Etymology Melayu

The use of the native term "Melayu" to refer to a distinct ethnic group is believed to have been popularized during the consolidation of the Malacca Sultanate as a regional power in the 15th century. It was used to describe the cultural culture of the Malaccans as against foreigners from the same region, notably the Javanese and Thais.[11] Prior to the 15th century, the term and its other spelling variants can be found in foreign sources referring to either historical kingdoms or geographical parts of Malay archipelago.

The Sanskrit word "Malayadvipa" that appeared in chapter 48 of Vayu Purana was among the earliest foreign references to the origin of the word "Melayu". It literally means "insular mountain continent" and is described in the Purana as one of the provinces in the mythical eastern archipelago that was full of gold and silver. Some scholars equate the term with Sumatra,[12] while most Indian scholars believe that Sumatra is more correctly associated with Suvarnadvipa and Malayadvipa should refer to the more mountainous Malay peninsula,[13][14][15][16][17] An inscription on the south wall of the Brihadeeswarar Temple that recorded the Chola invasion of the Malay archipelago in the 11th century made a reference to Malaiur, a kingdom that had "a strong mountain for its rampart", as one of the kingdoms that fell to the Chola invaders.

The term "Maleu-Kolon" that appeared in Ptolemy's work Geographia is another ancient term related to "Melayu". It is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit term malayakolam or malaikurram, referring to a geographical part of Malay Peninsular.[18]

References alluding to the word "Melayu" can also be found in several Chinese records. Among the earliest was that of Yi Jing who visited the Malay Archipelago between 688–695. Yi Jing mentioned a kingdom known as Mo-Lo-Yu, which was a 15 day sail from Bogha (Palembang), the capital of Sribhoga (Srivijaya). It took a 15 day sail as well to reach Ka-Cha (Kedah) from Mo-lo-yu; therefore, it can be reasoned that Mo-Lo-Yu would lie halfway between the two places.[19] Some scholars relate the Kingdom of Mo-Lo-Yu with Jambi in Sumatra, but this claim is disputed, as the geographical location of Jambi doesn't match with Yi Jing's description of a "half way sail between Ka-Cha (Kedah) and Bogha (Palembang)". In the later Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) and Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), the word Ma-La-Yu was mentioned often in Chinese historical texts - with changes in spelling due to the time span between the dynasties - to refer to a nation near the southern sea. Among the terms used was "Bok-la-yu", "Mok-la-yu" (木剌由), Ma-li-yu-er (麻里予兒), Oo-lai-yu (巫来由) - traced from the written source of monk Xuan Zang), and Wu-lai-yu (無来由). In the chronicle of Yuan Dynasty, the word "Ma-li-yu-er" was mentioned[20]:

    "..Animosity occurred between Siam and Ma-li-yu-er (Malays) with both killing each other..."

The above text is referring to a period when the Siamese launched their efforts to subjugate the small Malay states of the northern Malay peninsular during the reign of Ram Khamhaeng of Sukhothai Kingdom. In 1295, a Chinese envoy arrived at the Ram Khamhaeng's court bearing an imperial order: "Keep your promise and do no evil to Ma-li-yu-er".[21] This kingdom of "Ma-li-yu-er that appeared in the Chinese record possibly a similar kingdom that was mentioned by the famous Venetian traveler Marco Polo (1254–1324) who lived during the same period. In his book Travels of Marco Polo, he mentioned about a kingdom named "Malauir" which according to him located in the Malay peninsula.[22][23]

Based on the translation by Slamet Muljana, the word bhūmi Mālayu (literally "Land of Malayu") is incribed on the Padang Roco Inscription, dated 1286 CE,[24] according to the inscription, bhūmi Mālayu is associated with the Dharmasraya kingdom. On the Amoghapasa inscription, dated 1347 CE, the word Malayapura (literally "city of Malaya" or "kingdom of Malaya") was proclaimed by Adityawarman, again referring to Dharmasraya. The word "Melayu" is also mentioned in the Malay annals referring to a river in Sumatra:

    "...Here now is the story of a city called Palembang in the land of Andelas. It was ruled by Demang Lebar Daun, a descendant of Raja Shulan, and its river was the Muara Tatang. In the upper reaches of the Muara Tatang was a river called Melayu, and on that river was a hill called Si-Guntang Mahameru..."

During the European colonization of the area, the word "Malay" was adopted into English via the Dutch word "Malayo", itself derived from the Portuguese "Malaio", which originates from the Malay word "Melayu".