- Languages
- Indonesian
The history of the Indonesian language
Translation agency Fasttranslator - high quality Indonesian translations
The Indonesian language is one of the most important languages on Earth. Today, there are at least two hundred million people that use it to communicate. The Indonesian language belongs to the Malayo Polynesian language family. It is spoken in numerous areas of Southeast Asia in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei. In Indonesia, the Indonesian language referred to as Bahasa Indonesia is the official language. The Malay language called Bahasa Malaysia is closely related to Indonesian. Both are regional variants of the same language with a long history. If you require professional translation of Indonesian, you have found the right translation agency. We work exclusively with experienced, native-speaking translators who know the language and its intricacies. Whether business or private documents, we translate texts from all areas and into all language combinations. Contact us by telephone or send us the text to be translated via email or via the request form on the right side. After a comprehensive analysis of the text, you will receive a non-binding offer from us. We are looking forward to speaking with you!
Indonesian: a language with a long tradition
The earliest testimonies and traditions of old Indonesian language have survived from the seventh century. In particular, the cultural and linguistic influences of Hinduism from India and Buddhism were formative for the Indonesian language. Islam also contributed through Arabic and Persian influences to the Indonesian language. They were felt in particular in the writing of Indonesian which was recorded in the Middle Ages only in Arabic characters. Also the Europeans, who colonized Indonesia in their search for the Spice Islands, influenced the Indonesian language. Trading offices of the Portuguese who effectively worked in their language and church liturgy, both had an influence on the Indonesian language and the culture in Indonesia. Similarly, Spaniards and Dutch were also very active in the Indonesian area. Thus, for example, Dominicans tried to complete very active missionary activities in Indonesia. The dominance of the Dutch and therefore also their linguistic influence remained in Indonesia until the beginning of the twentieth century.
Modern Indonesian: an international language
However, the Indonesian language has achieved its full potential. Indonesian is spoken today in many countries outside Southeast Asia. For example, in the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, the United States and also on East Timor. At many universities, including in East Timor, all courses are carried out now in Indonesian. In the written language of Indonesian, the Latin alphabet was introduced by Dutch colonial administration. Since the end of the Second World War, it was the official language throughout Indonesia at first only on Sumatra and the Indonesian language as the default language applicable in Jakarta. The Latin alphabet was adopted in the seventies of the twentieth century for writing Malay. Our translators know the Indonesian language inside out and translate your texts quickly and reliably in and out of more than 150 languages. Make an inquiry with us today in relation to our wide range of services, and contact us!
