Grammar 4: Penjodoh Bilangan Melanau II ( Melanau Classifier II) Pt 2-2

In this lesson we will introduce you with another set of classifiers which some thought only possible with malay classifiers but actually exist in melanau.

In "Grammar 3" we learn about most common melanau classifiers used in everyday life. In this lesson we will introduce you with another set of classifiers which some thought only possible with malay classifiers but actually exist in melanau. We hope that these "new" classifiers will be useful to our readers. Master these classifiers and you are a step ahead in mastering melanau like the native speakers.

List of Melanau Classifier

Classifier	Meaning	Usage	Example
pak	bunch tandan	bunches like coconut,banana	jepak benyuh (a bunch of coconut) pat pak benyuh (4 bunch of coconut)
it'ing	stalk tangkai	stalk of fruits like rambutan, guava	jit'ing buak Rabaih (a stalk of guavas)
usah	shaft batang	for fruits like Pineapples, Banana,coconut, papaya	jusah kepayaih ( a papaya)
tahuék	cedok scoop	for things taken in scoop like rice, water, flour	jetahuék beraih (a scoop of rice) dua tahuék nyaem (2 scoops of water)
bed	ikat bind	for things that tied up	jebed sayur retek (a bundle of long beans)
berkéh (seldom)	berkas bundle	for things in bundle like woods, Nypa leaves	jeberkéh kayou (a bundle of woods)
batek	berkas bundle	for things in bundle like woods Nypa leave	jebatek kayou (a bundle of woods)
uek	paket packet	for packages	jeuek beraih (a packet of rice) pat uek beraih ( 4 packets of rice)

How to use these classifiers:

Some classifier cannot just simply be used the same way as in malay. Here are some examples:

In malay the classifier for broomstick (Melanau: sapou, Malay: Penyapu) is batang (stick) and is equivalent to usah in melanau.
But in melanau we do not use usah as a classifier for broomstick but we use béyk (blade) for Broomstick.
Hence:

• English: a Broomstick
• Malay: Sebatang penyapu
• Melanau: Jebéyk Sapou and NOT jusah Sapou.

For Sapou Telagai (coconut leave sticks broom, Penyapu lidi) we use bed (bind) ie Jebed Sapou telagai- a coconut leave sticks broom

Some fruits use the classifier usah (stick, batang) instead of alak (seed, buah) as in malay.
These fruits are Piseng (Pineapple, Nanas), Benyuh (Coconut, Kelapa), Kepayaih (Papaya, Betik).

Example:

• Jusah benyuh- a coconut
• Jusah Kepayaih- a papaya
• Jusah Piseng . a pineapple
• Pat usah Kepayaih- four papayas

Small fruits use alak as classifier.
Example:

• Jalak rambutan- a rambutan
• Jalak Dabai- a tropical olive

alak is also used for word, sentence or key point ( Melanau: telabau)

Example:

• telou alak telabau- three sentences or three words
• Inou alak telabau kou?- What are the key point my of talk?

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Written by Learn Melanau

Learn Melanau by Nativeglot.com provides insider information about melanau unique cultures and language