This general evaluation only applies to the six speakers (all members of one family) that remain in the traditional lands. The remaining five speakers are isolated and therefore very rarely speak the language. MalakMalak is used in everyday conversation, but not at the workplace, in education, religion or trade.

The language is spoken on a daily basis in Woolianna, the traditional MalakMalak land, and used in (almost) all aspects of life. Other languages employed at home are Matngala and Kriol. Outside the traditional lands in Aboriginal communities in Darwin, Belyuen, Timber Creek, and Peppimenarti, speakers are isolated and mostly communicate in Kriol or other languages. Speakers generally have a positive attitude towards MalakMalak and value it very highly. They are, however, aware of its crucial status with young people no longer speaking it and that its replacement by Kriol. Speakers are aware of the critical condition of their language and passionate about its documentation. There is no support for the language from the Australian government, but a language documentation project is currently underway. There is no education or literacy in the language since all young MalakMalaks only speak Kriol or other languages. All speakers of MalakMalak also speak Matngala (zml) and Kriol (rop). Two know Ngan'gikurunggurr (nam), one knows Wagiman (waq).

There is no official writing system, but Dr. Dorothea Hoffmann is currently developing an orthography for publication and research purposes that is Roman-based.

"The language is now moribund."

"The people generally speak the English-based pidgin lingua franca Kriol..."