Paser (previously known as Pasir before 2007) is an Austronesian isolect, either a dialect of or a language closely related to Lawangan, traditionally spoken by the , who are culturally distinct from other Dayaks. Majority of the speakers reside in modern-day Paser and Penajam North Paser regencies of East Kalimantan, but a small number of them are in Balikpapan and Kotabaru.

Unlike other Dayak subgroups, the Paser people have long adopted Islam as the majority religion, while also being influenced by the Malay culture. Paser previously had never seen attention by foreign linguists including Alfred B. Hudson, until the publication of a local grammar book titled Bahasa Pasir in 1979. Unlike Lawangan and Taboyan, this language currently does not have its own ISO 639-3 code.

Classification Alexander Smith in 2018 grouped the Paser language, together with Lawangan, Taboyan, Benuaq, and Bentian, as part of the Northeast Barito languages branch. Some of sound changes include the merger of mid central vowel *ə and final -a into o, change of Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀ into y (PMP *kaʀəm → Paser kayom), and the rhotacism of *d/*j into *r (*quləj → ulor). He clarified during the 27th meeting of Southeast Asian Linguistics Association, that the so-called Barito languages are a linkage instead of a proper branch.

Dialects initially named 17 dialects of the Paser language, additionally also claiming that its speakers could understand Maanyan as well (the dialect group names are named after existing Dayak subgroups in Central Kalimantan): Dialect group Dialect Location Olo Ot Danum Peteban Pasir Belengkong Pembesi (Laburan) Pematang Adang Long Ikis Telake Long Kali Luangan Muara Komam Tajur Long Ikis Pemukan Batu Besar Balik Balikpapan Bajau Kendilo estuary Olo Ot Ngaju Saing Pusat Batu Kajang Migi Long Ikis Semuntai Buramato Batu Sopang Saing Bewai Pasir Belengkong Bukit Tanjung Aru Puti Baka Long Ikis The following shows vocabulary differences between the Pematang, Telake, and Laburan dialects: Pematang Telake Laburan I aku oki what iséq eséq eséq/iyét why kenoné koé embé ketoné small idik rini friendly samor gawal samor limp témpang jeking animal korik morik chicken piak ayam ape kuyar kodé kodé/kuyar flower kembang bungo sun mato olo mato lo daylight molo lo

Phonology

Consonants + ConsonantsLabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottalNasal ⟨ny⟩ ⟨ng⟩Plosivevoiceless ⟨c⟩ ⟨q⟩voiced ⟨j⟩ ⟨g⟩FricativeTrillLateralApproximant ⟨y⟩

Vowels + VowelsFrontCentralBackCloseMid ⟨é⟩ ⟨e⟩Open Paser has five diphthongs, namely , , , , and . Additionally, vowels are pronounced long in final open syllables (but not in other environments including before final ).

Stress Paser words are non-distinctively stressed on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllables: olay "big", tindu "to beg, request".

Literature Unlike languages outside of Borneo, Paser did not have writing systems of their own. It only began to use the Jawi script after the Paser monarchy's adoption of Islam as their official religion. Old ritual prayers, folk stories, pantoums (pantun), and songs were transmitted orally. The Paser language has also been used during a traditional ceremony known as , a request for safety from the spirits. At the time of release of Bahasa Pasir in 1979, the only Paser-language works written in Latin script were the translations from four folk stories originally in Indonesian released between 1977 and 1978: "Pasir Natives Abstain from Eating White Buffalo Meat" (Ulun Asli Pasir Dian Kuman Isi Kerewau Bura) "Tiger of Segantang" (Macan Segantang) "Wedding of Princess Petung" (Pengenten Putri Petung) "Origin of the Pasir Regency's Name" (Pengulet Karan Kabupaten Pasir)

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Further reading