Indonesia Language

Is something in Indonesia is as vast as the number of islands then it has to be Indonesia language. There are a staggering 583 different languages and dialect spoken in Indonesia.

The archipelagos in the country carry different dialects of different islands of the various provinces. The change in the dialect probably is attributed to the presence of different ethnic groups in the country.

Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is regarded as the most spoken language in Indonesia. This language is also considered as the national language. Indonesian or Bahasa Indonesia was rewarded with this cibeted title after the liberation of the country in 1945. This language bears similarity to the language of Malay.

The script followed to document this language is Roman and is based on European Orthography. This language is followed as the medium for education and official communication as well. Even the media in the country uses Bahasa Indonesia as its official language. The language is often referred to as Bahasa only by the foreigners though it means only ‘language’ in general.

English is the most accepted foreign language and is presently widely spoken. Other foreign language that has some presence in the bigger cities is Dutch whereas French is slowly gaining popularity especially in the bigger hotels and restaurants which serves to the foreign clientele.

There are other different and distinct languages present in the country as well. Some of these are: Acehnese, Sasak, Batak, Sundanese, Ambonese, Javanese, Dayak, Minahasa, Tetum of Timor Toraja, Buginese, Halmahera, Ceramese, and several other Irianese languages. These different languages present the canvas of different cultures in the country which is further enhanced by the different dialects in which they are spoken.

The official language of Indonesia is often regarded as one of the easiest foreign languages to learn for the foreigners. The unsophisticated and regular grammar along with the easy phonology has made it easier to learn the language.

undo Indonesia Overview