The origins of Bahasa Indonesia are well documented and closely tied to Malay. In fact, Bahasa Indonesia is a form of Riau Malay. Indonesia and Malaysia are clearly separate countries, so what gives? Worry not, as we will dive into the fascinating history of a language spoken by more than 250 million people, and some of them are not even Indonesian themselves.
Where Did Bahasa Indonesia Come From?
We will begin our article with the history of Malay, an Austronesian language related to Tagalog, Javanese, Cebuano, and even Hawaiian. And yes, these languages are all related. However, we will not spend too much time on the language before it becomes distinctly Malay.
Some experts believe a wave of people from Formosa/Taiwan settled in Southeast Asia after migrating through the Philippines, later reaching West Kalimantan. From there, they reached the Malayan Peninsula and spread out even more. At this time, the language had not yet been standardized.
Old Malay
What is called Old Malay originated in the 6th century and had heavy Sanskrit influences. This is evident in words like the word “bahasa” itself, from “bhasa.” Others include agama/āgama, bahaya/bhaya, and bidadari/vidyādharī. People living in current-day Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei used Old Malay as a common language, as there were thousands of languages in this corner of the world. They needed something simple they could learn quickly, and Malay fit the bill.
The ancient Kingdoms of Sriwijaya and Melayu in South Sumatra used Malay as the official language. This is shown in various inscriptions, some dated to around 684 A.D. and others undated. These were written in the Pallava alphabet from Southern India.
14th Century Islamic Influences
The kingdoms and territories in modern-day Malaysia and Indonesia were not Islamic until the 14th century onwards, when Persian and Arabic traders reached the area. These traders were mostly Muslims and brought their religion with them. Old Malay would then develop into Classical Malay, absorbing various Arabic and Persian words into its vocabulary.
For example, Ahad is Sunday in Malay, and in Arabic, it is al-Aḥad. Other loanwords are: akhbar/akhbār, arnab/ʻarnab, and baki/bāqī. Persian loanwords include arnab/ʻarnab and gandum/gandom.
As the Melayu Kingdom moved to the Malaccan Peninsula and remained in constant contact with Arabic and Persian merchants, the Malays there developed a different dialect: the Malayan dialect. Meanwhile, the Sumatran dialect of Classical Malay still retained more Sanskrit and Javanese influences.
During this period, Malay speakers moved away from the old Pallava script and other writing systems formerly used in the area. They adopted the Jawi script, which included the original 31 Arabic letters plus six new letters to accommodate Malay and foreign sounds. They often used these extra letters in European loanwords, reflecting Malay’s commerce-oriented history.
European Influence
While Bahasa Melayu continued to absorb new words from the cultures it encountered, colonization in both Malaysia and Indonesia altered the language’s path forever. Not only were words from English and Dutch quickly adopted, but the Latin alphabet, called Tulisan Rumi or Aksara Latin, was introduced. The Dutch and British popularized the 26-letter Latin alphabet, though the Dutch favored “oe” instead of “u,” which was introduced later.
The Dutch colonized both Indonesia and Malaysia, but they did not control the latter as long as they did the former. In 1619, the Dutch East India Company took over what is now Jakarta and named it Batavia, making it the capital of the Dutch East Indies. This marked the beginning of more than 300 years of Dutch control in Indonesia. The Dutch did not force the locals to learn their language, but they themselves learned Malay to communicate with their subjects.
Later, the Japanese occupied Indonesia, taking control from the Dutch. The Japanese were there from 1942 to 1945, and this allowed some Japanese words to enter the Bahasa Indonesia vocabulary. Even under foreign control, the Indonesians were not idle.
The Origins of Bahasa Indonesia in Modern Times
Before the Japanese invasion, the Sumpah Pemuda, or Young People’s Vow, in 1928 declared Malay to be the national language. This led to the name “Indonesian” for the language. But, as the history above suggests, the Indonesians were occupied by the Japanese until 1945. Following that, Indonesia declared independence. The Proclamation of Independence was delivered in Bahasa Indonesia, and both the Constitution and the state philosophy were written in the national language. After the war for independence in 1949, the new lingua franca’s growth was unstoppable.
Incredibly, as a former Dutch colony, the Dutch language disappeared remarkably quickly in Indonesia. This was only a short while after a time when Dutch was used in formal situations. Only the loanwords survive today, as the Dutch realized too late that they needed the language to control the hearts of the people.
Today, Bahasa Indonesia is spoken all over the country. As the founders intended, the language is a mother tongue and a sign of national identity. You can see it in use at every level of society, from governmental agencies to the marketplace. Bahasa Indonesia has also evolved separately from Bahasa Malaysia, having its own slang, jargon, and local varieties.
Even after this long journey, the Indonesian language still continues to grow, change, and thrive. Comparing Malaysian Malay and Indonesian will quickly show how the two differ. As you can see, the origins of Bahasa Indonesia as we know it today show how hard the people fought for a unique identity.
Learn Bahasa Indonesia With Us
If you’re interested in learning Indonesian in Singapore, look no further. Our professional tutors at INDOTUTORs have ample experience instructing students from all walks of life and at all levels. We offer in-person and online classes. You can choose between private or group lessons depending on your needs. These are some of the courses we offer:
- Corporate training
- Conversational Indonesian
- Specialized programs
Feel free to reach out to us at +65 82887890 (WhatsApp) or at info@indotutors.com. We look forward to beginning your Bahasa Indonesia learning journey with you. Selamat datang (welcome)!