Sumatra is one of Indonesia’s biggest islands, boasting the second-largest population (the most-populated Indonesian island is Java, which is also the most-populated island in the world). Sumatra is home to various ethnic groups who speak many different languages, representing Indonesia’s high level of linguistic diversity. Among the numerous languages indigenous to Sumatra is Komering, a proud language spoken in the south of the island.
According to the 2000 Indonesian census, Komering has about 470,000 native speakers, making it the biggest Lampungic language. The language’s status is contested, with some linguists classifying it as a dialect of Lampung, with neighboring Api and Nyo also dialects, while other linguists consider Komering its own language. Komering is surrounded by other languages, including the much bigger Balinese and Javanese, in addition to the national language of Indonesia, Indonesian. With so much pressure, this minority language faces the threat of extinction if speakers choose to forgo it in favor of other, more prestigious languages. Efforts now are required to ensure that Komering can thrive in the future, and we at TranslationServices.com are doing our part by creating a professional Komering translation team.
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Uncovering the identity of Komering
Komering speakers generally hail from the provinces of South Sumatra and Lampung and are concentrated primarily in South Sumatra’s Ogan Komering Ulu Regency and Ogan Komering Ilir Regency. Komering, alongside its Lampungic sister languages, have been recognized by the Lampung government as endangered, with efforts being made to teach the language and native Lampung script in primary and secondary schools. Nowadays, however, Komering speakers usually use the Latin alphabet. Komering is also a Malayo–Polynesian language, a trait it shares with most other languages in Indonesia.
Komering speakers use a wide variety of affixes to express grammatical meaning, whether it’s possession of nouns or verbal markers that change the meaning of a verb. The language also makes heavy use of reduplication, a hallmark feature of the Malayo–Polynesian language branch. Reduplication may indicate plurality in nouns or a repetitive aspect in verbs, or it may create various adverbial phrases. Komering’s basic word order is subject-verb-object, which is easy for English speakers to grasp, although the Komering equivalent of “to be” is omitted in equative sentences.
Komering is a unique language that we—and our translation team—believe should thrive. So, despite the challenges, we’re proud to translate to and from Komering.
Choose the type of Komering translation services that fit your needs.
From historical documents using the traditional Lampung script to contemporary stories and literature in Komering, our translators are ready to tackle any sort of translation projects you have from Komering to English. We’ll help you spread awareness of and appreciation for this undervalued culture around the world. But we also offer translation services from English to Komering, for everything from research surveys and questionnaires to educational materials to ensure Komering children are learning in their ancestral language. We also translate entertainment content like books, games, and websites, which can help invoke enthusiasm in children and youth toward their language and help learners pick up this complicated tongue.
No matter what kind of Komering translation project you have, we’re ready to help. Message us today to tell us what you need.