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Languages in Malaysia: Learn More About Malaysia

Languages in Malaysia: Learn More About Malaysia
Written by Farheen on December 03, 2024

Malay is the official language of Malaysia, and it was formerly known as Bahasa Malaysia. Now it is popularly referred to as Malaysian Malay or Malay and is spoken by the majority of the citizens. Next to Malay, English is the most well-known language spoken in Malaysia, as approximately 50% of the population is educated in the language. Malaysia is a nation filled with a mix of nationalities from around the world. The fascinating part is that it is home to about 137 living languages.

Languages in Malaysia

Languages In Malaysia

Malay: National Language of Malaysia

The most commonly spoken language in the country is Malay. It is also officially called Bahasa Malaysia. Being the national language of the country, it is spoken widely by 80 percent of its people. There is a mixture of ten distinct dialects of this language used all over the country. Out of all these numerous dialects, Bahasa Indonesia is familiar to the southern Malay Peninsula. Malay emerged as the most prominent and extensively spoken by the population. Additionally, the national anthem of Malaysia is composed in the national language.

English: Most Commonly Spoken Language in Malaysia

After Malaysia, English is the second most widely used language in Malaysia. It is the main medium of education, communication, and government houses widely in Malaysia. The exams are conducted here and are all in British English. English is widely spoken in the field of international business to settle deals. It has also been instrumental in building valuable relations among various cultural groups and has improved to bring harmony. There has also been an abrupt increase in English speakers, with about half of the population now literate in the language. Hence, English has become one of the most integral and important languages of Malaysia.

Chinese

Traditional Chinese, or Mandarin, and its modified Malaysian dialect appear beneath the category of Malaysian Chinese and are used by a lot of the country’s population. About ninety-three percent of Chinese families living in Kuala Lumpur can speak Mandarin. Additionally, they are also well versed in some of its modified dialects. However, Mandarin is usually used by the Chinese residing in Malaysia; Hokkien is the most common dialect spoken all over the country.

Tamil

Does this come to you as a surprise? A large portion of Indians who are a part of the Malaysian population are fluent in Tamil, as it is their native language. There are more than five hundred Tamil-medium schools opened all over the country. Other South Asian languages in Malaysia that you will come across widely are Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam, and Telugu.

Indigenous Languages in Malaysia

Kazadandusuns and Iban are the most extensively used indigenous languages in Malaysia. This language is known by the people in Sarawak. These two languages have also manifested into their own educational syllabuses in the country. Apart from these two, there are above thirty native groupings. Each language has its own dialects that are on the verge of extinction right now.

Get your bags ready to witness people speaking in the unique dialects of the languages in person. Gain a cultural experience in Malaysia that you can cherish for years to come. You know what? We can make it easy for you with our Malaysia tour packages that you can customise based on your preferences. Make your travel experience the best!

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