Professional translations into and from Malay
The Malay language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world boasting more than 200 million speakers. It’s the official language in Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore, a regional language in Indonesia, and a working language in East Timor. Even a percentage of the populations of Myanmar, Hong Kong, and the United States speak Malay.
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The difference between Malay in Malaysia and Malay in Indonesia
The Malaysian language is called Bahasa Melayu in Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia in Indonesia. However, the linguistic differences are small and correspond to the differences between English spoken in the U.S. and the U.K.
Malay belongs to the Austronesian language family. The first written evidence of Old Malay dates back to the 7th century. Linguistic influences from the Indian and Persian region are traceable, as Buddhism came to Malaysia from India. Influences from the Arab region are evident as well, in that Malay characters are Arabic characters.
Instant quoteBy colonial times, a standard vernacular had emerged in Malaysia. This resulted from a uniform educational system that the English had introduced in Malaysia. When the multi-ethnic country was finally given independence, it possessed a standardized official language: the Bahasa Melayu. As stipulated by law, this official language was to be used in all print and broadcast media.
In contrast, the Dutch colonial government officially introduced the Latin script in Indonesia. In light of Indonesia declaring its independence after World War II, Bahasa Indonesia became the country’s official language. From its origins in East Sumatra, this language spread across the entirety of Indonesia.
Malay Today
A few decades ago, Malaysia and Indonesia agreed on uniformly implementing Latin script. The Arabic alphabet was then abolished. Malay orthography was standardized in Malaysia and Indonesia as well.
The inhabitants of both countries are able to communicate very well with each other. Nowadays, there has also been an increase in words from other languages spoken in the Indonesian region finding their way into Malay. These include words and phrases from Javanese in particular.
How much does a translation into Malay cost?
The standard rate for translations from English into Malay is $ 0.12 per word and for translations from Malay into English, the industry rate is $ 0.18. For new customers or large texts (more than 5,000 words), we may significantly reduce our rates. For urgent jobs that need several translators working simultaneously, we'll apply a surcharge. For a full list of rates per language, please visit Order here.
By employing exclusively native-speaking translators, you can be absolutely sure of the quality of our translations. In addition to more than 150 languages, we also cover every subject area. Whether you work in the fields of medicine, law, or economics, we can find the right translator for every project within our extensive roster.
Experience our services for yourself. Simply contact us via phone, email, or the quote form.
| United Kingdom | Malay |
| Sverige | Malajiska |
| Österreich | Malaiisch |
| Danmark | Malaysisk |
| Schweiz | Malaiisch |
| United States | Malay |
| Nederland | Maleis |
| Deutschland | Malaiisch |