I still remember the early months I was in Singapore. I kept having u201cwhut?u201d moments when I engaged with my SG Malay colleagues. Some prominent linguistic features pertinent to Singaporean Malaysu2019 speech that I observed:
1) high rising terminal
2) uncommon terms
3) own slangs
1) high rising terminal
2) uncommon terms
3) own slangs
1) high rising terminal refers to the increasing intonation towards the end of a sentence. This is a feature of New Zealand English as well. Itu2019s known for HRT.
u201cSedap ahu201d as a statement may sound like a question when they say it.
u201cSedap ahu201d as a statement may sound like a question when they say it.
Still on HRT, itu2019s not helpful when they also use u201capau201d as an intensifier. We use u201cgilau201d or u201ckotu201d to stress a statement.
u201cSedap apa!u201d
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u201cSedap kot!u201d
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So itu2019s really confusing. Sometimes idk if they mean u201csedap apa bendanya camtuu201d or u201csedap kotu201d when they say u201csedap apau201d
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u201cSedap apa!u201d
u201cSedap kot!u201d
So itu2019s really confusing. Sometimes idk if they mean u201csedap apa bendanya camtuu201d or u201csedap kotu201d when they say u201csedap apau201d
So one day I sat down with my best linguistic buddy/colleague in the world, Amirah.
She too, expressed her confusion over my liberal use of u201ckotu201d. So as linguists, of course this matter was of our interest. We tried to dissect BM Malaysia and BM Singapura. No more whut moments!
She too, expressed her confusion over my liberal use of u201ckotu201d. So as linguists, of course this matter was of our interest. We tried to dissect BM Malaysia and BM Singapura. No more whut moments!
She asked why I use u201ckotu201d when Iu2019m confident. Whatu2019s the need to sound hesitant?
So I told her, in the last 10 years, the young people in MY have increasingly been using u201ckotu201d to mean u201csangatu201d. I first picked it up when I was in a boarding school (met Msians from outside Johor).
So I told her, in the last 10 years, the young people in MY have increasingly been using u201ckotu201d to mean u201csangatu201d. I first picked it up when I was in a boarding school (met Msians from outside Johor).
It was 2008-2009 when I started hearing it being used and eventually adopted it.
u201cCantik kotu201d suddenly sounded like a compliment instead of an insult.
Interesting. u201cCantik kotu201d could offend someone in 2005 but suddenly in 2009 it could make someoneu2019s day
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="ud83cudf3b" title="Sunflower" aria-label="Emoji: Sunflower"> #sociolinguistics
u201cCantik kotu201d suddenly sounded like a compliment instead of an insult.
Interesting. u201cCantik kotu201d could offend someone in 2005 but suddenly in 2009 it could make someoneu2019s day
u201cCantik kotu201d in 2005 meant u201ccantiklah agaknyau201d but in 2009 with the right intonation, it became u201ccantiklah!u201d.
Thatu2019s why itu2019s important to learn the contexts of a speech community in sociolinguistics research. Meanings change over time.
Thatu2019s why itu2019s important to learn the contexts of a speech community in sociolinguistics research. Meanings change over time.
When did the use of u201ckotu201d to mean u201csangatu201d start to become common in your surrounding? [Poll below]
Moving on to the second point, uncommon terms. Or more accurately, common terms, but used in uncommon ways.
Moving on to the second point, uncommon terms. Or more accurately, common terms, but used in uncommon ways.
Sorry back to the first point. This does not mean u201ckotu201d to mean u201crasanya/agaknyau201d is no longer in use. It STILL is, but alongside this new meaning u201csangatu201d.
So u201ckotu201d afaik now can mean both u201crasanya/agaknyau201d AND u201csangatu201d in todayu2019s context.
It depends on your intonation.
So u201ckotu201d afaik now can mean both u201crasanya/agaknyau201d AND u201csangatu201d in todayu2019s context.
It depends on your intonation.
u201c<noun> kotu201d may also mean u201coh wow, itu2019s <noun>u201d.
Like when you say:
Tesla kot! = oh wow, itu2019s Tesla!
It may also mean u201ccome on, itu2019s <noun> as in:
Hazim kot! = come on, itu2019s Hazim!
Okay I hope I can now move on to the next point. I keep having new things to add to point 1
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Like when you say:
Tesla kot! = oh wow, itu2019s Tesla!
It may also mean u201ccome on, itu2019s <noun> as in:
Hazim kot! = come on, itu2019s Hazim!
Okay I hope I can now move on to the next point. I keep having new things to add to point 1
Saya sambung dalam BM pulalah, tapi akan agak formal sebab saya hendak memudahkan pembaca yang tak berbahasa Melayu terjemah tulisan saya menggunakan ciri terjemah tweet di Twitter.
Izinkan saya gunakan sesetengah istilah Inggeris sepanjang penulisan.
Izinkan saya gunakan sesetengah istilah Inggeris sepanjang penulisan.
Antara penggunaan lazim mereka yang tidak lazim bagi kita ialah u2018behu2019 (sebutan basahan/pasar bagi u2018habisu2019).
u2018Behu2019 digunakan untuk memaksudkan u2018pastuu2019 (bahasa pasar bagi u2018selepas ituu2019).
Rujuk gambar. Kebetulan ada penggunaan u2018peu2019 (u2018apau2019) seperti dalam isi pertama tadi.
u2018Behu2019 digunakan untuk memaksudkan u2018pastuu2019 (bahasa pasar bagi u2018selepas ituu2019).
Rujuk gambar. Kebetulan ada penggunaan u2018peu2019 (u2018apau2019) seperti dalam isi pertama tadi.
Aku makan beh air tumpah
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Aku makan pastu air tumpah
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Selain itu, u2018behu2019
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="ud83cuddf8ud83cuddec" title="Flag of Singapore" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of Singapore"> juga bermaksud u2018habis tuu2019 bagi
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="ud83cuddf2ud83cuddfe" title="Flag of Malaysia" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of Malaysia">. (Rujuk gambar)
Salah? Beh dia macam yakin je?
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Salah? Habis tu dia macam yakin je?
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Aku makan pastu air tumpah
Selain itu, u2018behu2019
Salah? Beh dia macam yakin je?
Salah? Habis tu dia macam yakin je?
Satu lagi penggunaan kita yang saling berbeza ialah KITA & KITORANG (kita orang).
Pada mulanya saya tidak perasan akan perbezaan ini kerana tidak ada konteks yang menampakkan perbezaan itu dengan ketara.
Bagi
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="ud83cuddf2ud83cuddfe" title="Flag of Malaysia" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of Malaysia">, u2018kitau2019 dan u2018kitorangu2019 berbeza. u2018Kitorangu2019 EXCLUDES the listener.
Pada mulanya saya tidak perasan akan perbezaan ini kerana tidak ada konteks yang menampakkan perbezaan itu dengan ketara.
Bagi
Kita kena pindah
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Kitorang kena pindah
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Saya tanya 2 orang linguist Melayu
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="ud83cuddf8ud83cuddec" title="Flag of Singapore" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of Singapore">, mereka kata memang pada mereka, kita=kitorang=kita.
Jadi bila mereka sebut:
u201cKitorang pergi lambatu201d
saya ingat maksud mereka:
u201cKami pergi lambatu201d
Saya ingat saya terkecuali, rupanya termasuk.
Kitorang kena pindah
Saya tanya 2 orang linguist Melayu
Jadi bila mereka sebut:
u201cKitorang pergi lambatu201d
saya ingat maksud mereka:
u201cKami pergi lambatu201d
Saya ingat saya terkecuali, rupanya termasuk.
Kalau saya tak sedar perbezaan ni, mungkin banyak benda boleh jadi punca kecil hati. Mereka asyik guna u201ckitorangu201d bila bercakap dengan saya.
u201cWeu201d bagi
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="ud83cuddf2ud83cuddfe" title="Flag of Malaysia" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of Malaysia">:
Kita = kita
Kitorang = kami
u201cWeu201d bagi
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="ud83cuddf8ud83cuddec" title="Flag of Singapore" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of Singapore">:
Kita = kita/kami
Kitorang = kita/kami
Kenapalah taknak bezakan macam di
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u201cWeu201d bagi
Kita = kita
Kitorang = kami
u201cWeu201d bagi
Kita = kita/kami
Kitorang = kita/kami
Kenapalah taknak bezakan macam di
[Saya tak masukkan contoh yang dah ramai orang tahu misalnya u2018bilangu2019 untuk u2018katau2019]
Di bawah ini pula kitaran makna bagi
Rembat= (curi | pukul)
Curi= bedal
Bedal= (lahap makan | hentam)
Hentam= (semberono | belasah)
Belasah = (bedal | pukul)
Menarik sangat proses tu. BACALAH!
Di bawah ini pula kitaran makna bagi
Rembat= (curi | pukul)
Curi= bedal
Bedal= (lahap makan | hentam)
Hentam= (semberono | belasah)
Belasah = (bedal | pukul)
Menarik sangat proses tu. BACALAH!
Bila baca perbualan di atas, saya teringat satu lagi penggunaan yang tak lazim untuk kita.
u2018pasalu2019 sebagai kata hubung.
Aku suka pasal dia baik
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Aku suka sebab dia baik
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Ini antara ciri BM Singapura yang saya susah nak u201dundou201d kat lidah sendiri sekarang sebab dah terguna.
u2018pasalu2019 sebagai kata hubung.
Aku suka pasal dia baik
Aku suka sebab dia baik
Ini antara ciri BM Singapura yang saya susah nak u201dundou201d kat lidah sendiri sekarang sebab dah terguna.
(Iu2019ll continue this thread later. Good night
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