Ketapang Malay

Ketapang Malay (Ketapang Malay: Bahase Melayu Ketapang, Jawi: بهاسي ملايو كتاڤڠ), also known as Kayong Malay, or simply Kayong or Kayung, is a Malayic language in the Malayic Dayak lects that is primarily spoken by the Malay people living in Ketapang and North Kayong Regency (which was separated from the former in 2007) as well as the surrounding regions in the southern part of West Kalimantan, Indonesia, specifically along the Pawan River. The distinctiveness of Ketapang Malay compared to other Malay varieties in West Kalimantan such as Pontianak Malay and Sambas Malay lies in its intonation, dialectal features, and certain regional vocabulary that cannot be found in other areas. This language is divided into several dialects, namely the Ketapang dialect, Teluk Melano dialect, Teluk Batang dialect, Sukadana dialect, and Kendawangan dialect, which exhibit differences in pronunciation systems, word forms, vocabulary, and linguistic nuances. However, these dialects remain mutually intelligible, allowing the Ketapang Malay community to communicate seamlessly with one another.

In Ketapang and the surrounding regions, Ketapang Malay is primarily used for daily communication in families, communities, workplaces, and markets, whether in formal or informal settings. Indonesian is used as the language of instruction in official settings such as the government and schools, but the usage of Ketapang Malay persists during informal settings such as in recesses and in social interactions. It holds a high status as a regional identity symbol and fosters pride among its speakers, who often continue using it even when outside their region. It is not only used by the Malay community but also by other ethnic groups residing in Ketapang and the surrounding regions, such as the Chinese, Madurese, and Javanese communities as a daily communication language.