Acehnese language

Acehnese is a member of the Chamic branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language family. It is spoken in Indonesia, mainly in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, and in Tapanuli Tengah regency. According to the census of 2000 there are about 3.5 million speakers of Acehnese, which is also known as Aceh, Achehnese, Achinese or Atjehnese.

Acehnese is used in homes, work and schools by adults and some young people, however people prefer to read in Indonesian, and there is a shift to speaking Indonesian in urban areas.

Acehnese is closely related to other Chamic language such as Jarai and Cham, which are spoken in Cambodia and Vietnam, and also to Minangkabau, Gayo and Batak.

Acehnese was formerly written with the Arabic script. The Latin alphabet was adopted after the Dutch colonized Indonesia during the 17th century. However, the Arabic script continued to be used to some extent until recently.