Proto-Malayic is a reconstructed proto-language of the Malayic languages, which are nowadays widespread throughout Maritime Southeast Asia.
The most extensive study on the proto-language, Proto-Malayic: The Reconstruction of its Phonology and Parts of its Lexicon and Morphology, was done by K. Alexander Adelaar in 1992.
According to H. Kern's work in 1917, Taalkundige gegevens ter bepaling van het stamland der Maleisch-Polynesische volkeren, the Urheimat (homeland) of the Proto-Malayic speakers was proposed to be at the Malay Peninsula, based on the Malay word selatan "south", being derived from selat "strait".
However, Adelaar rejected Kern's proposal, and instead placing the Urheimat in Borneo, as the languages there have undergone little Sanskrit or Arabic influence.
Palatals (except *y) and voiced plosives cannot end a word, while only homorganic nasal–stop or *ŋs sequences are allowed in Proto-Malayic.