Kampar language

The Kampar language (Kampar: Bahaso Kampau, Jawi: بهاسو كمڤاو), locally known as Ocu (Kampar: Bahaso Ocu) is a Malayic language spoken mainly by the Kampar people, who are descendants of the Minangkabau from West Sumatra that resides in Kampar Regency, Riau, Indonesia. The linguistic classification of the Kampar language remains a topic of debate, as it is sometimes regarded as a dialect of either Riau Malay or Minangkabau. The Agency for Language Development and Cultivation under Indonesia's Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education officially categorizes Kampar as a Minangkabau dialect spoken in Riau. Similarly, the Minangkabau community considers the Kampar language to be a variant of Minangkabau due to its resemblance to the Limapuluh Kota dialect. However, this perspective is challenged by the Kampar community, where the majority assert that Kampar is a dialect of Riau Malay, distinct from Minangkabau.
In Kampar, like other regional languages in Indonesia, the Kampar language is primarily used for informal communication, with its formal usage mostly limited to traditional ceremonies and customary events. It is also influenced by other languages, particularly Indonesian, the national language, which is predominantly used in formal settings such as government institutions and schools. In addition, the influence of standard Minangkabau complicates the distinction between Kampar and the Minangkabau variety spoken in West Sumatra. For example, ompek in Kampar and ampek in Minangkabau both mean ‘four.’ Similarly, words such as inyo ‘he/she’, apo ‘what’, and tigo ‘three are shared by both languages with identical meanings. Most people in Kampar are bilingual in both Kampar and Indonesian, frequently engaging in code-switching and code-mixing between the two languages. The Kampar language is increasingly threatened by the growing use of Indonesian, leading to the gradual replacement of traditional Kampar vocabulary with Indonesian equivalents.
The classification of the Kampar language remains disputed; however, it is generally recognized as a Malayic language. Speakers of Malayic languages are spread from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, to the southernmost part of the Philippines. Malay is a member of the Austronesian family of languages, which includes languages from Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Ocean, with a smaller number in continental Asia. Malagasy, a geographic outlier spoken in Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, is also a member of this language family. Although these languages are not necessarily mutually intelligible to any extent, their similarities are often quite apparent. In more conservative languages like Malay, many roots have come with relatively little change from their common ancestor, Proto-Austronesian. There are many cognates found in the languages' words for kinship, health, body parts and common animals. Numbers, especially, show remarkable similarities.
The linguistic classification of Kampar remains a subject of debate. At times, it is considered a dialect of either Riau Malay or Minangkabau. Kampar is a variety within the Malayic language family; however, it has yet to receive a widely accepted language code or internal classification within the Malayic group. The geographical distribution of Kampar, situated between the Minangkabau-speaking region to the west and the Riau Malay-speaking region to the east, has led to mutual linguistic influence between these languages, forming part of a dialect continuum in central Sumatra.
For its speakers, Kampar is referred to as Bahasa Ocu and is considered a variety of Riau Malay, distinct from Minangkabau. In various publications, it is alternatively labeled as Melayu Kampar 'Kampar Malay', Melayu dialek Kampar 'Kampar Malay dialect', or Melayu Riau dialek Kampar 'Kampar Riau Malay dialect'. However, other sources, such as the 1982 book Struktur Bahasa Minangkabau di Kabupaten Kampar published by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, provide a detailed grammatical description of Minangkabau as spoken in Kampar Regency, suggesting a strong linguistic connection to Minangkabau. Additionally, the 2017 book Bahasa dan Peta Bahasa di Indonesia, also published by the Ministry of Education and Culture, further supports the presence of Minangkabau in Kampar Regency, leading some publications to classify Kampar as Minang Kampar 'Kampar Minangkabau' or Minang dialek Kampar 'Kampar Minangkabau dialect'. Similarly, Masni et al. (2021) found in their study of the Kuntu isolex in Kampar Regency that its phonemic diversity aligns with Minangkabau dialects, despite its administrative location in Riau.
Hamidy (2002) identified six dialects of Riau Malay, distinguished primarily by intonation and lexical differences:
In 2009, a language mapping team from the Riau Provincial Language Center classified Kampar (divided into Kampar and East Kampar dialects) as part of Melayu Darat ‘Inland Malay’, alongside the Kuantan and Rokan dialects.
Similarities between Kampar and Minangkabau, particularly with the Limapuluh Kota dialect, have led some scholars to classify Kampar as a dialect of Minangkabau. Said et al. (1986) stated that the language spoken in western Kampar Regency (which corresponds to the current Kampar Regency after separation of other regencies) is Minangkabau. The Indonesian Agency for Language Development and Cultivation also classifies the Kampar dialect as one of the Minangkabau dialects spoken in Riau, alongside Rokan, Basilam, Indragiri, and Kuantan dialects. The lexical difference between Kampar and other Minangkabau dialects ranges from 51% to 69%. Based on the classification theories of Guiter and Lauder, this percentage indicates that Kampar and Minangkabau are dialectally distinct but closely related languages.
The Kampar language is primarily spoken along the Kampar River in Kampar Regency, located in western Riau near the border with West Sumatra. It is also spoken in parts of Rokan Hilir, Rokan Hulu, Pekanbaru, Pelalawan, Kuantan Singingi, and Indragiri Hulu. The Kampar language is also spoken by descendants of Kampar migrants in Malaysia, particularly in Pahang, Perak, Selangor, and to some extent, Kedah. Between the 16th and 20th centuries, approximately eight waves of migration brought the Kampar people from present-day Kampar to the Malay Peninsula. Notable examples include Sultan Ali Alauddin Shah’s journey from Kampar to Pahang, where he established Pekan Tua before founding Johor Lama in 1540, the arrival of Sultan Muzaffar II of Johor in Perak from Kampar, where he was later crowned Sultan, and the migration of Kampar people to the Malay Peninsula as traders, among other movements. The Kampar language is still spoken as the mother tongue of the Kampar community in Malaysia, though it has developed distinct characteristics, particularly in terms of accent and influences from other languages, such as Malaysian Malay.
In Kampar, the Kampar language plays a vital role in the community's daily life, serving as the primary means of communication among its people. The Kampar language is also used to promote traditional Kampar ceremonies and oral literature. The use of this regional language fosters a strong sense of cultural identity, as it is intricately tied to the traditions and heritage of the Kampar community. Most members of the Kampar community are fluent in both Kampar and Indonesian, the national language. While Kampar is predominantly used in informal, everyday interactions, Indonesian is more widely used in formal settings, such as government and educational institutions. Indonesian also serves as a lingua franca for communication between Kampar residents and those from other regions. However, in certain situations, including some formal settings like schools, the use of the Kampar language is often preferred. It is also quite common for the people of Kampar to engage in code-switching and code-mixing between Kampar and Indonesian. The use of the Kampar language is currently under threat due to cultural acculturation and the growing influence of Indonesian, particularly among younger generations. Many traditional Kampar lexicons have fallen into disuse and are gradually being replaced by their Indonesian equivalents.
The Kampar language has two variants: Classical Kampar and Modern Kampar. Classical Kampar, influenced by Classical Malay, was spoken from the 15th to the 19th century, primarily by the older generation born and raised in Kampar. This variant is considered more authentic and is easier to pronounce for the older speakers. In contrast, Modern Kampar has been in use since the 19th century and continues to be spoken today. It is primarily used by younger generations born in the 1990s and beyond, as well as by immigrants who were not born in Kampar. There are notable differences between the two variants, particularly in terms of phonology and vocabulary. Phonologically, Modern Kampar is easier to pronounce and more flexible. For example, the word buntagh meaning 'round' in Classical Kampar has evolved into bulek in Modern Kampar. The phonemes in Classical Kampar are more complex and harder to pronounce compared to those in Modern Kampar. In terms of vocabulary, Classical Kampar still retains many traditional vocabularies, with many words, such as those containing the "gh" phoneme, being difficult to pronounce. Additionally, Classical Kampar strongly reflects the local culture and still retains many traditional terms no longer used in Modern Kampar. On the other hand, Modern Kampar has been influenced by external languages, such as Indonesian, resulting in significant changes in vocabulary. The table below compares the vocabulary between Classical and Modern Kampar:
In addition, the Kampar language encompasses various dialects and isolects, each with unique characteristics, particularly in phonology and vocabulary, that distinguish them from one another. For example, the Tapung dialect spoken in northern Kampar exhibits characteristics of the Riau Coastal Malay dialect, which is spoken in Siak and Bengkalis, due to the region's historical connection with the Siak Sultanate. There are also other dialects in the Kampar language, such as Bangkinang, Air Tiris, Kuntu and Kuok.
The Kampar language, like many other regional languages in Indonesia, lacks a standardized phonological system. Nevertheless, many of the phonological system designed for the Kampar language is loosely based on standard Indonesian orthography, especially the system created by the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
The Kampar language has six vowels. These vowels are /i/, /e/, /ə/, /a/, /u/, and /o/. In contrast, standard Minangkabau lacks the vowel /ə/.
Notes:
The Kampar language has 19 consonants. Kampar lacks the /r/ consonant found in standard Minangkabau, whereas standard Minangkabau lacks the consonant /ʁ/.
Notes:
Diphthong phonemes in the Kampar language vary across subdialects or isolects. For example, the Kuntu isolect has 8 diphthongs: /ia̯/, /ua̯/, /ui/, /ai/, /au/, /ie̯/, /uo̯/, and /ou/. In contrast, the isolects of Bangkinang and Air Tiris have 7 diphthongs: /ia̯/, /ua̯/, /ui/, /oi/, /ai/, /iu/, and /au/. Below are examples of diphthong usage:
Along with Minangkabau, Indonesian, Malay, and other related languages, the word order in the Kampar language is typically subject-verb-object (SVO). While there are notable exceptions, the grammar structure of the Kampar language shares many similarities with Indonesian and Malay.
Similar to other Malayic languages, the Kampar language features affixes. There are four types of affixes in Kampar: prefixes, suffixes, infixes, and circumfixes. The table below provides examples of affixes used in Kampar, along with their allomorphs, meanings, and usage:
As in other Malayic languages, the Kampar language uses reduplication. Reduplication in the Kampar language carries various meanings, including resemblance or similarity, plurality (many), repetition or frequent occurrence, continuous or ongoing action, completion or past occurrence, reciprocity, superlative intensity, sequential events, and collective grouping. In the Kampar language, reduplication can be divided into three categories: affixed reduplication, full reduplication, and partial reduplication. Affixed reduplication can be further categorized into infix reduplication, simulfix reduplication, prefix reduplication on the first base, prefix reduplication on the second base, suffix reduplication, and circumfix reduplication. Full reduplication is divided into standard full reduplication and sound-alternating full reduplication. Lastly, partial reduplication can be classified into affixed partial reduplication and non-affixed partial reduplication.
Examples of affixed reduplication are shown below:
Examples of full reduplication are shown below:
Examples of partial reduplication are shown below:
There are two types of nouns in the Kampar language: basic nouns and derived nouns. Basic nouns, in terms of form and meaning, are classified into general basic nouns and specific basic nouns. General basic nouns are monomorphemic, consisting of only one morpheme, and semantically denote places, descriptions, time, tools, and methods of performing actions. Meanwhile, specific basic nouns refer to locations, geographical names, idiomatic expressions, personal names, kinship terms, and days of the week. Nouns can be derived through affixation, which is the process of forming nouns by adding specific affixes to root words. It is important to note that the base for noun derivation is not always a root word. The affixes used in noun derivation mainly consist of three prefixes and one suffix: ka-, par-, pang-, and -an. However, since prefixes and suffixes can be combined, there are a total of seven affixation patterns in noun derivation: ka-, par-, pang-, -an, pang-...-an, par-...-an, and ka-...-an.
Examples of basic nouns are shown below:
Examples of derived nouns are shown below:
Verbs in the Kampar languagegenerally have certain characteristics. Their markers can sometimes be found within the verb itself or determined by other words that appear before it. The markers found within the verb itself are bound morphemes, the types of which can be seen in the verb structure previously outlined. However, it should be clarified that without these markers, it only indicates the possibility that the word is a verb. This is because the same markers can sometimes also function as noun markers, as previously explained. The presence of a verb can sometimes be predicted by looking at specific words that appear before it. The words that precede the verb are auxiliary verbs, such as aspect and modal markers. The aspect markers include words such as ka 'will', sadang 'is (ongoing)', ola 'has (completed)', and baru 'just'. The modal markers include words such as dapek 'can', omua 'want', bulia 'may', mungkin 'maybe', and barangkali 'perhaps'.
Verbs can be distinguished based on whether they consist of only one or more free morphemes or a combination of free and bound morphemes. Verbs that consist of only one free morpheme include words like toban 'fly', lolok 'sleep', and makan 'eat'. Verbs consisting of two free morphemes include words like pulang baliak 'go and return', tutun naiek 'go up and down', and jago lolok 'wake up'. Verbs that combine free and bound morphemes appear in highly varied forms. They are usually derived from other word classes, such as nouns, adjectives, numerals, functional words, or even other verbs, through the addition of affixes.
Below are some examples of verbs derived from affixes:
Adjectives in the Kampar language function as the core of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Additionally, adjectives also serve as the head of adjectival phrases and frequently function as predicates in sentences. Most adjectives consist of only one morpheme, while others consist of two or more morphemes. Adjectives that consist of a single morpheme are those formed from free morphemes. Examples of this type include adjectives such as tingi ‘tall’, putia ‘white’, and abak ‘brave’. Adjectives that consist of two or more morphemes contain at least one free morpheme combined with another free morpheme or a bound morpheme. Adjectives that contain two free morphemes include words such as godang ota ‘boaster’, busua ati ‘jealous’, and mani muluik/‘ 'sweet-mouthed’. These adjectives follow the noun-adjective pattern. In addition to this structure, there are also adjectives with a structure of adjective-adjective, similar to adjectives like kayo andia ‘rich but foolish’, codiak buruak ‘clever but ugly’, and itam mani ‘sweet black’ (possibly meaning an appealing dark complexion). Adjectives can also be derived by adding affixes to words from different word classes, as illustrated below:
Morphologically, it is not easy to determine the structure of adverbs. The difficulty lies in the fact that the structure of adjectives in certain cases is identical to the structure of adverbs. The word copek 'quickly' might be categorized as either an adjective or an adverb. In the phrase larino copek-copek 'his running quickly', the word copek-copek, which modifies the noun larino 'running', functions as an adjective. However, in the sentence ino lari copek-copek 'he runs quickly', the same word is no longer considered an adjective because it modifies the verb lari 'run', so it functions as an adverb. The reality shows that it is not easy to determine the structure of adverbs. This affects how challenging it is to determine the marker of adverbial words. What can be reported is that reduplicated morphemes can be proposed as markers of adverbs.
The words that fall under the category of function words in the Kampar language include prepositions, coordinators, subordinators, and demonstrative pronouns. Generally, function words consist of free morphemes, and these free morphemes rarely appear together with bound morphemes. Words like di 'at', ka 'to', untuak 'for' are rarely found together with affixes like -an or -kan. Examples of function words in the Kampar language are di 'at', ka 'to', tapi 'but', sobap 'because', and salai 'from'.
The Kampar language has a rich and distinctive vocabulary, with many words resembling those of standard Minangkabau spoken in neighboring West Sumatra. Over time, it has been influenced by other languages, particularly Indonesian. As the national language, Indonesian has increasingly shaped Kampar, gradually replacing its traditional lexicon. This shift poses a threat to the continued use of traditional Kampar terms, putting them at risk of extinction. Additionally, the influence of regional languages like standard Minangkabau further blurs the distinction between Kampar and Minangkabau vocabulary. The table below provides examples of common Kampar vocabulary used on a daily basis along with their standard Minangkabau, Indonesian, and English equivalents.
The Kampar language was historically written in the Jawi script, also known as Arab-Melayu 'Arab-Malay', a modified form of the Arabic script. In the past, Jawi was widely used in Kampar, especially for Islamic purposes, including manuscripts, inscriptions, and other forms of traditional literature. The Jawi script was widely used to record traditional Kampar literature, such as nazam, a literary form passed down through generations. Typically written and recited in a rhythmic manner, nazam is often rich in spiritual values, particularly Islamic teachings. Nearly all nazam convey religious advice, laws, history, morality, and ethnic customs, all of which are deeply rooted in Islamic principles. However, very few Kampar people can read the Jawi script, as literacy rates remain low, and traditional Kampar literature is primarily passed down through oral tradition. The use of the Jawi script declined significantly with the onset of European colonization in the region, who introduced the Latin script. After Indonesia's independence, Indonesian, written in the Latin script, became the national language and the primary medium of instruction in schools, further accelerating the decline of the Jawi script. Today, the use of the Jawi script in Kampar is limited, though it is still taught as part of the regional language curriculum in local schools.