Jahak vs Jegem: The colourful side of melanau mukah

Photo: Nelson's Adventure

Melanau mukah is one of dialect spoken mainly by the people in the administrative district of Mukah.

Did you know that there is a subtle difference in melanau mukah spoken in the village near the headwaters (Ajok) e.g in Tellian with the melanau mukah spoken in the villages near the estuary (Abak) e.g. Tutus hilir.

In the past these villages are isolated and may at some point at war which each other, the type of melanau mukah they speak are very different.

Fortunately nowadays many melanau in Mukah befriend with each other and the differences in vocabulary are often misunderstood as synonym by the younger generation - Same meaning different word. But for melanau mukah outside Mukah like in Miri division, these differences are still evident.

Here are some examples:

Jahak vs Jegem (to be with/ with, malay: dengan, bersama):

Abak: Jahak
Ajok: Jegem

Example:
Jahak / Jegem sai kaau mapun sibu? - With whom you are going to sibu?

Itou selau vs Ajau (now, malay: sekarang):

Abak: itou selau
Ajok: ajau

Example: Telou makau itou selau/ ajau! - We are going now!

Keman vs Kuman  (from , malay: dari):

Abak: Keman. Also means to eat.
Ajok: Kuman

Example: Keman/ Kuman gan kaau yen? - We are you from?

Dagen vs Lubeang  (inside , malay: dalam):

Abak: Dagen
Ajok: Lubeang

Example: Inou dagen/lubeang  yen? - What is inside here?

Ganjil vs Gajil  (lazy , malay: malas):

Abak: Ganjil
Ajok: Gajil

Example: Ganjil/ Gajil tan rasa kou lau itou - I feel lazy today.

Mun vs Amun  (if , malay: kalau):

Abak: Mun
Ajok: Amun

Example: Mun/Amun kaau mapun kedai, melei segerit gak kou - If you are going to shop, buy me  cigarette.

Enda bei vs Nda bei  (do not have , malay: tiada):

Abak: Enda bei
Ajok: Nda bei

Example: Enda bei/ Nda bei duit kou. - I dont have any money.

Ji an vs Kutan  (how , malay: bagaimana):

Abak: Ji an
Ajok: Kutan

Example: Ji an/ Kutan tan itou? - How is it?

And finally this may cause some misunderstanding :p

Lulok vs Lulok  (to chase after/ to visit , malay: mengejar, melawat):

Akou lok melulok siyen.

Abak: Can mean to chase after OR to visit. Depends on the context. I want to visit him OR I want to chase after him
Ajok: Only means to chase after. I want to chase after him.

Browse More Articles

Tweet

Written by Nativeglot

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