Coastal Kadazan language

Coastal Kadazan
Spoken in	Malaysia
Region	Sabah
Native speakers	60,000  (1986)
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian North Bornean Sabahan Dusunic Dusun Coastal Kadazan
Language codes
ISO 639-3	kzj

Coastal Kadazan^[1] is a Austronesian language primarily spoken in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the primary language spoken by the Kadazan ethnic group.

The language has adopted many loanwords, particularly from other North Borneo indigenous languages and also Malay.

The use of the language has been declining due to the use of Malay by the Malaysian federal government and by the use of English by British missionaries. The state of Sabah has introduced policies to prevent this decline, which is also happening to other native Sabahan languages. This included the policy of using Kadazan and other indigenous languages in public schools. Efforts have also been done to allow the language to become official in the state.

Kadazan is one of two Austronesian languages which extensively employ the voiced alveolar sibilant fricative /z/ in their native (ie non-borrowed) lexicons. The other is Malagasy, spoken on the island of Madagascar thousands of miles away off the coast of Africa.

Sample prayers

Our Father

Tama za doid surga, apantang daa o ngaan nu, koikot no daa kopomolintaan nu, kaandak nu, adadi doiti id tana miaga doid Surga. Pataako dagai do tadau diti, oh takanon za do tikid tadau, om pohiongo zikoi do douso za, miaga dagai do popohiong di pinapakaus doid dagai. Kada zikoi pohogoso doid koimbazatan, katapi pahapaso zikoi mantad kalaatan. Amen.

Translation:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary

Ave Maria, noponu' do graasia, miampai diau o Kinoingan, obitua ko do id saviavi' tondu, om obitua o tuva' tinan nu Jesus. Sangti Maria, tina' do Kinoingan, pokiinsianai zikoi tu' tuhun do momimidouso, baino om ontok jaam do kapatazon za. Amen.

Translation:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

References

1. ^ "Kadazan, Coastal". Ethnologue. http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=kzj. Retrieved 2007-03-22.