北馬魯古地區馬來語最有趣的非標準馬來語特徵之一是標注相對空間的方位指示系統。這個方位指示系統跟印尼官方用的馬來語，在語意特質及型態句法上都有相當大的不同，但卻跟當地的原住民語言，不論是南島語或非南島語，有極相近的對應。
雖然文獻上對於語言區域的語意趨同現象討論的很少，我在本文主張北馬魯古地區語意趨同現象的發生，早於正在進行中的句法趨同現象。雖然長期以來，北馬魯古地區因有越來越多人使用馬來語，造成當地的原住民語言面臨消失的威脅，但在此同時這些原住民語言的某些結構--包括他們表達空間的方位指示系統--卻被保留，且成為該區域馬來語象徵性的特質。

One of the most interesting non-standard features of the Malay variety that is spoken in the North Maluku region is the system of directionals that is used to encode relative spatial location. This system differs substantially from that of standard Indonesian in both its semantic properties and in its morphosyntax, but it has striking parallels with the indigenous languages of the region, whether those languages are Austronesian or non-Austronesian.
Although very little discussion of semantic convergence in linguistic areas has appeared in the literature, I will argue that the semantic convergence seen in North Maluku actually preceded the syntactic convergence that is now going on in these linguistic systems. The indigenous languages of North Maluku are under long term threat of extinction as more and more people move to speaking Malay. However, at least some aspects of the structures of these languages – including the organisation of their directional systems – look set to be retained as emblematic features of the local Malay variety for some time to come.