Madurese is natively spoken on Madura Island and East Java in Indonesia. It is a member of the Austronesian language family. According to the eLinguistics.net analysis using specific software modules to assess linguistic relationships, the five languages most similar to Madurese are Minangkabau, Indonesian, Acehnese, Makassarese, and Javanese.
- Minangkabau (63.0)
Minangkabau is primarily spoken in West Sumatra and belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian family, like Madurese. Both languages descend from ancient Malayo-Polynesian dialects. Over time, they have retained similar vocabulary and syntactic structures, which point to a shared linguistic ancestry. - Indonesian (57.8)
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia, so it is no surprise Madurese is similar to it as well. Many words in Indonesian and Madurese trace their origins back to ancient Austronesian lexicons. This shared vocabulary makes it easier for speakers of either language to recognize familiar terms. - Acehnese (46.2)
Spoken in the northernmost region of Sumatra, Acehnese offers another intriguing parallel to Madurese. While geographically separated by the vast Indonesian archipelago, the historical maritime trade routes linked Aceh with many parts of Indonesia, including Madura. This connection facilitated not only trade but also linguistic exchange. - Makassarese (39.8)
Spoken in the southern part of Sulawesi, Makassarese may at first seem distant from Madurese. However, both languages are rooted in the Austronesian family, which means they share fundamental linguistic traits, ranging from basic vocabulary to structural patterns. - Javanese (38.1)
Madura Island lies just off the northeastern coast of Java. This closeness has resulted in prolonged contact, with many speakers being bilingual or even shifting between Javanese and Madurese. There is a mutual borrowing of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions between these languages.
(to be considered for the list, the language must be spoken by at least one million people)