Alternate Names: Ambonese, Ambong, Malayu Ambon, Moluccan (Maluku) Malay
Dialects: Dobo Malay. Marginal intelligibility with Indonesian ,. Difficult intelligibility with North Moluccan Malay ,; speakers switch to Indonesian. Lexical similarity: 81% with Indonesian ,. Banda Malay , may best be considered a dialect of Moluccan Malay ,.
Status Notes: Became an LWC through trade, and is used in inter-cultural ommunication, market, and some media.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 200,000 in Indonesia (1987 J. Collins). Population total all countries: 245,020. L2 users: 1,400,000 in Indonesia (2013 M. Connor).
Language Use: Also use Dutch [nld], Indonesian [ind]. Used as L2 by Aputai [apx], Buru [mhs], Dai [dij], Dawera-Daweloor [ddw], Dobel [kvo], Emplawas [emw], Fordata [frd], Galolen [gal], Haruku [hrk], Ili’uun [ilu], Imroing [imr], Laha [lhh], Lisabata-Nuniali [lcs], Lola [lcd], Luang [lex], Luhu [lcq], North Babar [bcd], Perai [wet], Seit-Kaitetu [hik], Southeast Babar [vbb], Tela-Masbuar [tvm], Tugun [tzn], Wemale [weo], West Masela [mss], West Tarangan [txn], Yamdena [jmd].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. New media. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 2007–2012.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Indonesia
Other Comments: Developed from Sabah Malay , and still reflects some archaic forms. Further diverged by adapting to the vernaculars of central Maluku. Many varieties of trade Malay are considered Malay-based creoles (Grimes 1988, 1991; Holm 1989) and as Austronesian with contact features (Collins 1980; Gil 2001; Wolff 1988). Christian, Muslim.