Language quiz

Here’s a recording in a mystery language.

Can you identify the language, and do you know where it is spoken?

This entry was posted in Language, Quiz questions.

9 Responses to Language quiz

  1. cl says:

    Sounds like some variant of Malay/Indonesian or Javanese; the accent and some words sound like they’re from somewhere in the Malay archipelago.

  2. Dan, ad nauseam says:

    I hear tones and a pronounced trill.

  3. P. says:

    Could it be Acehnese? Sounds related, anyway.

  4. Sathyarthi says:

    Yes, does sound like a language related to Malay/Bahasa Indonesia…

  5. Daydreamer says:

    Well, the question is, where that language was spoken before it became extinct.
    Maybe some Dayak dialect?

  6. Simon says:

    Daydreamer – it is a living language, not an extinct one – I forgot to change the question from last week.

    It is an Austronesian language.

  7. Vijay John says:

    I think I’ll just go with everyone else’s leads and suggest Cham. I seem to hear a retroflex “r” towards the beginning, though…not sure why. (If I’m correct about the retroflex “r,” THEN I’ll change my guess to something weirder – Hiri Motu! LOL).

    In reality, I have no idea.

  8. Simon says:

    The answer is Balinese (Basa Bali), an Austronesian language spoken mainly on the Indonesian island of Bali.

    The recording comes from YouTube.

  9. Vijay John says:

    I have to say, I’m willing to believe this is Balinese, but I was rather surprised, considering that I had started learning that language not so long ago! Of course, I would have known if I’d heard the introductory music to that clip, but…:-D

    Geez. I really seem to be struggling with those Austronesian languages. (I was just listening to Malagasy, a language that is actually relevant to my current job. Right now, I feel like I wouldn’t be surprised if I couldn’t even recognize that, upon hearing it).

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