Sundanese language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sundanese (Bahasa Sunda, in Sundanese script ᮘᮞ ᮞᮥᮔ᮪ᮓ, literally "language of Sunda") is the language of about 27 million people from the western third of Java or about 15% of the Indonesian population.

It appears to be most closely related to Madurese and Malay, and more distantly related to Javanese. It has several types, conventionally described according to the locations of the people:
Banten,
Bogor,
Priangan (Bandung and its surroundings),
Ciamis,
Kuningan, and
Cirebon.

Priangan, which covers the largest area of Sundaland (Tatar Pasundan in Sundanese), is the most widely spoken type of Sundanese language, taught in elementary till junior-high schools (equivalent to ninth-year school grade) in West Java and Banten Province.


Writing

Sundanese can be written in different writing systems, the Sundanese script (Aksara Sunda) and Pegon in historical times, and in modern times the Latin alphabet.
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Phonology

Sundanese orthography is highly phonetic (see also Sundanese script). There are five pure vowel sounds: a /ɑ/, é /ɛ/, i /i/, o /ɔ/, u /ʊ/, and two neutral[clarification needed] vowels; e /ə/, and eu /ɤ/. The consonantal phonemes (18—but see below) are transcribed with the letters p, b, t, d, k, g, c (pronounced /tʃ/), j, h, ng (/ŋ/, occurs initially), ny /ɳ/, m, n, s /s/, w, l, r (trilled or flapped), and y /j/. Other consonants that originally appear in Indonesian loanwords are mostly transferred into native consonants: f → p, v → p, sy → s, sh → s, z -> j, and kh /x/ → h.

Definition of Sundanese Phonology, according to Yayat Sudaryat (1985:26): "Fonologi nyaeta bagean tina elmu basa anu maluruh jeung medar sora-sora basa, prosesna, selang surupna, jeung parobahanana".

There are 16 consonants in Sundanese phonology, according to Yayat Sudaryat (1991,35): "fonem konsonan (contoid) nya eta sora omongan (fonem) anu kawangun ku hawa anu kaluar tina bayah sarta waktu liwat tikoro aya nu ngahalangan. konsonan nu aya dina basa sunda, nyaeta: /b/, /ts/, /d/, /g/, /h/, /dʒ/, /k/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /p/, /r/, /s/, /n/, /t/, /n'/, kuayana pangaruh basa kosta sok kapanggih konsonan /f/, /v/, /z/ mangrupa fomem nu asalna pangaruh basa kosta, saperti dina kecap: fonem, qur'an, xerox, zakat".[clarification needed]

Based on the statement above, it is clear that the Sundanese language has only 16 consonants, there are three consonants /f, v, z/ which exist in Sundanese as a result of borrowing words, but naturally they are not Sundanese consonants.

Furthermore, Sudaryat does not mention the phonemes /w, j/ as semi vowels, although as vowels, /w, j/ function as a glide sound between two different vowels, as in the words:
Kueh - /kuweh/
Muih - /muwih/
Bear - /beAar/[clarification needed]
Miang - /mijan/

Phonemes /w/ and /j/ function as glide sounds between two different vowels as in the words:[clarification needed]
wa - rung
wa - yang
ba - wang
ha - yang
ku - ya

Basic grammar
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Root word
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Root verbEnglish Sundanese
(normal) Sundanese
(polite)
eat .. dahar .. tuang ..(for other)
neda ..(for myself)
drink .. inum .. leueut ..
write .. tulis .. serat ..
read .. maca .. maos ..
forget .. poho .. hilap ..
remember .. inget .. emut ..
sit .. diuk .. calik ..
stand .. tangtung .. adeg ..
walk .. leumpang .. papah ..

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Active form

Most of active form in sundanese verb are in their root verb like 'diuk' or 'dahar'. Some other depend on first phonem in root verb:
first phoneme in 'd' is eliminated and changed to prefix 'nga' like in 'ngadahar'
first phoneme in 'i' is eliminated and changed to prefix 'ng' like in 'nginum'
first phoneme in 'b' is eliminated and changed to prefix 'm' like in 'maca'
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Negation

(to be written). "Abdi henteu acan neda". (I have not eaten yet.) Explanation: From the above example, "henteu" is used for negative term. "Buku abdi mah sanes nu ieu". (My book is not this one.) Explanation: From the above example, "sanes" is used for negative term.
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Question

(to be written).

Dupi -(question)

example:

Polite-
Dupi Bapa aya di bumi? (is your father at home?)
Dupi bumi di palih mana? (where do you live?)
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Passive form

(to be written.) "Buku dibantun ku abdi". (The book is brought by me.) Explanation: "dibantun" (to be brought/passive) and "ngabantun" (active) The other examples: "Pulpen ditambut ku abdi". (The pen is borrowed by me.) "Soal ieu dikerjakeun ku abdi". (This problem is done by me.)
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Adjectives

(to be written). example:

teuas (hard), tiis (cool), hipu (soft), lada (hot, usually for foods), haneut (warm), etc.
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Prepositions
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PlaceEnglish Sundanese
(normal) Sundanese
(polite)
above .. diluhureun .. diluhureun ..
behind .. ditukangeun .. dipengkereun ..
under .. dihandapeun .. dihandapeun ..
inside .. di jero .. di lebet ..
outside .. di luar .. di luar ..
between ..
and .. di antara ..
jeung .. di antawis ..
sareng ..
front .. hareup .. payun ..
back .. tukang .. pengker ..

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TimeEnglish Sundanese
(normal) Sundanese
(polite)
before saacan sateuacan
after sanggeus saparantos
during basa nalika
past baheula kapungkur

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MiscellaneousEnglish Sundanese
(normal) Sundanese
(polite)
from tina tina
for jang kanggo