Austroasiatic language spoken in Malaysia
Temiar is a Central Aslian (Mon–Khmer) language spoken in Western Malaysia by the Temiar people. The Temiar are one of the most numerous Aslian-speaking peoples, numbering around 30,000 in 2017.[2]
Name
Etymologically, the word "Temiar" means "edge" or "side". This meaning reflects the way in which Temiars describe themselves as "people of the edge, outside, [i.e. jungle]."[3]
Morphosyntax
Noun Phrase
The noun phrase is (pro)noun initial followed by modifiers and demonstratives or possessor pronouns. Pronouns may not be modified by another pronoun.[4] There are three allomorphic classes of pronouns (stressed unstressed, and bound). Stressed third person pronouns must occur with a demonstrative (and hence only occur as unstressed or as bound morphemes on the demonstrative (e.g. na-doh 'he-here' or ʔun-tu:y 'they-elsewhere.'[4]
Stressed Pronouns
| Person
|
Singular
|
Dual
|
Plural
|
|
|
|
Inclusive
|
Exclusive
|
Inclusive
|
Exclusive
|
| 1
|
ye:ʔ
|
ʔa:r
|
ya:r
|
ʔɛ:ʔ
|
kanɛ:ʔ
|
| 2
|
ha:ʔ
|
kəʔan
|
ɲɔb
|
Unstressed Pronouns
| Person
|
Singular
|
Dual
|
Plural
|
|
|
|
Inclusive
|
Exclusive
|
Inclusive
|
Exclusive
|
| 1
|
yeh
|
ʔah
|
yah
|
ʔɛh
|
kanɛh
|
| 2
|
hah
|
kəʔan
|
ɲɔb
|
| 3
|
ʔəh
|
weh wɛh
|
ʔun ʔən
|
Bound Pronouns
| Person
|
Singular
|
Dual
|
Plural
|
|
|
|
Inclusive
|
Exclusive
|
Inclusive
|
Exclusive
|
| 1
|
ʔi-
|
ʔa-
|
ya-
|
ʔɛ-
|
kanɛ-
ki-
kɛ-
|
| 2
|
ha-
|
kəʔa-
|
ɲɔ(b)-
|
| 3
|
na- ʔə-
|
we- wɛ-
|
ʔun-
|
Verb Phrase
The verb phrase is ordered as sentential negation, auxiliary verb and main verb. The verb phrase precedes the subject.[4]
