Kutainese language

Kutai
Native toIndonesia
RegionWest Kutai, Kutai Kartanegara, and East Kutai (East Kalimantan)
EthnicityKutai
Native speakers
(300,000 cited 1981)[1]
DialectsKota Bangun, Tenggarong, Ancalong
Language codes
ISO 639-3Either:
mqg – Kota Bangun
vkt – Tenggarong
Glottologkota1275  Kota Bangun
teng1267  Tenggarong

Kutai is a Malayic language spoken by 300,000 to 500,000 people. It is the native language of the Kutai people (Indonesian: Suku Kutai, Kutai: Urang Kutai)[what language is this?], the indigenous ethnic group which lives along the Mahakam River in Borneo, especially in North Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are the principal population in the regencies of West Kutai, Kutai Kartanegara, and East Kutai within North Kalimantan province.

Kutai is part of the local Bornean Malayic languages and is closely related to but distinct from the Banjar language in South Kalimantan, Berau, also spoken in North Kalimantan and to some extent Brunei-Kedayan Malay as well. Kutai forms a dialect continuum between the two varieties and all three share similar phonology and vocabulary with each other.

  1. ^ Kota Bangun at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Tenggarong at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)