Vowels /a/, /ɛ/, /ə/, /ɔ/ and its higher counterparts /ɤ/, /i/, /ɨ/, /u/ are usually in complementary distribution. The last 4 vowels occur after voiced and aspirated consonants, while the first 4 vowels occur elsewhere. Consonants /l/, /r/, and /s/, although by default lower the vowels, are transparent after higher vowels, for example belli/bɨlli/ "to buy" instead of *bellè/bɨllɛ/.[5]
Madurese has more consonants than its neighboring languages due to it having voiceless unaspirated, voiceless aspirated (traditionally often transcribed as voiced aspirated), and voiced unaspirated. Similar to Javanese, it has a contrast between dental and alveolar (even retroflex) stops.[6][7]
The letters ⟨f⟩, ⟨q⟩, ⟨v⟩, ⟨x⟩, and ⟨z⟩ are used in loanwords.[8]
Writing system
Alphabet letters
Currently Madurese is mainly used the Latin script than other scripts, the Latin alphabet in Madurese is known as Alfabet Latèn. The Latin alphabet letters used in Madurese spelling are as follows. The name of each letter is listed next to it.[9]
Letter
Name
Letter
Name
Letter
Name
A a
a
J j
je
S s
es
B b
be
K k
ka
T t
te
C c
ce
L l
el
U u
u
D d
de
M m
em
V v
ve
E e
e
N n
en
W w
we
F f
ef
O o
o
X x
ex
G g
ge
P p
pe
Y y
ye
H h
ha
Q q
qi
Z z
zet
I i
i
R r
er
Vowels
Vowels
Examples at the Beginning of Words
Examples in the Middle of Words
Example at the End of the Word
a
alos (fine) apoy (fire)
market (market) abâs (see)
sala (false) bâbâ (bottom)
e
eppa' (father) ella (don't)
nèser (pity) seksek (suffocation)
è
èntar (go) ènga' (remember)
sèksèk (iris) malèng (thief)
talè (rope) sapè (cow)
i
yesâ (yes)
bhiru (green) raddhin (beautiful)
manḍi (bathing) mandhi (efficacious)
o
olo' (weak) olok (call)
rèpot (busy) dokar (dokar)
pao (mango) rao (weed)
u
dhuri (split, prick) thorn (thorn)
paju (sell) pumpkin (fall)
Note: 1. The vowel /a/ has two sound variations, namely [a] and [â]; The vowel /a/ will sound [a] if the consonant is
attached to it are voiceless consonants and consonants
nasal, will sound [â] if the consonant is attached to it
in the form of voiced consonants. For practical purposes, second
The sound symbol /a/ is both used. 2. The diacritical mark (') on the vowel /è/ is still used
because /è/ and /e/ in Madurese are phonemes
different, as in the words seksek (shortness) and sèksèk
(iris), tèmbhâng (weigh) and tembhâng (Iagu).
Consonant letters
Consonant Letters
Examples at the Beginning of Words
Examples in the Middle of Words
Example at the End of the Word
b
bârâ (swelling)
lobâr (finished)
sabâb (cause)
c
cangkem (chin)
moncar (published) lonca' (jump)
d
dumeng (stupid)
badal (deputy)
morèd (pupil)
ḍ
ḍârâ (blood)
buḍu (rotten [for fish])
f
faker (fakir)
shroud (shroud)
wâkaf (waqf)
g
gâmbus (orchestral)
anggâ' (arrogant, haughty)
h
halal (lawful)
aher (end)
j
jâḍiyâ (sana)
paju (sale)
k
you (less)
sakè' (sick)
otek (brain)
l
ban (expensive)
malo (embarrassed)
ship (ship)
m
marè (already)
ambu (stop)
ḍâlem (in)
n
neser (pity)
penang (betel nut)
board (board)
p
perrèng (plate) perrèng (bamboo)
nompa (spill)
kèlap (lightning)
q
quran (Quran)
furqan (furqan)
r
rammè (crowded)
sarè (search)
kasor (mattress)
s
sèyang (afternoon)
moso (enemy)
bherrâs (rice)
t
tèkos (rat)
matta (raw)
sèsèt (dragonfly)
v
vitamin (vitamin)
revolution (revolution)
w
wâjib (obligatory)
towa (old)
y
yâkèn (sure)
rèya (this)
z
zâkat (zakat)
mu'jizât (miracle)
Note: 1. The consonants /f/, /q/, /v/, /x/, and /z/ are used in Madurese to write words that are loanwords. 2. For practical purposes, the hamzah or glottal stop sound
([?]) is symbolized by an apostrophe (..'..). This symbol is used because the velar /k/ ([k]) and the glottal /k/ ([?]) are different phonemes in Madurese. Furthermore, glottal stops in Madurese are often placed in the middle of words. Examples include: "paka" [paka?] (astringent taste), "cèlo" (sour taste), and "pa'a" [pa?a?] (tatah [tool for hollowing wood]).
Consonant Combinations
In Madurese, there are five letter combinations that represent consonants: "kh," "ng," "ny," "sy," and "th," as well as five aspirated consonants. In Madurese, aspirated and unaspirated consonants are distinct phonemes and therefore require different symbols. For example, bârâ (swelling) and bhârâ (lungs); ḍâḍâ (chest) and ḍhâḍhâ (quickly tired); bâjâ (moment, time) and bâjhâ (steel [a type of metal]) as well as bâgi (share) and bâghi (give).
Consonant Letters
Examples at the Beginning of Words
Examples in the Middle of Words
Example at the End of the Word
kh
khoso' (solemn)
èkhlas (sincere)
ng
ngoḍâ (young)
bângal (brave)
sarong (sarong)
ny
comfortable (tasty)
bânnya' (a lot)
sy
condition (condition)
society (society)
bh
bhârâ (lungs)
cabbhi (chili pepper)
th
thokthok (tap)
ketthok (cut)
dh
dhârâ (dove)
dhudhul (dodol [a type of food])
ḍh
ḍhenḍheng (dizzy)
aḍḍhâng (block)
gh
ghâghâman (sharp weapon)
bighi (seed)
jh
jhârân (horse)
tajhin (porridge [a type of food])
Diphthongs
In Madurese, there are three diphthongs symbolized by ay, oy, and uy.
Consonant Letters
Examples at the Beginning of Words
Examples in the Middle of Words
Examples at the End of Words
ay
nyaynyay (soft)
tapay (tapai, tape) labây (woven thread)
oy
loyloy (tired, powerless)
kompoy (grandson)
uy
kerbhuy (buffalo)
Morphology
Madurese nouns are not inflected for gender and are pluralized via reduplication. Its basic word order is subject–verb–object. Negation is expressed by putting a negative particle before the verb, adjective or noun phrase. As with other similar languages, there are different negative particles for different kinds of negation.[10]
Madurese, like Sasak, Javanese and Balinese, also has levels/register, but they differ slightly in that they are divided into only three:
The Most Polite, Most Formal Sentence Form (Èngghi-Bhunten)
Èngghi-Bhunten is the most polite and refined form of speech used to show respect for the person being spoken to or discussed. This includes addressing parents, elders, teachers, people of higher rank, community leaders, and other respected figures.
Polite, Natural, Formal Sentence Form (Engghi-Enten)
Casual, Informal, Familiar Sentence Form (Enjâ'-Iyâ)
Enjâ'-Iyâ is a sentence form used in familiar situations among peers or younger people. Enjâ'-Iyâ is often used in everyday social situations. Enjâ'-Iyâ is not commonly used in first meetings; speakers usually ask permission to use Enjâ'-Iyâ after getting to know each other. With younger speakers or children, Enjâ'-Iyâ is common and acceptable to use without asking permission first.
Using Enjâ'-Iyâ towards a senior or someone older or in a higher position without permission is considered impolite. Enjâ'-Iyâ is only used with people of the same age, younger, or (if with someone older) with their permission.
If the age or status of the person you are talking to is unknown, it is better not to use Enjâ'-Iyâ. However, if you know the person is younger, you may use Enjâ'-Iyâ, but for the sake of comfort, it is better to ask permission first before using Enjâ'-Iyâ.
Example:
"¿Saponapa arghâèpon pao panèka?" : How much are the mangoes? (Èngghi-Bhunten)
"¿Sanapè arghâna paona?" : How much are the mangoes? (Engghi-Enten)
"¿Bârâmpa arghâna paona?" : How much does the mango cost? (Enjâ'-Iyâ)
The dialect used as the standard form of Madurese is the Sumenep dialect, because in the past Sumenep was the center of the Madurese kingdom and culture. The other dialects are rural dialects that gradually blended with the mobilization of Madurese society. Meanwhile, in the eastern salient of Java, these dialects often mix with Javanese language, and this dialect itself is called the Pendalungan dialect. The Pendalungan Madurese people outside Situbondo, Bondowoso, and the eastern part of Probolinggo, generally master the Javanese language, in addition to the Madurese language.
For example, in the case of the pronoun 'you':
The word bâ'en 'you' is commonly used in Bangkalan. However, the word bâ'na is used in Sumenep and Bawean.
The word kakè 'you' is commonly used in eastern part of Bangkalan and Sampang.
The words hèdâ and sèdâ 'you' are used in rural areas of Bangkalan.
"All Human Beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, they are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
^Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin (2019). "Maduresic". Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. Maduresic: Kangeanese and Madurese