Kerinci language

Kerinci
basê Kinci basê Kincai
'Suhat incoung' (Incoung script), the original script of the Kerinci language
Pronunciation	ba.sə kiɲ.t͡ʃai̯
Native to	Indonesia (Jambi, West Sumatra and Bengkulu)
Region	Sumatra
Ethnicity	Kerinci
Native speakers	254,125 (Jambi, 2000)
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Malayic Kerinci
Dialects	Belui Air Hangat Danau Kerinci Gunung Kerinci Gunung Raya Pembantu Sungai Tutung Sitinjau Laut Sungai Penuh
Writing system	Latin (Indonesian alphabet) Incung Jawi
Language codes
ISO 639-3	kvr
Glottolog	keri1250
Linguasphere	33-AFA-da
Areas where the Kerinci language is predominantly spoken.

The Kerinci language (basê Kinci or basê Kincai) is an Austronesian language primarily spoken by the Kerinci people in Sungai Penuh, Kerinci Regency, and parts of Merangin and Bungo Regency in eastern Jambi, as well as several hamlets in Mukomuko Regency in Bengkulu. This language is also spoken by the Kerinci diaspora in other regions of Indonesia, such as West Sumatra and Java; as well as outside Indonesia, such as in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor in Malaysia. The total number of Kerinci language speakers is estimated to be around 250,000 in 2000. As an Austronesian language from the Malay-Polynesian sub-group, the Kerinci language is also closely related to the Minangkabau and Jambi Malay languages spoken in neighboring regions.

The Kerinci language exhibits very high diversity; it is estimated that there are 130 sub-dialects and seven main dialects, which are Gunung Raya dialect, Danau Kerinci dialect, Sitinjau Laut dialect, Sungai Penuh dialect, Pembantu Sungai Tutung dialect, Belui Air Hangat dialect, and Gunung Kerinci dialect. Based on dialectometric calculations, the percentage difference between these seven dialects ranges from 51% to 65.50%. In comparison, the Kerinci language has a percentage difference ranging from 81% to 100% when compared to the Bengkulu and Minangkabau languages.

Classification

The Kerinci language is one of the many varieties of the Malayic languages. Linguists believe that the Malay language—one of the varieties of the Malayic languages—originally derived from Proto-Malayic, which was spoken in the area stretching from West Kalimantan to the northern coast of Brunei around 1000 BCE. Its ancestor, Proto-Malayo-Polynesian, is estimated to have originated from Proto-Austronesian, which split around 2000 BCE due to the large-scale expansion of the Austronesian people into Maritime Southeast Asia from the island of Taiwan.

The Kerinci language is a member of the Austronesian language family, which encompasses various languages in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and as far as Madagascar, as well as some languages in mainland Asia. Uniquely, the Kerinci language also shares some phonemes with Austroasiatic languages. The Malagasy language, Filipino, the indigenous languages of Taiwan, and Māori are also members of this language family. Although each language in this family is not mutually intelligible, their similarities are quite striking. Many basic words have remained almost unchanged from their common ancestor, Proto-Austronesian. There are numerous cognates found in basic words for kinship, health, body parts, and common animals. Even the words for numbers exhibit a remarkable level of similarity.

The Kerinci language has a high degree of mutual intelligibility with the Minangkabau language. This is partly due to the historical fact that the Kerinci chiefdoms were once part of the Pagaruyung Kingdom's territory.

Geographic distribution and usage

The Kerinci language is typically used by the Kerinci people who inhabit the Kerinci highlands and its surrounding areas, specifically the area around Kerinci Seblat National Park. Administratively, these areas are currently within the city of Sungai Penuh and Kerinci Regency, as well as parts of Merangin and Bungo Regency in Jambi. In Kerinci Regency, the Kerinci language is spoken in Pengasih Lama village in Bukitkerman district; Koto Tuo Ujung Pasir and Seleman village in Danau Kerinci district; Hiang Tinggi village in Sitinjau Laut district; Koto Lebu and Koto Lolo village in Pondong Tinggi district; Sungaiabu village in Kerinci district; Belui village in Air Hangat Timur district; as well as Mukai Tinggi and Sung Betung Ilir village in Gunung Kerinci district. The Kerinci language is also spoken in small parts of neighboring West Sumatra and Bengkulu, specifically in South Solok Regency and Mukomuko Regency. In addition, the Kerinci people has also migrated to the Malay Peninsula since the 19th century. In Malaysia, the Kerinci language is mainly spoken in the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, such as Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and Johor, due to their proximity to Sumatra. However, the status of the Kerinci language in Malaysia is currently becoming threatened due to the process of gradual assimilation and acculturation with the language and culture of the local community, especially the local Malay community.

In the Kerinci highlands, the Kerinci language stands as the predominant means of daily communication, effortlessly traversing both informal and formal settings throughout the region. However, its predominant use is informal, while Indonesian serves as the lingua franca in governmental institutions, education, and interethnic communication. As Indonesian usage continues to expand, fueled by increasing educational opportunities, it has become increasingly commonplace for Kerinci speakers to engage in code-switching between Kerinci and Indonesian, and vice versa.

The Kerinci language continues to hold significant importance among its speakers in Kerinci Regency and the city of Sungai Penuh in Jambi. Additionally, the Kerinci language also serves as a supporter of the local culture of the Kerinci community. The presence of the Kerinci language in the midst of a growing multilingual and multiethnic society due to migration from other parts of Indonesia poses its own challenges for Kerinci language speakers. They are starting to master many languages, which influences the Kerinci language. The presence of other languages is gradually eroding the Kerinci language. In response, efforts have been made by the government to preserve the usage of the Kerinci language. In Sungai Penuh, it is compulsory for students to enroll in Kerinci language courses as part of the school curriculum. Additionally, the Jambi provincial government has initiated training programs for teachers aimed at enhancing their understanding and teaching skills while promoting the use of the Kerinci language. These programs include instruction in writing and reading using the Incung script, composing and reciting poetry in Kerinci, storytelling, delivering speeches, writing short stories, traditional songs, and solo comedy performances, all conducted in the Kerinci language.

Phonology

Vowels

Like other Malayic languages, vowels in the Kerinci language consists of /i/, /e/, /a/, /u/, and /o/, with two additional vowels: /ɛ/ and /ə/. There isn't a universally standardized phonology for the Kerinci language, resulting in the existence of various phonological systems within Kerinci. However, Kerinci phonology typically aligns closely with standard Indonesian orthography, albeit with some notable exceptions. The table below illustrates the vowel chart of the Mukomuko language. The phonology system below is based on the system developed by Nikelas et. al. (1981).

	Front	Central	Back
Close	i		u
Mid	e	ə	o
Open-mid	ɛ
Open		a

Orthographic note: The sounds are represented orthographically by their symbols as above, except:

• /ə/ is written as ⟨ê⟩
• /ɛ/ and /e/ are both written as ⟨e⟩

Consonants

There are nineteen consonants in Kerinci, which are /p/, /b/, /m/, /w/, /t/, /d/, /r/, /n/, /s/, /l/, /c/, /j/, /ɲ/, /u/, /g/, /y,/, /ŋ/, /ʔ/ and /h/. The table below illustrates the consonant chart of the Kerinci language.

	Bilabial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Nasal	m	n	ɲ	ŋ
Plosive/Affricate	p b	t d	c j	k ɡ	ʔ
Fricative		s			h
Semivowel	w		y
Lateral		l
Trill		r

Orthographic note: The sounds are represented orthographically by their symbols as above, except:

• /ɲ/ is written ⟨ny⟩
• /ŋ/ is written ⟨ng⟩
• /ʔ/ is written ⟨k⟩

Diphthongs

In the Kerinci language, two types of diphthongs are found: descending diphthongs and ascending diphthongs. The descending diphthongs include:

• /iə/: ambiê 'take', pipiê 'cheek'
• /eə/: bacaeêlah 'read it', dneê 'hear'

• /uə/: pabanyuêk 'to increase', barajuê 'study'
• /aə/: pandaê 'smart', ngkaêh 'to follow'
• /ao/: lupao 'forget', kayao 'rich'
• /oə/: pedoêh 'spicy', woê 'just'

The ascending diphthongs include:

• /ow/: sapatow 'shoe', ikow 'tail'
• /ew/: bahew 'new', tidew 'sleep'
• /ɛw/: dbew 'dust', lêbewh 'more'
• /ay/: nasay 'rice', tulayh 'write'
• /oy/: agoy 'give', dikoyk 'a little'
• /ey/: jahey 'finger', nyakey 'to choke'

Grammar

Along with other Malayic languages, the word order in Kerinci is typically subject-verb-object (SVO). While there are notable exceptions, the grammar structure of the Kerinci language shares many similarities with Minangkabau, Indonesian and Malay.

Affixes

The Kerinci language has a number of affixes that can join with the base word to form an affixed word. There are three types of affixes in Kerinci: prefixes, suffixes, and infixes. Similar to other Malayic languages, Kerinci words are composed of a root or a root plus derivational affixes. The root is the primary lexical unit of a word and is usually bisyllabic, of the shape CV(C)CV(C). Affixes are "glued" onto roots (which are either nouns or verbs) to alter or expand the primary meaning associated with a given root, effectively generating new words.

Prefixes

The prefixes commonly used in Kerinci include ba-, di-, N-, ta-, pa-, ma-, ka-, and sa-. Examples showcasing the usage of the prefix ba- are shown below:

• ba- + lahoy 'run': balahoy 'to be running'
• ba- + tanak 'livestock': batanak 'to raise livestock'
• ba- + buloy 'fur': babuloy furry'
• ba- + sataw 'one': basataw 'unite'

Examples showcasing the usage of the prefix di- are shown below:

• di- + bli 'buy': dibli 'be bought'
• di- + bene 'right': dibene 'be fixed'
• di- + rusak 'damage': dirusak 'be damaged'
• di- + saain 'rival': disaain 'be rivaled'

Examples showcasing the usage of the prefix N- are shown below:

• N- + udud 'cigarette': ngudud 'to smoke'
• N- + buka 'open': mukak 'to open'
• N- + antak 'drop', 'send': ngantak 'to drop off'
• N- + gawe 'do': ngawe 'to do'

Examples showcasing the usage of the prefix ta- are shown below:

• ta- + panggang 'burn': tapanggang 'burnt'
• ta- + panjang 'long': tapanjang 'longest'
• ta- + pandak 'short': tapandak 'shortest'
• ta- + lemak 'delicious': talemak 'most delicious'

Examples showcasing the usage of the prefix pa- are shown below:

• pa- + tinggay 'tall': patinggay 'make taller'
• pa- + mace 'read': pamace 'reader'
• pa- + minan 'drink': paminan 'drinker'
• pa- + malayh 'lazy': pamalayh 'lazy person'

Examples showcasing the usage of the prefix ma- are shown below:

• ma- + lumpak 'jump': malumpak 'to jump'
• ma- + pahalawh 'smoothen': mapahalawh 'to smoothen'
• ma- + rapak 'get close': marapak 'to get close'
• ma- + inak 'remember': mainak 'to remember'

Examples showcasing the usage of the prefix ka- are shown below:

• ka- + lapo 'hungry': kalapo 'feeling hungry'
• ka- + dingin 'cold': kadingin 'feeling cold'
• ka- + ragun 'doubtful': karagun 'feeling doubtful'
• ka- + teih 'up': kateih 'upstairs'

Examples showcasing the usage of the prefix sa- are shown below:

• sa- + ilaêk 'good': sailaêk 'as good as'
• sa- + dusen 'hamlet': sadusen 'entire hamlet'
• sa- + paneh 'hot': sapaneh 'as hot as'
• sa- + gantang 'bushel': sagantang 'a bushel'

Suffixes

In the Kerinci language, there is only one suffix, which is -lah. Examples showcasing the usage of the suffix -lah are shown below:

• Kainanlah jeleh-jeleh sebelum ngambik kaputusan. 'Think calmly before making a decision'
• Datenglah sakalai-sakalai kumah kamai. 'Come to our house once in a while'
• Biua woelah nyo nangaih luo kamar. 'Just let her cry outside the room'
• Mamok kamai ielah gepeuk nga gdon tinggai. 'Our uncle is fat and tall'

Infixes

There is only one infix in the Kerinci language, which is -ar-. Examples showcasing the usage of the infix -ar- are shown below:

• -ar- + ayei 'water': barayei 'watery'
• -ar- + agi 'yeast': baragi 'yeasty'
• -ar- + ameh 'gold': barameh 'golden'
• -ar- + adeik 'younger sibling': baradeik 'have a younger sibling'

Reduplication

Reduplication in the Kerinci language can be divided into noun, verb, adjective and numeral reduplication. There are three types of verb reduplication, which are verb-forming reduplication that means repetitive action, verb-forming reduplication that means doing something with enjoyment, and verb-forming reduplication that means mutual action. Examples of verb-forming reduplication that means repetitive action are shown below:

• maco-maco 'to skim through'
• manjat-manjat 'to climb around'
• aloy-aloy 'to look around'

Examples of verb-forming reduplication that means doing something with enjoyment are shown below:

• minan-minan 'to drink casually'
• masak-masak 'to cook casually'
• tidew-tidew 'to sleep casually'

Examples of verb-forming reduplication that means mutual action are shown below:

• batangoyh-tangoyh 'to cry together'
• baragoyh-ragoyh 'to share together'

There are two types of noun reduplication, which are noun-forming reduplication that means 'many' and noun-forming reduplication that means 'like' or 'resembling'. Examples of noun-forming reduplication that means 'many' are shown below:

• anak-anak 'kids'
• gloyh-gloyh 'glasses'
• pisan-pisan 'bananas'

Examples of noun-forming reduplication noun-forming reduplication that means 'like' or 'resembling are shown below:

• kudow-kudow 'horse'
• umoh-umoh 'house'

There are three types of adjective reduplication, which are adjective-forming reduplication that denotes plurality, adjective-forming reduplication that indicates atmosphere, and adjective-forming reduplication that expresses condition. Examples of adjective-forming reduplication that denotes plurality are shown below:

• gduê-gduê 'very large'
• panja-panja 'very long'
• putaêh-putaêh 'very white'

Examples of adjective-forming reduplication that indicates atmosphere are shown below:

• bagduê-gduê 'on a large scale'

Examples of adjective-forming reduplication that expresses condition are shown below:

• sakayk-sakayk 'frequently sick'
• payah-payah 'persistently difficult'
• pnak-pnak 'continuously exhausted'

There is only one type of numeral word reduplication, which is the numeral-forming reduplication that indicates formation. Examples are:

• tigeê-tigeê 'three-three' or 'formation of three-three'
• dueê-dueê 'two-two'

Nouns

In the Kerinci language, noun can be divided into basic nouns, inflective nouns and derivative nouns. Basic nouns are used when the word stands alone and is not modified. These basic nouns can occupy the positions of subject and object in a sentence, such as:

• apuêk mley bajew 'dad is buying clothes'
• nyo makan pisa 'he's a eating a banana'
• anok toh gadoyh 'that child is a girl'
• kakak minum ubuêk 'elder sibling is eating medicine'

Inflectional nouns are derived from basic words that undergo phoneme changes when the basic word is modified by another word, such as:

• pisa dalon pingga 'banana on a plate'
• pisan kunan toh dalon pingga 'that yellow banana is on a plate'
• jawow sitow 'cow over there'
• jawi putaêh sitow 'that white cow over there'

Derivative nouns are combinations of the prefix pa- with nouns, verbs, or adjectives, such as:

• pa- + tani 'farm': patani 'farmer'
• pa- + daguê 'trade': padaguê 'merchant' or 'trader'
• pa- + tulayh 'writer': patulayh 'writer'
• pa- + baceê 'read': pabaceê 'reader'

In addition, pluralization of nouns in the Kerinci language can be expressed by reduplication and numerals, such as:

• sawoh-sawoh 'lots of farms'
• umah-umah 'lots of houses'
• duwo uha 'two person'
• tujuh umoh 'seven houses'

Verbs

Verbs are words that denotes an action performed by a noun, such as binen ('drink'), tidew ('sleep'), baceê ('read'), tulayh ('write') and agoyh ('give'). According to their forms, verbs can be divided into basic verbs, inflectional verbs, and derivative verbs. Basic verbs are generally used in imperative sentences, such as:

• tulayhlah 'write it'
• baceêlah 'read it'
• agoylah 'give it'
• tidewlah 'go sleep'

Inflectional verbs are basic verbs used as intransitive or transitive verbs. These verbs undergo phoneme changes from the basic verb. Inflectional verbs occur due to the combination of prefixes and basic verbs, such as:

• nyo nulayh 'he is writing'
• nyo manjak 'he is climbing'
• nyo macaê 'he is reading'

On the other hand, Derivative verbs originate from the combination of prefixes /N-/, /ma-/, /ba-/, /di-/, and /pa-/ with nouns, adjectives, and numerals, such as:

• mangkao 'to hack using a hoe'
• babaoêk 'to get close with each other'
• nakawk 'to scare'
• malemah 'to weaken'

Adjectives

According to its form, adjectives in the Kerinci language are divided into basic adjectives and inflected adjectives. According to their function, they can be classified into attributive and predicative functions. Adjectives can be modified by several modifiers, such as nya 'the....one', nya 'so....', sanat 'very', liwak 'very', laboyh 'more', palin 'most', and samo 'same'. Basic adjectives can be modified by modifiers, such as:

• ita nya 'so black'
• tingay nya 'so tall'
• nya pandak 'the short one'
• lebih tinggay 'taller'
• nya barsoyh 'the clean one'
• samo brot 'same weight'

Inflected adjectives are basic adjectives that undergo phonemic changes when modified by the modifier sangat or liwak, which both means 'very', such as:

• sangat itan 'very black'
• sangat bersih 'very clean'
• liwak pande 'very short'
• liwak tinggay 'very tall'

Numerals

Numerals in the Kerinci language, like in standard Indonesian, can be divided into two main types: definite numerals and indefinite numerals. Definite numerals are numerals that indicate a specific quantity, such as:

• sataw 'one'
• dueê 'two'
• mpak 'four'
• limao 'five'
• limo pulaoh 'fifty'
• limo ratawh 'five hundred'

Indefinite numerals are numerals that do not indicate a specific quantity, such as:

• banyuêk 'many'
• dikoyk 'little'

Definite numerals like pulaoh 'tens', ratowh 'hundreds', ribu 'thousands', and juta 'millions' when given the prefix ba- can be classified into indefinite numerals, such as: bapulaoh 'tens of', baratawh 'hundreds of', baribu 'thousands of', and bajuta 'millions of'. In its usage, numerals can have the form of cardinal numerals and ordinal numerals. The basic numeral words denoting units, such as: sataw 'satu', na 'enam', tujeuh 'tujuh', salapa 'delapan', and so forth, in inflected forms can be added with numeral words pulawh 'puluh', ratawh 'ratus', ribu 'ribu', jutea 'juta', like:

• sapulawh 'ten'
• duwo ratewh 'two hundred'
• nan ribu 'six thousand'
• sajuta 'one million'

Cardinal numerals can be used in reduplcation, such as:

• sataw-sataw 'one by one'
• dueê-dueê 'two by two'
• tigeê-tigeê 'three by three'
• na-na 'six by six'

Numerals can also be prefixed with /pa-/, such as:

• padueê 'to make into two'
• patigeê 'to make into three'
• pampak 'to make into four'
• pabanyuêk 'to make into many'

Pronouns

Personal pronouns in Kerinci consist of first person singular and plural pronouns, such as: akaw 'I', kamay 'we', kitao 'we'; second person singular and plural pronouns, such as: mpao 'you (male)' (younger than the speaker), kaaw 'you (female)' (younger than the speaker), ikao 'you' (same age as the speaker), kayao 'you' (older than the speaker). In certain situations, the second person singular pronouns can be specified further by distinguishing levels and statuses, for example:

• twao ('eldest sibling'), twaruwao ('eldest uncle), taruwao ('eldest aunt')
• tngah ('second oldest sibling'), twarengah ('second oldest uncle'), tarengah ('second oldest aunt')
• nsaw ('youngest family member'), twansaw ('youngest uncle'), tansaw ('youngest aunt')

For third person singular and plural pronouns, the following words are usually used: no 'he/she', diyuê 'he/she (respectful)', uha 'they'.

Examples of interrogative pronouns for objects or people in Kerinci language are: apo 'what', sapo 'who'.

Examples of demonstrative pronouns for objects are itoh 'that', ineh 'this'.

Dialects

The number of dialects in the Kerinci language is disputed. This is because the boundaries of Kerinci language dialects have not been definitively determined due to the lack of specific research on the geographic boundaries of the Kerinci region. According to Anwar et al. (1984), the Kerinci language is classified into three major dialect groups, namely the Upper Kerinci dialect (Kerinci Hulu), the Middle Kerinci dialect (Kerinci Tengah), and the Lower Kerinci dialect (Kerinci Hilir). Usman (1990), in his research report, suggests that there are two dialects in the Kerinci language, namely the "i" dialect and the "ai" dialect, each of which has its own sub-dialects. Furthermore, Amirruddin et al. (2003) state that there are approximately 177 dialects in the Kerinci language. The number of dialects corresponds to the number of villages (dusun) in Kerinci Regency.

The Indonesian Agency for Language Development and Cultivation identifies approximately 130 dialects of the Kerinci language, consisting of seven major dialects, which are Gunung Raya dialect, Danau Kerinci dialect, Sitinjau Laut dialect, Sungai Penuh dialect, Pembantu Sungai Tutung dialect, Air Hangat dialect, and Gunung Kerinci dialect. The Gunung Raya dialect is spoken in Pengasih Lama village in Bukitkerman District. The Danau Kerinci dialect is spoken in Koto Tuo Ujung Pasir village and Seleman village in Danau Kerinci District. The Sitinjau Laut dialect is spoken in Hiang Tinggi village in Sitinjau Laut District. The Sungai Penuh dialect is spoken in Koto Lebu village and Koto Lolo village in Pondong Tinggi District. The Pembantu Sungai Tutung dialect is spoken in Sungaiabu village in Kerinci District. The Belui Air Hangat dialect is spoken in Belui village, in Air Hangat Timur District. The Gunung Kerinci dialect is spoken in Mukai Tinggi village and Sung Betung Ilir village in Gunung Kerinci District.

Based on dialectometric calculations, the percentage of differences among these dialects ranges from 51% to 65.50%. The Kerinci language dialects can be very different between villages even though they are very close, such as Tanah Kampung, Kemantan, and Dusun Baru, which are only separated by a river. Administratively, these three villages belong to different districts and regencies. Dusun Baru Lempur and Kemantan are located in Kerinci Regency but are in different districts, while Tanah Kampung is part of Sungai Penuh. Although part of Sungai Penuh, the inhabitants of Tanah Kampung use a different dialect, specifically the Tanah Kampung dialect. Kemantan Raya is included in the Air Hangat Timur District of Kerinci Regency, where the community uses the Tanah Kemantan dialect. Meanwhile, Dusun Baru Lempur is in the Gunung Raya District of Kerinci Regency, and its inhabitants use the Dusun Baru dialect. The Kerinci dialect has various variations that differ in both phonological and lexical aspects among the dialects. However, the dialects are generally mutually intelligible with one another. The Kerinci language is also known for its phonological variations, such as the sound [a] at the end position before [t]. In Sungai Penuh, [a] changes to [e], in Pondok Tinggi it becomes [uə], while in Lempur and Semurup it remains [a], and in Dusun Baru it changes to [o]. An illustration of phonological distinctions across Kerinci dialects can be observed in the pronunciation of the word "girl". In Sungai Penuh dialect, it may be pronounced as gadɔyh/gadeyh, in Tanjung Pauh as gadeh/gadyh, and in Koto Keras as gaduh/gadi.

Below are some examples of differences in Kerinci vocabularies based on dialects along with their Indonesian and English equivalents:

Central Kerinci		Upper Kerinci		Lower Kerinci		Indonesian	English
Sungai Penuh	Hiang	Simerup	Siulak	Sungai Agung	Lempur
padoi	padi	padi	padi	padi	padih	padi	paddy
umah	umoh	umoh	umah	ume	umen	rumah	house
jangki	jangki	jangki	jangki	jangki	jangkih	jarang	rare
ujeng	ujea	ujan	ujan	uje	ujen	hujan	rain
tulang	tulen	tulang	tulang	tula	tulag	tulang	bone
pehauk	pehouk	pehut	perut	pehut	pehug	perut	stomach
petang	petan	petang	petang	petan	petag	kemarin	yesterday
ideuk	ideuk	idup	idup	ideuk	idui	hifup	alive

In addition, Kerinci language spoken in Malaysia has diverged from its original form and is no longer spoken as it is by native Kerinci speakers in Indonesia. The Kerinci language in Malaysia has been significantly influenced by local languages such as Malay, thus deviating from the Kerinci language spoken in the Kerinci region in Jambi.

Vocabulary

The Kerinci language has extensively borrowed words from other languages, particularly Minangkabau and Indonesian. Indonesian is the national language of Indonesia and serves as the language of communication in official settings, such as government institutions and schools. As education levels rise, there is greater exposure to Indonesian, resulting in the Kerinci language increasingly absorbing loanwords from Indonesian. On the other hand, the significant number of loanwords from Minangkabau is due to historical contact between Kerinci and Minangkabau speakers. These two languages are not only spoken in contiguous areas, but from the beginning until now, many people from West Sumatra have migrated to Kerinci to establish businesses, work, and even marry native Kerinci speakers. Additionally, the Minangkabau language is commonly used by spoken in Sungai Penuh, the central trade hub in Kerinci. Almost all the shopkeepers in Sungai Penuh speak Minangkabau. Lastly, the Kerinci language is also related to Jambi Malay, which serves as the lingua franca in eastern Jambi. It is estimated that up to 80% of Kerinci vocabularies has similarity with Jambi Malay.

The table below shows lexical similarities between Kerinci, Minangkabau and Jambi Malay, along with their Indonesian and English translations:

Kerinci	Jambi Malay	Minangkabau	Indonesian	English
abu	abu	abu	abu	ash
apo	apo	apo	apa	what
ngali	gali	kali	kali	river
kêpalok	kêpalo	palu	kepala	head

A small number of Kerinci vocabulary has also been influenced by Dutch, with words like uto ('car'), derived from the Dutch word auto, and potlot ('pencil'), derived from the Dutch word potlood.

Below are examples of commonly used Kerinci vocabulary along with their Indonesian and English translations:

Numerals

Number	Kerinci	Indonesian	English
1	sataw	satu	one
2	dueê, duwo	dua	two
3	tigo	tiga	three
4	mpak	empat	four
5	limo, limao	lima	five
6	na, nan	enam	six
7	tujeuh	tujuh	seven
8	salapa, lapan	delapan	eight
9	sambilan	sembilan	nine
10	sapulawh	sepuluh	ten
11	sabloih	sebelas	eleven
20	duwo pulawh	dua puluh	twenty
50	limo pulawh	lima puluh	fifty
100	saratewh	seratus	one hundred
500	limo ratewh	lima ratus	five hundred
1000	saribu	seribu	one thousand
5000	limo ribu	lima ribu	five thousand
100,000	saratewh ribu	seratus ribu	one hundred thousand
1,000,000	sajuta, sataw juta	sejuta, satu juta	one million

Directions

Kerinci	Indonesian	English
ineh	ini	this
itoh	itu	that
siney	sini	here
sitow	situ, sana	sana
disiney	disini	over here
disitow	disitu, disana	over there
kahey	kesini	go here
kiyon	kesitu, kesana	go there
kidan	kiri	left
kanan	kanan	right
lateh	atas	up
bawah	bawah	down
hulu	utara	north
hilir	selatan	south
muare	timur	east
mudik	barat	west

Personal Pronouns

Kerinci	Indonesian	English
akaw, kaw	aku, saya	I, me
mpao	dia	he (younger than speaker)
kaaw	dia	she (younger than speaker)
ikao	dia	he/she (same age as speaker)
kayao	dia	he/she (older than speaker)
no, nya	dia	he/she (neutral)
kamay, kitao	kami, kita	we
uha	mereka	they

Interrogatives Pronouns

Kerinci	Indonesian	English
sapo	siapa	who
apo	apa	what
piyao	kenapa, mengapa	why
manao	mana, dimana	where
bilea, pabilea	kapan	when
manan	gimana, bagaimana	how
apea	berapa	how much
bileê	bila, apabila	if

Nouns

Kerinci	Indonesian	English
umoh	rumah	house
bateu	batu	stone
ksek	pasir	sand
sawoh	sawah	farm
uto	mobil	car
potlot	pensil	pencil
sayow	sayur	vegetable
lantaê	lantai	floor
laook	ikan	fish
kpa	kapal	ship
kapaêh	kapas	cotton
kabewk	kabut	fog
dahuêh	darah	blood
bumoy	bumi	earth
anayn	angin	wind
ambaw	rambut	hair
bal	bola	ball

Verbs

Kerinci	Indonesian	English
angkak	angkat	to carry
bankoyk	bangun	wake up
caboyk	robek	to tear
lahoy	lari	to run
gambuê	gambar	to draw
gawoê	kerja	to work
kampao	kumpul	to gather
tutawk	tutup	to close
dudeuk	duduk	to sit
janjoy	janji	to promise
inak	inget	to remember

Adjectives

Kerinci	Indonesian	English
tinggai	tinggi	tall
ilaok	cantik	beautiful
buhuak, buhok	buruk	bad
gmouk	gemuk	fat
banyeak	banyak	many
muhah	murah	cheap
baranoy	berani	brave
lemak	enak, sedap	delicious
lkeh	cepat	fast
talambat	terlambat	late
rajain	rajin	hardworking
maleh	malas	lazy
sakiek	sakit	sick
kreh	keras	hard

Sample Text

The following text is an excerpt from the official translation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Indonesian and Kerinci, along with the original declaration in English:

English	Indonesia	Kerinci (Sungai Penuh Dialect)
Universal Declaration of Human Rights	Pernyataan Umum tentang Hak Asasi Manusia	Panyata Saduniê Pakarò Hak-Hak Manusiò
Article 1	Pasal 1	Pasal 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.	Semua orang dilahirkan merdeka dan mempunyai martabat dan hak-hak yang sama. Mereka dikaruniai akal dan hati nurani dan hendaknya bergaul satu sama lain dalam semangat persaudaraan.	Sadou manusiò dilahe mardikê dan nahouh darjat ugê hak-hak ngan samò. Galou uhang dibêhòi akang nga atei dan musti ideuk basamò uhang laain sarupò uhang badusanak.

Writing system

Government signs in Kerinci Regency and Sungai Penuh are now bilingual, featuring both Latin and Incung script

Historically, the Kerinci language was written in the Incung script (Suhat Incoung). The Incung script is the only known indigenous script discovered in central Sumatra, related to both the Lampung script, employed in the Lampung language, and the Rencong script, utilized in the Rejang language of southern Sumatra. Linguistically, incung means slanted or tilted in the Kerinci language. This script is composed of straight lines, broken and tilted segments, and curves, written at a slight angle. The Incung script is a cultural heritage left by the ancestors of the Kerinci people. This script was used to document the history of the ancestors, literature in the form of romantic and sorrowful prose, customary agreements, and spells.

There is a belief among the Kerinci people that the creation of the script and the birth of literature stem from a background of cultural manifestation encompassing nature, humanity, and divinity as a whole. Consequently, the literature of the Kerinci people written on buffalo horns, bamboo, bark, cloth, and paper is considered sacred and revered. This belief remains strong in the cultural life of the Kerinci community even today. Since the 19th century, these manuscripts have been regarded as sacred objects by the Kerinci people. The Incung script was still actively used by the Kerinci people until around 1825. With the onset of the 20th century and the spread of Islam into the Kerinci community, the use of the Incung script gradually dwindled as a means of written communication. This decline can be attributed to the growing influence of Islamic culture on the Kerinci community, leading to a shift away from the Incung script. Consequently, the Kerinci people have transitioned towards utilizing the Jawi script (also known as Arab-Malay) for written communication.

There are now very few experts who can write and read the Incung script. As a result, these ancient manuscripts written in the Incung script are threatened with extinction and abandonment by future generations. This may be due to a lack of interest in reading and studying them because the script is no longer familiar to people. Additionally, the manuscripts are kept and revered by their owners, leading to a lack of desire to read, study, internalize, and disseminate the contents and values contained within them. These manuscripts hold many moral, social, cultural, historical, educational, and other values. These values or knowledge are meaningful not only in the past and present but also for the future.

The manuscripts written in the Incung script are not only scattered in the homes of residents as sacred heirlooms but are also stored in the Jambi State Museum and the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta. Abroad, they are kept at Leiden in the Netherlands. Currently, in Jambi, there is growing interest and attention from certain parties and government agencies to preserve and study the Incung script. Efforts include transliterating the Incung script into Latin script, conducting research, teaching reading and writing of the Incung script in schools, and using the Incung script for naming government agencies and streets, among other initiatives.

Presently, the Kerinci language is expressed through various scripts including the original Incung, Latin, and Jawi. Latin script has become the predominant choice due to its widespread usage across Indonesia. Incung is primarily reserved for cultural practices and rituals, whereas Jawi finds its niche in religious contexts or within Islamic educational institutions such as pesantren.

Literature

The Kerinci community is esteemed for their adeptness in articulating meaning through expressions and idioms. These linguistic nuances are commonly woven into communication among family members and throughout the community. They serve as vessels of wisdom, reflecting the community's deep-rooted knowledge of natural resource management and environmental stewardship. This wisdom is cherished and passed down through the ages, from elder to youth. Among the rich tapestry of Kerinci proverbs, one finds bajalan kincie karno ayiek, bagoyang dahan karno angin ('Walking mill because of water, swaying branches because of wind'), illustrating the concept of cause and effect. Another such proverb is apo digaduh pengayuh samo di tangan biduk samo di aek ('Sitting equal, standing equal'), symbolizing the principle of equal rights and responsibilities. One other example is bak membelah betung, sebelah dipijak, sebelah lagi diangkat tinggi-tinggi ('Like splitting a bamboo, one part is stepped on while the other is lifted high'), interpreting a person who is willing to sacrifice others to achieve their goals. Pantun, a type of oral poetic form commonly found in the Malay world is also widespread in the Kerinci community.

Below is an example of a Kerinci pantun along with the Indonesian and English translation:

Kerinci	Indonesian	English
Cinak ini ruponyo ahi Patut nian buladang bawang. Cinak ini ruponyo kami Patut nian kami tibuang. Tigo luhah tanah sikudung Rumah gedang tempat berunding. Kato alah sudah kami tilangsung Kayo buralih ngan uhang lain. Bukan rakit ngato nak pnoh Buluh tirendam nak pnoh jugo. Bukan punyakit ngato nak munoh Rindu ngan dendam nak munoh jugo. Tinggi nyo bukik samo di daki Luhah ngan dalam samo ditempuh. Tunggu lah kayo ranah kurinci Bialah kami tibuang jauh.	Beginilah rupanya hari Patut sekali berladang bawang. Beginilah rupanya kami Patut sekali kami terbuang. Tiga lurah tanah sikudung Rumah gadang tempat berunding. Kata kita sudah sepakat Anda beralih dengan orang lain. Bukan rakit namanya jika penuh Buluh terendam akan penuh juga. Bukan penyakit yang akan membunuh Rindu dan dendam akan membunuh juga. Tinggi bukit sama didaki Lurah yang dalam sama ditempuh. Tunggulah kamu tanah Kerinci Biarlah kami terbuang jauh.	Such is the day It's worth cultivating onions. So it is that we are We are worth being discarded. Three village chiefs in the land of Sikudung Rumah gadang, a place for deliberation. Our words have reached an agreement You switched to someone else. It's not a raft if it's full The bamboo submerged will also be full. It's not illness that will kill Longing and resentment will kill too. The hill's height is the same when climbed The deep valley is traversed the same. Wait for us, land of Kerinci. Let us be cast away far.

The Kerinci language is also known for its folklore, which locally is known as kunaung. Kunaung is considered one of the oral literary traditions; some can be simply narrated, sung, and there are also those accompanied by specific traditional musical instruments. The accompanying musical instruments for kunaung performances vary, with the most common being the rebana and drum, but there are also instances of flute and gong usage. Surprisingly, there are even kunaung performances solely accompanied by the sound of empty tin cans. Kunaung storytellers are often incredibly skilled at expressing themselves according to the storyline; full of emotions, sadness, excitement, hatred, and humor. According to the tales, these ancient storytellers are guided or even possessed by spirits and fairies, allowing them to become deeply immersed in their narratives. They can articulate (or share) their stories fluently, making it seem as if the events are unfolding right before their audience's eyes. Example of kunaung include Putri Kemilau Air Emas, Orang Mudo Si Jaru Pantang and Semegang Tunggal from Sitinjau Laut district, Bujang Suanggau and Bujang Buje from Sungai Penuh district, Si Jaru Panta, Si Kembang Payung Paya, Siyo-Siyo Kau Tupai, Puti Limo, Puti Cikkettung and Burung Kuwa from Danau Kerinci district), as well as Nyik Kileng from Gunung Kerinci district.

Bibliography

• Van Reijn, E.O. (1974). "Some Remarks on the Dialects of North Kerintji: A link with Mon-Khmer Languages." Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 31, 2: 130-138.
• Nikelas, Syahwin; Amir, Zainuddin; Rusmali, Marah; Usman, Amir Hakim; Anwar, Jolsnidar (1981). Morfologi dan Sintaksis Bahasa Kerinci [Morphology and Syntax of the Kerinci Language] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, Department of Education and Culture.
• Nikelas, Syahwin; Rusmali, Marah; Ayub, Asni; Kasim, Yuslina; Usman, Amir Hakim (1985). Kata Tugas Bahasa Kerinci [Function Words in the Kerinci Language] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, Department of Education and Culture.
• Usman, A. Hakim (1985). Kamus Umum Kerinci-Indonesia [Kerinci-Indonesian Dictionary] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, Department of Education and Culture.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)

Further reading

• Ernanda. (2011). On the loss of the phrasal alternation in Pondok Tinggi dialect of Kerinci: A Stochastic Optimality Theory Approach (Master thesis). Faculty of *Arts. Radboud University Nijmegen.
• Ernanda. (2017). Phrasal alternation in Kerinci (Doctoral Dissertation). Leiden University Centre for Linguistics. Leiden University.
• McKinnon, Timothy A. (2011). The Morphology and Morphosyntax of Kerinci Word Shape Alternations. University of Delaware, Doctoral Dissertation.
• McKinnon, Timothy, Yanti, Peter Cole, Gabriella Hermon. 2012. Divergent Varieties of Malay in Upstream Jambi. Paper given at ISMIL 16.
• McKinnon, Timothy A. What is Kerinci? An closer look at the geography of its core properties Archived 2015-06-15 at the Wayback Machine.
• Yanti; Mckinnon, Timothy; Cole, Peter; Hermon, Gabriella (2018). "The Phonological Basis of Syntactic Change in Kerinci". Oceanic Linguistics. 57 (2): 433–483. doi:10.1353/ol.2018.0018. ISSN 1527-9421. S2CID 149686433.