Prosodic markers of the statement-question contrast in Kutai Malay

Abstract

"Kutai Malay is spoken along the Mahakam River in the Kutai regency, East Kalimantan Province. Its speakers call it a language, but it is labeled a dialect of Malay by Wurm & Hattori (1981). According to Collins (1992) Kutai is used in daily life by people along the Mahakam River. However, other Malay dialects are spoken in Kutai as well, viz. Banjar Malay, Berau Malay and Pasir Malay, and also the languages of newcomers, like Javanese and Buginese. Pernyata (1992: 2) states that the majority of inhabitants of Kutai (around 784,860 people) use the Kutai language. Kutai is spoken in at least 15 out of the 32 districts of Kutai regency; Mursalim & Gazali (1995) claim that it is spoken in the 18 districts that they researched. In these 18 districts they attested the following five varieties: Kutai Tenggarong, Kutai Kotabangun, Kutai Muara Muntai, Kutai Muara Ancalong and Kutai Melak. Amongst these, Kutai Tenggarong is seen as the principal/original variety as it has more speakers and is more wide-spread than the others. Moreover, the area where it is spoken includes Tenggarong, which is the cultural centre of Kutai. Tenggarong is therefore called the centre of the Kutai language (Mursalim & Gazali 1995: 329)"