Characteristics of Malay
Malay was used in commerce, such as in this trading permit issued to an English sea captain around 1602.
For 1300 years Malay has served as the chief language of diplomacy, advanced knowledge, politics and trade, making it the lingua franca of island Southeast Asia. With a straightforward sound system and user-friendly grammar, the language is easily learnt by speakers of other languages. It is also an adaptable language, having absorbed ideas and vocabulary from a variety of other languages.
- Information in the full article includes
- The 'Latin of Asia'
- Linguistic structure
- Wealth of vocabulary