BANJAR LANGUAGE IN VARIOUS INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE 4TH TO THE 14TH CENTURIES
By: Hamly Hadi
(History Observer)
1. Dong Yen Chau Inscription, 350 AD, found in Vietnam
Several Banjar vocabulary words still used by the Banjar people today are found in the Dong Yen Chau inscription:
ni = this
nāga = dragon
pun = have
urāng = person
labuh = descended
nari = from
saribu = thousand
thun = year
davam = dawam/old
di = in
naraka = hell
dangan = with
tjuh = seven
kula = family
2. Kedukan Bukit Inscription, 682 AD, found in Palembang
Several Banjar vocabulary words in the KEDUKAN BUKIT inscription are still used by the Banjar people today. A characteristic of the Banjar language is that it does not uses the letters E and O, and Banjar is the only one that uses the word Banua to refer to its region.
These are as follows:
Nayik = to ascend
di = to be on
Marlapas = to release
Saribu = one thousand
Taluratus = three hundred
duaratus = two hundred
Sapulu = ten
banyaknya = many
Banua = area of power
3. Talang Tuo Inscription from 684 found in Palembang
Here are some Banjar vocabulary used in this inscription and can still be found in the Banjar language today.
A distinctive characteristic of the Banjar language is the absence of the letters E and O; the letter B is replaced by the letter W, for example, besi becomes wasi, baja becomes waja, the prefix ke becomes ka, the prefix me becomes ma, and the prefix ber becomes ba.
wulan = month
tatkālāña = time
niparwuat = made
sawañakña = as much as possible
nitanam = planted
ñīyur = coconut palm
hanāu = sugar palm
rumwiya = rumbia
dṅan = with
nimakan = eaten
wuaḥña = fruit
tathapi = but
haur = aur
wuluḥ = bamboo
pattuŋ = betung
talāga = lake
puṇyaña = his
tmu = meet, meet
mārgga = clan
sukha = like
niminumña = drink
wuatña = make
maŋhidupi = sustain
prakāra = matter
jāṅan = don’t
waraŋ = goods
wuataña = made
marwwaṅun = build
Huma = field/garden
Kula = family
4. The Palas Pasemah Inscription, dated 686 AD, was found in Lampung
Some Banjar vocabulary in the Palas Pasemah Inscription that is still used by the Banjar people today is:
Kita = us
Lawan = and
ni = this
Ulun = I (refined)
Pawaris = heir
Kada = no
Urang = person
Tahu = know
Maujari = speak
diya ku = I
Suruh = order
Tathapi = but
Jahat = evil
Sakit = sick
Maka = then/so that
Gila = crazy
di = in
Wisa = poison
ka = to
grang = apparently
5. The Laguna Inscription, dated 900 AD, was found in the Philippines
Some vocabulary in the Laguna Inscription that is still used today by the Banjar people is:
Lawan means with
Sanak means brother
Ngaran means name
Bukah means run
Anak dA means child “Saya” means “dang” or “name” for a beloved child.
“Dibari” means “given” or “given” or “Ulih” means “by” or “by” or “Hutang” means “debt” or “Kapawaris” means “to the heir.”
“Dihadap” means “in front of” or “in front of” or “Tuhan” means “Lord” or “Bajadi” means “to be” or … Terengganu Script Translation of Stone, Side B:
Family in Javanese ……..kan……ul
Come and give me the gift of our debt
Don’t take it (a)take it, lose it, the money
Kalima Darma Barang Urang ……………jaka
Don’t take it for ……..t its money
Jaka he took it, lose it. Ka anam Darma Barang
Urang barbuat balacara pria parawanita satitah
Diwata Mulia Raya jaka mardika bujang palu
saratus rautan. Jaka mardika baristri
or parawanita barsuawaan bersuawa buried up to the waist in Hambalang with a stone to kill
Jaka ingkir balacara Hambalang jaka anak mandalika.
Conclusion:
1. From the 1st to 13th centuries, there was no Malay language.
2. From the 1st to 13th centuries, people in Southeast Asia used the Banjar language, as evidenced by inscriptions from Srivijaya on the island of Sumatra, inscriptions from the Medang Kingdom in Laguna, the Philippines, and the Dong Yen Chau inscription in Vietnam, which use the Banjar language.
3. The Malay language only emerged in the 14th century after Sumatran people migrated to the peninsula and established the Malacca Kingdom. On the peninsula, the Banjar-speaking Sumatran people mingled with various ethnic groups, such as Chinese, Tamils, Vietnamese, Khmer, Funan, Arabs, and others, creating a new language now known as Malay.
4. The Malay language evolved from the Banjar language, influenced by other languages on the peninsula.**
Banjarmasin, January 4, 2026
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