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Singkawang Hakka

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Singkawang Hakka
Bahasa Khek Singkawang
山口洋客語
Sân-gú-yòng Hak-ngî (Pha̍k-fa-sṳ)
Pronunciation/san˥˧.heu˧.i̯oŋ˥.hak˧˦.ngi˥˧/
Native toIndonesia (West Kalimantan)
RegionSingkawang, Pemangkat and Sambas
EthnicitySingkawang Chinese
Native speakers103,449 (2012)
Language familySino-Tibetan
Writing systemLatin script Chinese characters
Language codes
ISO 639-3hak
Linguist Listhak-hai
Glottologhail1247
  Regencies and cities in West Kalimantan where Singkawang Hakka is spoken by the majority of the population   Regencies and cities in West Kalimantan where Singkawang Hakka is spoken by a significant minority of the population
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.

Singkawang Hakka (Chinese: 山口洋客語; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Sân-gú-yòng Hak-ngî; Indonesian: Bahasa Khek Singkawang) is a variety of Hakka predominantly spoken by the Hakka Chinese community in the northwestern part of West Kalimantan, Indonesia, particularly in and around the Singkawang region. It originates from the Hakka dialects spoken in Guangdong, China, though it has evolved with some differences influenced by local influences. Singkawang Hakka differs from Pontianak Hakka, which is rooted in the Meixian dialect. In contrast, Singkawang Hakka is based on the Hailu dialect, with significant influence from Hopo and Wuhua dialects. Singkawang Hakka is colloquially known as yinghua (硬話) 'hard speech' among the local Chinese community. In contrast, Pontianak Hakka, spoken in areas south of Bengkayang, including Pontianak, Mempawah Regency, and Kubu Raya Regency, is commonly referred to as ruanhua (軟話) 'soft speech'. Today, Singkawang Hakka has a wide geographical spread. Besides being used in Singkawang, Pemangkat, and Sambas, it is also commonly spoken among the Chinese migrants from Singkawang in Jakarta.

Hakka is the predominant language spoken among the Chinese communities in Singkawang, although there are also small Teochew-speaking communities present. Additionally, many Hakka in Singkawang are multilingual, fluent in Mandarin, Indonesian, and the local Malay dialect. Code-switching and code-mixing are common among the Singkawang Chinese, who frequently alternate between Hakka, Malay, and standard Indonesian. This is especially prevalent in informal settings, such as local markets, where people from various ethnic backgrounds interact. Additionally, since the majority of Singkawang's population is Hakka, many non-Chinese residents in the area are also able to speak and understand Hakka.

History

Singkawang Hakka
Traditional Chinese山口洋客語
Simplified Chinese山口洋客语
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShānkǒu yáng kè yǔ
Hakka
Pha̍k-fa-sṳSân-gú-yòng Hak-ngî

The Hakkas began migrating to the coastal regions of western Borneo in the 17th century. While the majority originated from the interior of Guangdong (specifically areas around Meizhou, Huizhou, Jieyang, and other areas), a smaller number came from Tingzhou in western Fujian. These immigrants brought their language and culture with them. By the late 19th century, there were already immigrants in the Singkawang region of West Kalimantan speaking Hailu Hakka. Additionally, Hopo immigrants from Jiexi had been documented in West Kalimantan as early as the late 18th century. The Hakka dialect spoken in Singkawang today is likely the result of a historical blending of the Hailu and Hopo dialects, which has endowed it with the distinct characteristics of both varieties.

From the late Qing Dynasty to the early establishment of the Republic of China, wars and chaos were frequent on the Chinese mainland. As a result, many Hakka people, to avoid military conscription and forced labor or to earn a living, were forced to follow shuike (水客, suihak), brokers who specifically brought people to Southeast Asia, to Malaya or Bangka-Belitung, where they became contract laborers in tin mines. After their contracts ended, many workers moved to the region under the rule of the Sultan of Sambas, particularly to Singkawang and its surroundings, to seek a new life. At that time, a large group of Hopo immigrants arrived and rented land from the local government for farming. Those with skills or relatives in Singkawang chose to settle and engage in small businesses there, selling cakes or working as laborers. By that time, there were already many traditional medicine shops, bookstores, barbershops, and others. Because many small stalls in the rural areas were owned by Hakka people, to facilitate transactions and blend in with the grassroots community, the tycoons of Singkawang, whether Teochew or Hokkien, were inevitably compelled to learn Hakka. Thus, Hakka became the lingua franca in Singkawang, while Teochew and Hokkien are only spoken at home.

Most of the Hakkas who migrated to present-day Singkawang came from impoverished backgrounds and were invited by the Sultanate of Sambas to work as miners. They formed kongsis (associations) for business purposes, particularly in gold mining, in the interior regions of West Kalimantan. One of the most well-known kongsis in West Kalimantan was the Lanfang Kongsi. Its founder was Luo Fangbo, in the 18th century. He not only succeeded in establishing kongsis but also became the governor for the Chinese community in West Kalimantan, headquartered in Mandor (about 100 km from Pontianak). During that time, Monterado and Mandor were well-known as centers of gold mining, attracting Chinese people from various ethnic groups. Singkawang, on the other hand, served merely as a trade city and not as a resource-producing area like Monterado and Mandor.

The "Red Bowl" incident (Indonesian: Mangkok Merah) that occurred at the end of 1967 saw the Indonesian government expelling hundreds of thousands of Hakka Chinese from rural areas, so 99% of this Hakka-speaking exodus group was forced to settle in Singkawang and its surrounding areas. Before the government prohibited Chinese people from entering Indonesia in 1949, new arrivals from the Teochew and Hokkien-speaking communities were almost nonexistent. However, Hakka speakers arrived in large numbers, around 10-20 thousand people, thus increasing the Hakka population in Singkawang. As time passed, the first generation of Teochew, Hokkien, and Hakka speakers became increasingly rare. They were mostly elderly and rarely gathered together, so communication in their native languages became less frequent. Meanwhile, the second generation, although they initially mastered their mother tongue, found themselves communicating with Hakka in daily life and social interactions.

Geographical distribution and usage

The Hakka language in West Kalimantan is divided into two types: the Pontianak Hakka, which is more related to the Meixian Hakka dialect, and Singkawang Hakka, which is more related to the Lufeng (Hailu) Hakka dialect. These two varieties differ slightly in tone, vocabulary, and pronunciation. The areas that use the Meixian Hakka dialect include Pontianak, Sekadau, Sintang, Sanggau, and Mempawah. Meanwhile, the areas that use the Lufeng Hakka accent include Singkawang, Sungai Duri, Sambas, and Pemangkat. In areas with a significant Hakka population, non-Chinese residents also understand and speak Singkawang Hakka. Many Malays, Dayak, and even Javanese residents are proficient in Hakka and actively use it to communicate with the Chinese community. Meanwhile, many elderly Chinese residents are either unable to speak or are less fluent in languages other than Hakka. Today, Singkawang Hakka is spoken widely beyond Singkawang, Pemangkat, and Sambas, extending to the Chinese business community in Jakarta, specifically in western Jakarta, where many migrants from Singkawang have settled.

Hakka is widely spoken throughout Singkawang, with estimates suggesting that over 60% of the local population use it in their daily conversations. Many Chinese in Singkawang, in addition to Hakka, are also fluent in Sambas Malay, the local Malay dialect. Code-switching or code-mixing between Hakka and Sambas Malay is very common, particularly when conversing with non-Chinese individuals. In addition, most elders in Singkawang could speak both Hakka and Mandarin, as they learned the latter when educated in Chinese language schools before they were closed during the New Order. Few also spoke Teochew or other Chinese dialects. Currently, following the lifting of the ban on learning Chinese, many young people have enrolled in Chinese schools where they are taught to speak and read Mandarin. Most Chinese residents, especially the younger generations are also fluent in standard Indonesian, the national language. The usage of Indonesian is typically limited to formal settings, such as government interactions or educational environments, where formal Indonesian is preferred. Nonetheless, there is currently a growing trend in the use of the Hakka in official communications in Singkawang. Mayors and government officials frequently incorporate Hakka in various official functions, including meetings, public addresses, and interactions with the local community.

There is a slight difference in the Hakka dialects spoken in Singkawang city proper, Sambas, Pemangkat, and Bengkayang, primarily in their phonological features and pronunciations.

Phonology

Consonants

The Singkawang Hakka dialect has 21 initials, including one zero initial . The list is as follows:

Singkawang Hakka initials
Labial Alveolar Postalveolar Velar Glottal
Apical Laminal
Bilabial Labiodental
Nasal [m]
門 (mun˥)
[n]
難 (nan˥)
[ŋ]
牙 (ŋa˥)
Plosive/

Affricate

plain [p]
布 (pu˧˩)
[t͡s]
精 (t͡sin˥˧)
[t]
等 (ten˨˦)
[t͡ʃ]
主 (t͡ʃu˨˦)
[k]
貴 (kui˧˩)
aspirated []
盤 (pʰan˥)
[t͡sʰ]
趣 (t͡sʰi˧˩)
[]
同 (tʰuŋ˥)
[t͡ʃʰ]
重 (t͡ʃʰuŋ˥˧)
[]
開 (kʰoi˥˧)
voiced [b]
武 (bu˨˦)
Fricative voiceless [f]
紅 (fuŋ˥)
[s]
線 (sien˧˩)
[ʃ]
水 (ʃui˨˦)
[h]
去 (hi˧˩)
voiced [ʒ]
雲 (ʒiun˥)
Lateral [l]
連 (lien˥)

Notes:

  • The zero initial, like in 鴨 (IPA: /ap˥˦/), is not listed in the table above.

Rhymes

Singkawang Hakka features five vowel phonemes: i, e, a, o, and u. Additionally, it includes one medial i, three open nasal codas (-m, -n, ), and three checked codas (-p, -t, -k). This yields eight open codas, seven vocalic codas, twenty nasal codas, seventeen stop codas, and two syllabic nasals. In total, there are 54 rimes.

Pure vowels

Front Central Back
Close [i]
第 (tʰi˨˦)
[u]
故 (ku˧˩)
Mid [e]
姐 (t͡se˥)
[o]
老 (lo˨˦)
Open [a]
爬 (pa˥)

Diphthongs and triphthongs

Diphthongs Triphthongs
ia

寫 (sia˨˦)

iu

有 (ʒiu˥˧)

oi

灰 (foi˥˧)

iau

橋 (kʰiau˥)

io

茄 (kʰio˥)

ai

大 (tʰai˨˦)

ui

跪 (kʰui˨˦)

ie

蟻 (ŋie˧˩)

au

爪 (t͡sau˨˦)

eu

後 (heu˨˦)

Syllabic consonants

Bilabial Velar
Nasal []
毋 (m̩˥)
[ŋ̍]
魚 (ŋ̍˥)

Nuclei with nasal codas

-m am

減 (kam˨˦)

em

揞 (em˥˧)

im

金 (kim˥˧)

iam

添 (tʰiam˥˧)

iem

弇 (kiem˥˧)

-n an

山 (san˥˧)

en

朋 (pʰen˥)

in

新 (sin˥˧)

ian

遠 (ʒian˨˦)

ien

見 (kien˧˩)

ion

軟 (ŋion˥˧)

iun

軍 (kiun˥˧)

on

肝 (kon˥˧)

un

粉 (fun˨˦)

硬 (ŋaŋ˨˦)

iaŋ

平 (pʰiaŋ˥)

ioŋ

香 (hioŋ˥˧)

iuŋ

胸 (hiuŋ˥˧)

講 (koŋ˨˦)

東 (tuŋ˥˧)

Checked rhymes

-p ap

胛 (kap˧˦)

ep

澀 (sep˧˦)

ip

汁 (t͡ʃip˧˦)

iap

帖 (tʰiap˧˦)

-t at

舌 (ʃat˥)

et

蝨 (set˧˦)

it

日 (ŋit˧˦)

iat

越 (ʒiat˥)

iet

節 (t͡siet˧˦)

ot

刷 (sot˧˦)

ut

骨 (kut˧˦)

-k ak

隻 (t͡ʃak˧˦)

iak

錫 (siak˧˦)

iok

腳 (kiok˧˦)

iuk

玉 (ŋiuk˥)

ok

索 (sok˧˦)

uk

屋 (buk˧˦)

Tones

In Singkawang Hakka, there are a total of six tones. The tones and their characteristics are shown in the table below:

Upper/Dark (陰) Lower/Light (陽)
No. Name Contour Tone types Examples No. Name Contour Tone types Examples
Level (平) 1 陰平

yim-pin

(53) High 抽 , 豬 2 陽平

yong-pin

(55) Low 才 , 人
Rising (上) 36 上聲

song-sang

(24) Mid rising 助 , 好 -
Departing (去) 5 陰去

yim-hi

(31) High falling 唱 , 菜 -
Entering (入) 7 陰入

yim-ngip

(34) High checked 竹 , 桌 8 陽入

yong-ngip

(5) Low checked

Tone sandhi

The pronunciation of a single character is referred to as the base tone (本調). However, when two or more characters are combined, tone changes occur, resulting in what is called tone sandhi (變調). Tone sandhi can be categorized into two-character consecutive tone sandhi and tone sandhi involving three or more characters. For example, the word /kieu˨˦/ (狗) 'dog' is pronounced with a rising tone (24). However, when combined with another syllable, such as /ŋiuk˥/ (肉) 'meat', it becomes /kieu˨ŋiuk˥/ (狗肉) 'dog meat', where the original word is now pronounced with a low tone (22). Another example is the word /t͡ʃuk˧˦/ (竹) 'bamboo', which is pronounced with a high checked tone (34) when it stands alone. However, when combined with another word, such as /ʒiap˥/ (葉) 'leaf', it becomes /t͡ʃuk˧ʒiap˥/ (竹葉) 'bamboo leaf', where the original word is now pronounced with a mid-level tone (3).

The combinations of tone sandhi in Singkawang Hakka can be summarized in the following rules:

  • Tone 53 (yingping) and tone 55 (yangping) change to tone 33 when followed by any syllables, except for tone 31 (yinqu), tone 34 (yinru), or tone 5 (yangru), where no change occurs.
  • Tone 24 (shangsheng) always changes to tone 22 regardless of the tone of the following syllables.
  • Tone 31 (yinqu) and tone 5 (yangru) do not undergo tone sandhi.
  • Tone 34 (yinru) changes to tone 3 when followed by any syllables.

Differences from other Hakka dialects

Singkawang Hakka mainly shares similarities in phonology, rhyme, and tone with Hailu Hakka as spoken in mainland China and Taiwan. However, it also exhibits several notable differences that set it apart, due to influences from other Hakka dialects as well as other languages.

Phonological aspects

  • Singkawang Hakka preserves many of the consonant features of Middle Chinese. In contrast, the Meixian and Sixian dialects have undergone a retroflex stage, while the Wuhua dialect is in the process of change.
  • Some sounds in Singkawang Hakka are pronounced with an aspirated velar stop (/kʰ-/), such as in words like "吸" (inhale), "霍" (sudden), "藿" (herb), "況" (situation), "潰" (collapse), "狹" (narrow), and "核" (kernel). In the Meixian, Sixian, and Hailu dialects, these sounds have shifted to /h-/ or /f-/, likely under the influence of Cantonese.
  • The b initial is rare in other Hakka dialects but is widespread in Singkawang Hakka, where the v initial has completely transformed into b. This change may also be influenced by Indonesian, and a similar shift can be seen in the Yunlin Hakka dialect in Taiwan, influenced by Taiwanese Hokkien.
  • Words like "徙" (to migrate) retain the older "-ai" ending, while others have shifted to the front tongue vowel "-i," resulting in a contrast between the two forms (-ai and -i). This distinction is absent in Meixian and Sixian dialects, where the finals have shifted to more centralized vowels due to changes in the initial consonants.
  • The contrast between "-o" and "-a" in specific tone categories remains intact in Singkawang Hakka. For example, words like "果" (fruit) and "假" (fake) clearly demonstrate this contrast. While some influence from the Meixian dialect has caused partial merging of tones, the distinction remains clear.
  • In Singkawang Hakka, the u medial, which is typically preserved in Hakka, exhibits a unique pattern. For example, in words where the u medial is often lost after labial consonants in other dialects, Singkawang Hakka retains it. However, after velar consonants, the u medial has disappeared, resulting in a more open vowel sound.

Tones

The majority of the Hakka people in Singkawang come from Hopo in Jiexi. This tonal system, which is used by most people, consists of six tones: yinping (陰平), yangping (陽平), shangsheng (上聲), yinqu (陰去), yinru (陰入), and yangru (陽入). The most distinctive feature in Singkawang Hakka's tonal system is that the yangqu tone (陽去) is categorized as a shangsheng tone, which is different from Meixian Hakka, where all voiceless tones revert to the departing tone. As a result, the range of the shangsheng tone is broader. Additionally, Meixian Hakka speakers still retain the yangqu tone with a tonal value of 22 in a small number of cases, which is closer to the tonal system of Luhe Hakka. Below is a comparative table of the tones in various Hakka dialects:

Yingping (陰平) Yangping (陽平) Shangsheng (上聲) Yinqu (陰去) Yangqu (陽去) Yinru (陰入) Yangru (陽入)
Singkawang 53 55 24 31 (24) 34 5
Jiexi 53 24 21 42 - 2 5
Xiuzhuan 13 54 51 33 24 3
Wuhua 44 13 31 53 (31) 1 5
Meixian 44 11 31 52 1 5
Sixian 24 11 31 55 21 5
Hailu 53 55 13 11 33 5 21
Yunlin 11 53 31 55 24 32
Luhe 53 55 213 31 22 34 54

Vocabulary

Due to the close contact between the Singkawang Hakka and Indonesian, and the forced education in Indonesian for the local Chinese population after the 1960s, the vocabulary of Singkawang Hakka has been influenced by many local Indonesian words, making it significantly different from the Hakka dialects spoken in mainland China and Taiwan. As early as the 17th and 18th centuries, the Hakka people began to form a large presence in Borneo and started cultivating land there. With frequent interactions between the Hakka people and the local dialect of Malays, linguistic and cultural exchanges were inevitable. Many words were directly translated or borrowed from Malay, and also Indonesian which is a variety of Malay. Due to the long history of borrowing, Singkawang Hakka speakers now regards these words as part of the Hakka language, creating the unique expressions found in the region today. Additionally, due to progress and development, many new things emerged and were given different names, contributing to the unique terms in the Singkawang Hakka. In general, the vocabulary of Singkawang Hakka is highly localized. Some terms are only heard locally, while not used in mainland China or Taiwan's Hakka-speaking areas, or they are used with different meanings in other Hakka-speaking regions.

One notable characteristic of the Hakka dialect in Singkawang is its influence from both Teochew, one of the largest Chinese varieties spoken in West Kalimantan after Hakka, and Indonesian, the national language. For example, in daily life, Singkawang Hakka has incorporated several Teochew words. For instance, the word for "fatigue" is pronounced /kʰoi˥/ in Sixian Hakka and /tʰiam˨˦/ in Hailu Hakka, but in Singkawang, it is pronounced /ho˥t/, borrowed from Teochew /hek˥/. Similarly, Indonesian has contributed loanwords, such as "potato," which is pronounced /ma˥˧.lin˩.su˩/ in Sixian Hakka and /ma˥˧.lin˥.su˥/ in Hailu Hakka, but /kan˥.tang˥˧/ in Singkawang, derived from the Indonesian word kentang. There are also several borrowed words from Cantonese, such as /tʰoŋ˥˧/ meaning "to slaughter," which is derived from the Cantonese word 劏 /tʰɔŋ˥˧/. This phenomenon of lexical borrowing is increasingly prevalent in Indonesian Hakka-speaking communities.

Lexicon

The lexicon of Singkawang Hakka is predominantly derived from Hailu Hakka, but it has also incorporated loanwords from other Hakka dialects, as well as from Teochew, Cantonese, and Indonesian.

Loanwords

Meixian Hakka

Since some of the Hakka people in Singkawang are descendants of immigrants from Meixian in mainland China, Singkawang Hakka has absorbed certain loanwords from Meixian Hakka, although the pronunciation has been influenced by Hailu Hakka. Nevertheless, Singkawang Hakka still retains many vocabulary features of Meixian Hakka to this day. Below are some examples of loanwords in Singkawang Hakka that are absorbed from Meixian Hakka:

Hailu Hakka Singkawang Hakka Meixian Hakka Definition Note
風水

/fuŋ˥.˧ʃui˨˦/

/tʰi˨˦/

/tʰi˥˧/

tomb
𥍉爧

/ŋiap˩.laŋ˧/

火蛇

/fo˨.ʃa˥/

火蛇

/fo˧˩.sa˩/

lightning
肚枵

/tu˧.iau53/

肚飢

/tu˨.ki˥˧/

肚飢

/tu˧˩.ki˦/

hungry

/kʰio˥/

吊菜

/tiau˧˩.tsʰoi˧˩/

吊菜

/tiau˥˧.tsʰoi˥˧/

eggplant
韮菜

/kiu˩.tsʰoi˩/

快菜

/kʰai˧˩.tsʰoi˧˩/

快菜

/kʰuai˥˧.tsʰoi˥˧/

chinese leek
毛蟹

/mo˥˧.hai˨˦/

老蟹

/lo˨.hai˨˦/

老蟹

/lau˥˧.hai˧˩/

crab
壁蛇

/piak˩.ʃa˥/

簷蛇

/ʒiam˥.ʃa˥/

簷蛇

/iam˩.sa˩/

gecko
油條

/ʒiu˥.tʰiau˥/

油炸粿

/ʒiu˥.tsa˧˩.ke˥˧/

油炸粿

/iu˩.tsa˥˧.kui˧˩/

youtiao In Meixian Hakka, youtiao "油條" is called "油炸粿", a term that likely originated from Min languages. However, in Hailu Hakka, it is still referred to as "油條" rather than "油炸粿."
酸醋

/son˥˧.sɿ˩/

甜酒

/tʰiam˥.tsiu˨˦/

酸醋 / 甜酒

/son˦.tsʰɿ˥˧/ / /tʰiam˩.tsiu˧˩/

vinegar "甜酒" is the common term for vinegar, and the term "酸醋" is rarely used, though it is still understood.
拖箱

/tʰo˥˧.sioŋ˥˧/

拖格

/tʰo˥˧.kak˧˦/

拖格

/tʰo˦.kak˩/

drawer
熨斗

/ʒiun˩.teu˨˦/

燙斗

/tʰoŋ˧˩.teu˨˦/

燙斗

/tʰoŋ˥˧.teu˧˩/

clothes iron

Teochew

Due to the close proximity between the Chaoshan region and Hakka-speaking areas, frequent interactions between the two populations have facilitated the use of Teochew in eastern Guangdong. The Hakka communities in Haifeng, Lufeng, Jiexi, and Raoping have been notably impacted by contact with Teochew, leading to the adoption of several loanwords into their language. In West Kalimantan, both Hakka and Teochew are prominent languages within the Chinese community. Consequently, West Kalimantan Hakka has significantly absorbed loanwords from Teochew. Below are examples of Teochew loanwords that have been incorporated into Singkawang Hakka:

Hailu Hakka Singkawang Hakka Teochew Definition Note

/tʰiam˨˦/

/hot˥/

/hek˥/

tired

/kiak˥/

/maŋ˥˧/

/men˥˧/

fast
見笑

/kien˩.siau˩/

笑禮

/siau˧˩.li˥˧/

笑禮

/siao˧˥.li˧˥/

shy
辣椒

/lat˩.tsiau˥˧/

薟椒

/hiam˧.tsiau˥˧/

薟椒

/hiam˧.t͡ʃio˧/

chili
豆油

/tʰeu˧.iu˥/

豉油 / 豆油

/ʃi˧˩.ʒiu˥/ / /tʰeu˨.ʒiu˥/

豉油

/si˩˨.iu˥/

soy sauce
水果

/sui˥˧.ko˥˧/

果子

/ko˧˩.tsi˧˩/

果子

/kuen˧˥-tsi˥˧/

fruit
番檨 / 酸仔

/fan˨˦.son˥/ / /son˥˧.er˥/

/sai/

/suai˩/

mango
元宵節

/ian˥.siau˥˧.tsiat˥/

正月半 / 十五暝

/t͡ʃaŋ˧˩.ŋiat˥.pan˧˩/ / /t͡sap.ko.mei/

十五暝

/t͡sap˩.ko˩.mei˧/

lantern festival 正月半 is the most commonly used term for the Lantern Festival. While 十五暝, a term borrowed from Teochew and Hokkien, is rarely used, it remains widely understood.

Cantonese

A small number of words in Singkawang Hakka are directly borrowed from Cantonese. It is speculated that when the Singkawang Hakka people lived in their original homeland on the mainland, they frequently interacted with Cantonese-speaking people in Guangdong. Due to this linguistic contact, Cantonese influenced their speech, leading to the borrowing of some Cantonese vocabulary into their Hakka language. Below are examples of Cantonese loanwords that have been incorporated into Singkawang Hakka:

Hailu Hakka Singkawang Hakka Cantonese Definition Note

/t͡ʃʰi˥/

/tʰoŋ˥˧/

/tʰɔŋ˥˧/

murder

/pen˥˧/

/siet˧˦/

/sy:t˧˦/

ice The word for "ice" in Singkawang Hakka is "雪" (suet), the same term used in Cantonese, which also means "snow". In Cantonese-speaking regions, where snowfall is uncommon, "雪" is used interchangeably to refer to both "ice" and "snow."

Indonesian

Due to the status of Indonesian as the national language, Singkawang Hakka speakers have incorporated several Indonesian words into their daily conversations. This borrowing primarily occurs due to the absence of equivalent terms in Hakka, or because of local objects and newly coined terms in Indonesia. As a result of ongoing language contact and interaction, the integration of Indonesian into Hakka is inevitable and increasingly common. Below is a list of Indonesian loanwords frequently used by locals in their everyday lives:

Hailu Hakka Singkawang Hakka Indonesian Definition Note
紅毛泥

/fu˥.mo˥˧.nai˥/

/si˧˩.men˥/ semen cement
巷仔

/hoŋ˩.ŋe˥/

/kaŋ˥/ gang alley
馬鈴薯

/ma˥˧.lin˥.ʃu˥/

/kan˥.taŋ˥˧/ kentang potato
咖啡

/ka˥˧.pi˥˧/

咖啡

/ko˥.pi˥˧/

kopi coffee
麭 / 麵包

/pʰaŋ˥˧/ / /mien˧.pau˥˧/

/lo˥.ti˥˧/ roti bread The Indonesian word roti has been directly borrowed into Hakka. Since Hakka does not have the /r/ sound, it is replaced with /l/.
枴棍

/kuai˧.kun˩/

/tuŋ˧˩.kat˥/ tongkat stick
市場

/ʃi˩.t͡ʃʰoŋ˥/

/pa˥˧.sak˥/ pasar market

/tsʰien˥/

/lui˥˧/

duit money Singkawang Hakkas refer to money as lui, a term borrowed from the Indonesian/Malay word duit. In this borrowing, the initial d sound is replaced with l, resulting in the pronunciation lui. This usage is not unique to Singkawang Hakka but is also found in Southern Min, Hong Kong Hakka, Hainanese, and Malaysian Hakka dialects.
賒數

/t͡ʃʰa˥˧.sɿ˩/

/u˧.taŋ˥/ utang debt
𢯭手

/tʰen˩.ʃiu˨˦/

/to˥˧.loŋ˥/ tolong to help
細人

/se˩.ŋin˥/

/a˨.nak˥/ anak child
結婚

/kiet˩.fun˥˧/

/kau˧˩.ŋin˥/ kawin to marry Singkawang Hakkas use the terms 結婚 and 交人 to refer to marriage. The term 交人 is directly borrowed from the Indonesian word kawin. Locals frequently extend this usage by adding other words after 交, such as 交老公 (marry a husband), 交老婆 (marry a wife), or 交新娘 (marry a bride). This usage is quite common in their daily conversations.
雜貨店

/tsʰap˩.fo˩.tiam˩/

/ba˨.loŋ˥/ warung general store
麻布袋

/ma˥.pu˩.tʰoi˩/

/ka˧.loŋ˥.pau˥˧/ karung sack
毋著

/m̩˥.tsʰok˩/

/sa˥˧.la˨/ salah wrong

Sample words and sentences

Below are some examples of commonly used Singkawang Hakka words and sentences:

Quantifier

Singkawang Hakka IPA pronounciations Definition
/kʰuŋ˥˧/ zero
/ʒit˧˦/ one
/ŋi˨˦/ two
/lioŋ˨/
/sam˥˧/ three
/si˧˩/ four
/ŋ̍˨/ five
/liuk˧/ six
/t͡sʰit˧/ seven
/pat˧˦/ eight
/kiu˨˦/ nine
/ʃip˥/ ten
/pak˧˦/ hundred
/t͡sʰien˥˧/ thousand
/ban˧˦/ ten thousand
/pan˧˩/ half

Pronouns

Singkawang Hakka IPA pronounciations Definition
𠊎 /ŋai˥/ I
/ŋi˧˥/ you
/ki˧˥/ he/she
𠊎兜儕 /ŋai˥.teu˥˧.sa˥/ we
你兜儕 /ŋi˧˥.teu˥˧.sa˥/ you all
佢兜儕 /ki˧˥˥.teu˥˧.sa˥/ they
齊家 /t͡sʰe˥.ka˥˧/ everyone
自家 /t͡sʰit˧.ka˥˧/ myself
麼儕 /ma˨.sa˥/ who
幾多 /ki˨.to˥˧/ how much
麼介 /ma˨.kai˧˩/ what
麼介時節 /ma˨.kai˧˩.ʃi˥.t͡siet˧˦/ when
幾時 /ki˨.ʃi˥/
阿位 /a˨.bui˥/ where
仰般 /ŋioŋ˨.pan˥˧/ how
阿俚 /a˨.li˥/ here
俚位 /li˥.bui˨˦/
阿該 /a˨.kai˧˩/ there
該位 /kai˧˩.bui˨˦/
這介 /li˥.kai˧˩/ this
該介 /kai˥.kai˧˩/ that
俚兜 /li˨.teu˥˧/ these
該兜 /kai˥.teu˥˧/ those
俚樣 /li˥.ʒioŋ˨˦/ like this
恁樣 /an˥˧.ʒioŋ˨˦/
該樣 /kai˥.ioŋ˨˦/ like that

Nouns

Singkawang Hakka IPA pronounciations Definition
雞春 /kai˥˧.t͡sʰun˥˧/ egg
/fon˨˦/ rice
/mien˨˦/ noodle
/moi˥/ congee
/t͡sʰoi˧˩/ vegetable
點心 /tiam˨.sim˥˧/ snacks
/ʃui˨˦/ water
飯店 /fon˨˦/.tiam˨/ restaurant
/mui˨˦/ taste
/ʒiam˥/ salt
/tʰoŋ˥/ sugar
衫褲 /sam˥˧.kʰu˧˩/ clothes
/kʰu˧˩/ pants
手襪 /ʃiu˨.mat˧˦/ glove
目鏡 /muk˧.kiaŋ˧˩/ glasses
/hai˥/ shoe
手錶 /ʃiu˨.piau˥˧/ watch
耳環 /ŋi˨.ban˥/ earring
膴身 /bu˧.ʃin˥˧/ body
頭顱 /tʰeu˥.na˥/ head
/mien˧˩/ face
目珠 /muk˧.t͡su˥˧/ eye
鼻空 /pʰi˧˩.kʰuŋ˥˧/ nose
胸脯 /hiuŋ˥˧.pʰu˥/ chest
/kiok˧˦/ foot
耳空 /ŋi˨.kʰuŋ˥˧/ ear
肚子 /tu˨.ʃi˨/ stomach

Verbs

Singkawang Hakka IPA pronounciations Definition
食飯 /ʃit˧.fon˨˦/ to eat
煮飯 /t͡su˧.fon˨˦/ to cook
/kau˨˦/ to play
/liau˨˦/ to chat
洗涼 /se˨.lioŋ˥/ to shower
食煙 /ʃit˧.ʒian˥˧/ to smoke
燒煙 /ʃau˧.ʒian˥˧/
刷牙 /sot˧.ŋa˥/ to brush teeth
/lau˥˧/ to roam
屙尿 /o˥˧.ŋiau˧˩/ to pee
屙屎 /o˥˧.ʃi˨˦/ to poo
歇睏 /hiat˧.kʰiun˧˩/ to rest
休息 /hiu˥˧.sit˧˦/
睡目 /ʃoi˨.muk˧/ to sleep
䟘床 /hoŋ˧˩.t͡soŋ˥/ to wake up
/t͡si˥˧/ to rent
讀書 /tʰuk˧.ʃu˥˧/ to read book
/kʰon˧˩/ to see
放手 /pioŋ˧˩.ʃiu˨˦/ to let go
/kiau˧˩/ to cry
敨氣 /tʰeu˨.hi˧˩/ to breathe
/haŋ˥/ to walk
/t͡seu˨˦/ to run
/lai˥˧/ to pull
/lo˥˧/
𢱤 /suŋ˨˦/ to push
/na˥˧/ to take

Adjectives

Singkawang Hakka IPA pronounciations Definition
/ʃau˥˧/ hot
/laŋ˥˧/ cold
/fat˧˦/ wide
/hap˥/ narrow
/hioŋ˥˧/ fragrant
/t͡sau˥˧/ dry
/ʃip˧˦/ wet
/koŋ˥˧/ bright
/am˧˩/ dark
/ho˨˦/ good
/ko˥˧/ tall
/ai˨˦/ short
/pʰui˥/ fat
/seu˧˩/ thin
/maŋ˥˧/ fast
/man˨˦/ slow
重要 /t͡sʰuŋ˧˩.ʒiau˧˩/ important
鬧熱 /nau˨.ŋiat˥/ crowded
難過 /nan˥.ko˧˩/ sad
簡單 /kian˨.tan˥˧/ easy
/nan˥/ hard
聰明 /t͡sʰuŋ˥˧.min˥/ smart
/t͡sʰuŋ˨˦/ stupid
懶屍 /lan˧.ʃi˥˧/ lazy
善良 /ʃan˧˩.lioŋ˥/ kind
恁好 /an˥˧.ho˨˦/ comfortable
恁有淘 /an˥˧.ʒiu˥˧.tʰau˧˩/

Sample sentences

Singkawang Hakka IPA pronounciations Definition
你會講唐人話毋? /ŋi˧˥ boi˨˦ koŋ˨ tʰoŋ˥.ŋin˥.boi˥˧ mo˥/ Can you speak Chinese?
𠊎毋愛該兜雞春熟過頭。 /ŋai˥ mo˥ oi˧˩ kai˥.teu˥˧ kai˥˧.t͡sʰun˥˧ ʃuk˥.ko˧˩.tʰeu˥/ I don’t want those eggs to be overcooked.
今日燒過昨哺日。 /kin˥˧.ŋit˧˦ ʃau˥˧ ko˧˩ tsʰo˥.pun˥˧.ŋit˧˦/ Today is hotter than yesterday.
仰般佢知有用毋用? /ŋioŋ˨.pan˥ ki˧˥ ti˥˧ ʒiu˥˧.ʒiuŋ˨˦ mo˥.ʒiuŋ˨˦/ How does he know whether it’s useful or not?
該屋掃伶俐來。 /kai˥ buk˧˦ so˧˩ laŋ˥.li˨˦ loi˥/ Clean that house thoroughly.
將𠊎講个話佢知。 /t͡sioŋ˧ ŋai˥ koŋ˨ kai˧˩ boi˨˦ ki˧˥ ti˥˧/ Tell him what I said.
佢來毋得,佢有病。 /ki˧˥ loi˥ mo˥ tet˧˦,ki˧˥ ʒiu˥˧ pʰiaŋ˨/ He can't come; he's sick.
𠊎去坤甸用轎。 /ŋai˥ hi˧˩ kʰun˥˧.tʰien˧˩ ʒiuŋ˨˦ kʰiau˧˩/ I went to Pontianak in a sedan chair.
你愛去阿位? /ŋi˧˥ oi˧˩ hi˧˩ a˨.bui˥/ Where do you want to go?
細人子食燒茶。 /se˧˩.ŋin˥.tsi˨˦ ʃit˧ ʃau˥˧.t͡sʰa˥/ The child is drinking hot tea.

Writing system

Due to the prohibition of learning Chinese during the New Order era, Singkawang Hakka, along with other Chinese varieties spoken in the Indonesia, is now rarely written. Currently, most Hakka Chinese people in West Kalimantan are no longer able to read or write in Hakka but can only understand and speak the language. At present, there are very few Hakka speakers can write Chinese characters, typically elderly individuals who learned it in Chinese schools in the 1960s before it was closed down by the Indonesian government. With the rise of social media, more Singkawang Hakka speakers are communicating online with each other, mixing Hakka and Indonesian using the Latin alphabet, which follows the Indonesian orthography.

See also

References

  1. ^ Purwiati, Hari; Winarti, Eka (2016-09-02). "Bahasa di Ruang Publik Kota Singkawang". Tuahtalino. 10 (1): 79–95. doi:10.26499/tt.v10i1.1511 (inactive 15 January 2025). ISSN 2685-3043.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2025 (link)
  2. ^ Huang 2008, p. 3.
  3. ^ "United Singkawang – Bahasa Hakka di Singkawang". Singkawang.us. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  4. Huang 2008, p. 89.
  5. Buwono, Sri; Queiroz, Carla; Karolina, Venny; Xaixanith, Toby (2023-12-26). "Exploring Multicultural Education: A Case Study of Singkawang". International Journal of Educational Research & Social Sciences. 4 (6): 1051–1058. doi:10.51601/ijersc.v4i6.747. ISSN 2774-5406.
  6. ^ Tanggok 2017, p. 19.
  7. Schaank 1897, p. 1.
  8. ^ Lan, Ching-Shui (2017). 馬來西亞的河婆人 [Hopo People in Malaysia] (Thesis) (in Chinese). Taipei: National Chengchi University.
  9. Heidhues, Mary Somers (2003). Golddiggers, Farmers, and Traders in the "Chinese Districts" of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-87727-733-0. JSTOR 10.7591/j.ctv1nhn2g.
  10. Selfya, Selfya; Thamrin, Lily; Suhardi, Suhardi (2024-01-05). "Pengaruh Bahasa Khek terhadap Pembelajaran Bahasa Mandarin". JIIP - Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Pendidikan. 7 (1): 635–640. doi:10.54371/jiip.v7i1.3064. ISSN 2614-8854.
  11. Haryanto, Joko Tri (2012-05-30). "INTERAKSI DAN HARMONI UMAT BERAGAMA". Walisongo: Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Keagamaan. 20 (1): 211–234. doi:10.21580/ws.20.1.197. ISSN 2461-064X.
  12. ^ Maisondra (2023-08-31). "Cultural Acculturation on the Acceptance of the Role of Chinese Ethnicity in Singkawang City Government". Jurnal Bina Praja. 15 (2): 261–274. doi:10.21787/jbp.15.2023.261-274. ISSN 2503-3360.
  13. Sandel, T. L.; Lie Owens, S. "'Marriage is like Gambling': Interpreting and Narrating Stories of Hakka Chinese Indonesians' Marriage Migration". Asian Studies Review: 1–20. doi:10.1080/10357823.2024.2393210. ISSN 1035-7823.
  14. Wulandari, Mitra (2017). "The Communicative Accommodation of Chinese in Singkawang:". In The Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and The Second English Language Teaching and Technology Conference in collaboration with The First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education - Volume 1. SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications: 618–621. doi:10.5220/0007172006180621. ISBN 978-989-758-332-2.
  15. Huang 2008, p. 95.
  16. Huang 2008, p. 15.
  17. Huang 2008, p. 16.
  18. Huang 2008, p. 19.
  19. ^ Huang 2008, p. 21.
  20. Huang 2008, p. 20.
  21. Huang 2008, p. 157.
  22. ^ Huang 2008, p. 106.
  23. ^ Huang 2008, p. 131.
  24. ^ Huang 2008, p. 3-4.
  25. ^ Huang 2008, p. 158.
  26. Huang 2008, p. 149.
  27. Huang 2008, p. 150.
  28. ^ Huang 2008, p. 151.
  29. Huang 2008, p. 153.
  30. Joni; Suseno, Aji (2021). "Penggunaan Media Digital dalam Memberitakan Injil kepada Suku Tionghoa Hakka, di Kalimantan Barat". THRONOS: Jurnal Teologi Kristen. 3 (1): 36–47. ISSN 2722-662X.
  31. Haryanto, Joko Tri (2012-12-30). "Gereja Kristen Kalimantan Barat dalam Upaya Mempertemukan Dogma Kristen dengan Tradisi Tionghoa". Harmoni. 11 (4). ISSN 2502-8472. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17.

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