Published in 1812, this study of Malay in its written form was begun during William Marsden's service with the East India Company in Sumatra (1771-9). He continued his textual work in England upon his return, thus putting his practical knowledge into a solid scholarly frame. An expert in Asian languages and an outstanding Malay scholar in the English-speaking world, Marsden (1754-1836) was a fellow of the Royal Society from 1783 and later its vice-president and treasurer. This work is distinctive for its substantial Malay-English section, and for the use of examples from original Malay texts collected by the author. Despite being superseded by subsequent dictionaries, it is still a highly regarded and valuable source of information, especially about older, specialised and regional terms. The introduction provides the reader with a history of the Malayan language, including its spread, usage and regional variations.
