Negeri Sembilan

1 7.7

A state in Malaysia on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia

proper noun

: Negeri Sembilan

The capital city of Negeri Sembilan is Seremban, an important administrative center.

Examples

Rubber and palm oil plantations are a significant part of Negeri Sembilan's economy.
Many tourists visit Negeri Sembilan for its unique Minangkabau architecture and cultural heritage.
I visited Negeri Sembilan last summer.
Have you ever been to Negeri Sembilan?
Many tourists visit Negeri Sembilan for its unique Minangkabau architecture and cultural heritage.
Rubber and palm oil plantations are a significant part of Negeri Sembilan's economy.
The capital city of Negeri Sembilan is Seremban, an important administrative center.

Surface Forms

Negeri Sembilan main

Morphology

Negeri + Sembilan

The components are Malay—'Negeri' (‘state’) and 'Sembilan' (‘nine’)—so a learner who knows those words can infer this is a place-name meaning roughly 'state of nine' and thus identify it as a state. Because it is a proper noun and the precise referent (the specific Malaysian state and its cultural/historical nuance) is not fully predictable from the parts alone, the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Negeri Sembilan literally combines Negeri 'state' and Sembilan 'nine' in Malay. One popular story says the area was once made of nine small districts settled by people from Sumatra, so the name means 'Nine States' and became the name of this Malaysian state.