Language change in the literature of Borneo: a study based on Hikayat Banjar and Syair Awang Semaun

Abstract

First of all I have to explain that I am neither a linguist, a historian nor an anthropologist, but merely a student of literature. My specific field of interest is Traditional Malay Literature and I especially deal with written manuscripts which are quite abundant as literary relics of this Southeast Asia region. The manuscripts are very useful to a philologist and besides other things they Thus though reveal a lot about the life in the past, neither am I a linguist, bistorian or an anthropologist, I have to make use some of the basic knowledge in these fields in the study of philology. And as in this case we are going to look at what these mansucripts can present to us in the form of language change as observed in the literature of Borneo. the For this objective I have selected two literary works in Malay from the past, representing two different areas in Borneo. One is the Hikayat Banjar which can be roughly local dial explained as the History of the Banjarese. This text, was in prose, originated from Banjarmasin. The other is a work in poetry or syair form, the Syair Awang Semaun which composed in Brunei. Of course some experts may not be too willing to accept that fact, because this syair could also be claimed as to have been written in Sarawak.