Dictionnaire Malais-Français, Vol. 1: Contenant Les Mots Malais En Caractères Arabes, Avec Leur Prononciation Figurée En Caractères Latins; Leur Étymologie; Leur Sens Propre Et Figuré, Avec Un Grand Nombre d'Exemples; Une Indication Des Langues de L

The Dictionnaire Malais-Français was compiled by Abbé Pierre Favre, a French missionary and scholar, and published in the late 19th century. Its creation was part of a broader European movement in colonial linguistics aimed at codifying Southeast Asian languages for diplomatic, missionary, and administrative purposes. Favre, who spent significant time in the region, sought to provide a comprehensive bridge between the Malay language, often written in Jawi script, and the French-speaking academic and colonial communities.

The design of this volume is characterized by its rigorous pedagogical structure, which includes the transliteration of Malay terms into Latin characters, etymological roots, and extensive illustrative examples. Scholars of the period praised the work for its depth and its attempt to capture the nuances of Malay rhetoric and idiomatic usage. Despite the shifting geopolitical landscape following its publication, the dictionary remains a significant primary source for historical linguistics and the study of 19th-century Malay lexicography.