Iban language  The Iban language ("jaku Iban") is spoken by the Iban, a branch of the Dayak ethnic group, who live in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan and in Brunei. It belongs to the Malayic languages, a Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family. Iban is classified as a Malayic language, a Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family. The language is closely related to Malay, more closely to Sarawakian Malay. It is thought that the homeland of the Malayic languages is in western Borneo, where the Ibanic languages remain. The Malayan branch represents a secondary dispersal, probably from central Sumatra but possibly also from Borneo. The Iban language is the native language of the Iban people, who fall under the general grouping of "Dayak"(i.e. native peoples of Borneo). Previously, the Iban were referred to during the colonial period as "Sea Dayaks". Their homeland is the island of Borneo, which is politically divided between Malaysia and Indonesia; the Iban can mostly be found in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The language is mostly taught to students in rural areas with a majority Iban population, including Baleh (Kapit), Betong, Sri Aman, Saratok, Lubok Antu, Pelagus (Kapit), Pakan and Julau. The Iban can be subdivided into different sub-ethnic groups, each of which speak in different dialects. The most formal, intermediate, and working dialect is the Saribas dialect, and mainly Betong and Saratok. Others such as Balau, Sebuyau, Ulu Ai, and Rejang are mutually intelligible throughout the Sarawak region. The exception is the Iban Remun/milikin dialect, which is still understood by Ibans from other districts. In West Kalimantan, dialects such as Bugau, Seberuang, Mualang, Chengkang, Sebaru, and Dau are more disparate. -Sample phases in Iban Remun-  Iban has the following consonant inventory: Iban has a six-vowel systen, with five cardinal vowels plus schwa: Vowel sounds are nasalized when preceded by a nasal consonant.