionary of Mah Meri as spoken at Bukit Bangkong” . Nicole Kruspe (2010) Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
2896
Native speakers worldwide

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Mah Meri is still the first language acquired by children, and most are monolingual when they enter pre-school. Commonly, Young men speak Malay with their peers.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

No support

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Speakers are all bilingual in Malay.

PLACES: Malaysia

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Kuala Langat and Sepang areas of Selangor (Peninsular Malaysia). Mah Meri villages include, Sungai Judah, Sungai Mata, Sungai Rambai, Kepau Laut, Pulan Banting, Tongkah, Tanjung Sepat, Bukit Bangkong.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Mah Meri is spoken in isolated pockets dispersed along an eighty kilometer stretch of Selangor, from Kelang south to Sepang river (near Port Dickson).

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
1,200
Native speakers worldwide

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
1,356
Native speakers worldwide

Endangered

40 percent certain, based on the evidence available
<2,185
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
2,185
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Many members of the group do not speak the language.

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS: Swamped by Malay, all speakers are bilingual and the language is severely endangered; several dialects are already extinct.

PLACES: Malaysia

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Southwest peninsular Malaysia, along coast of Selangor and formerly as far south as Melaka and as far inland as Kuala Lumpur.

Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication no. 36		2010	A dictionary of Mah Meri as spoken at Bukit Bangkong				Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press			Nicole Kruspe	Nicole Kruspe. 2010. "A Dictionary of Mah Meri As Spoken At Bukit Bangkong." Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.			2896	1000-9999		Malay is used in all domains except between speakers of Mah Meri, within the community.	Speakers are all bilingual in Malay.	No support			Threatened (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	10	Mah Meri is still the first language acquired by children, and most are monolingual when they enter pre-school. Commonly, Young men speak Malay with their peers.	13	11	Mah Meri is spoken in isolated pockets dispersed along an eighty kilometer stretch of Selangor, from Kelang south to Sepang river (near Port Dickson).	Malaysia	Kuala Langat and Sepang areas of Selangor (Peninsular Malaysia). Mah Meri villages include, Sungai Judah, Sungai Mata, Sungai Rambai, Kepau Laut, Pulan Banting, Tongkah, Tanjung Sepat, Bukit Bangkong.	2.659, 101.675; 2.66, 101.556; 2.849, 101.375
	3rd	2010	Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger				UNESCO Publishing	Paris	http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas	Christopher Moseley (ed.)	Moseley, Christopher (ed.). 2010. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 3rd edn. http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas. (03 June, 2011.)	ll_pub		1,200	1000-9999							Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)
		2007	East and Southeast Asia	Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages	349-424	C. Moseley	London & New York: Routledge			David Bradley	Bradley, David. 2007. "East and Southeast Asia." In Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, edited by C. Moseley. 349-424. London & New York: Routledge.	HHOLD	2,185	<2,185	1000-9999	Many members of the group do not speak the language.		Malay		Swamped by Malay, all speakers are bilingual and the language is severely endangered; several dialects are already extinct.	All	Endangered (40 percent certain, based on the evidence available)				14		Malaysia	Southwest peninsular Malaysia, along coast of Selangor and formerly as far south as Melaka and as far inland as Kuala Lumpur.
			World Oral Literature Project						http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.			1,356	1000-9999							Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)

Mah Meri

Language metadata

Language information by source

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

2896

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,200

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,356

Endangered

40 percent certain, based on the evidence available

<2,185

Discussion

Mah Meri

Language metadata

Language information by source

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

2896

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,200

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,356

Endangered

40 percent certain, based on the evidence available

<2,185

Discussion

Suggest information or improvement

Download language data

Sources of information

Compare Sources