The Malay Language and Ethnic Identity in Modern Malaysia

JAMES T. COLLINS (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, jcollins7@niu.edu), ZAHARANI AHMAD (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, zaharani@ukm.my)

Abstract


Colonial discourse about the Malay language and the Malay ethnic group were often at odds with each other. Yet, this conflicting, orientalistic mythology about "Malay" still functions in contemporary discussions about language and ethnicity in Malaysia. This essay aims at constructing a new vantage point from which to view Malay. Instead of focusing on its uniqueness, Malay is seen within the context of its language neighbourhood, that is its relationship to Malaysia's other Malayo-Polynesian languages, Malaysia's non-Malayo-Polynesian languages and the diverse regional and social dialects of Malay in Malaysia. Instead of discussing Malay as apolitical, nationstate phenomenon, Malay is considered as a demographic, emblematic and negotiated phenomenon. We must find new ways of looking at and talking about Malay language and Malay ethnicity; we need to produce new knowledge, not merely repeat colonial myths.

Key words: colonial discourse, Malay language, ethnic identity, Malayo-Polynesia

ABSTRAK

Wacana kolonial tentang bahasa dan bangsa Melayu sering saling bercanggah. Namun, mitos orientalistik yang bertentangan itu masih berperan dalam perbincangan hari ini tentang bahasa dan jati diri di Malaysia. Tulisan ini bertujuan mencari perspektif baru untuk melihat "Melayu". Bukan keunikan bahasa Melayu yang akan ditekankan, tetapi keberkaitannya dalam lingkungan bahasanya, maksudnya hubungan bahasa Melayu dengan segala bahasa Melayu- Polinesia dan non-Melayu-Polinesia yang dituturkan di Malaysia serta pelbagai dialek Melayu sosial dan regional di Malaysia. Bukan bahasa Melayu sebagai fenomenon politik dalam pembinaan negara yang hendak ditinjau, tetapi sebagai fenomenon demografi, perlambangan dan persetujuan. Kita wajar mencari pendekatan baru untuk menyemak bahasa dan etnisiti Melayu; kita wajib menghasilkan ilmu baru, bukan hanya sekadar mengulang-ulangi mitologi kolonial.

Kata kunci: wacana kolonial, bahasa Melayu, identiti etnik, Melayu-Polinesia


Full Text:

PDF

References


Adelaar. K.A. 1995. Proto-Malayic: The reconstruction of its phonology and parts of its lexicon and morphology. Pacific Linguistics C119. Canberra: The Australian National University.

Ariffin Omar and Teoh Boon Seong. 1994. Marginalization of languages: The case of Iban in Sarawak. In Shifting patterns of language use in Borneo, edited by P Martin. Williamsburg: The Borneo Research Council, Inc.

Asiaweek. 1997. The best universities of Asia. 23 May: 42-43.

Asmah Haji Omar. 1983. The Malay peoples of Malaysia and their languages. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Asmah Haji Omar. 1994. An overview of linguistic research on Sarawak. In Shifting patterns of language use in Borneo, edited by P. Martin. Williamsburg: The Borneo Research Council, Inc.

Benjamin, Geoffrey. 1973. Austroasiatic subgroupings and prehistory in the Malay Peninsula. In Austromiatic studies, Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication No.13. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Cohn, B. 1996. Colonialism and its forms of knowledge: The British in India. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Collins, James T. 1998. Malay world language: A short history. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Collins, James T. 1999. Wibawa bahasa: Kepiawaian dan kepelbagaian. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Collins, James T. and Gerard Diffloth. 1994. Bahasa Orang Asli di Semenanjung. In Ensiklopedia sejarah dan kebudayaan Melayu, Volume I. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Court, Christopher. 1970. The kinship terms of reference of the Mentu Landak Dayaks. Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 126: 463-465.

Crystal, David. 1997. English as a global language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Gil, David. 1998. Kuala Lumpur Malay. A paper presented at the Meeting of the Southeast Asia Linguistic Society (SEALS), Kuala Lumpur, July.

Gimlette, John D. [1915] 1975. Malay poisons and charm cures. (Reprint.) Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press.

Grace, George. 1981. An essay on language. Columbia: Hornbeam Press.

Grimes, B.F. 1988. Ethnologue. Languages of the world. Eleventh edition. Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Hudson, A.B. 1970. A note on Selako: Malayic Dayak and Land Dayak languages in Western Borneo. The Sarawak Museum Journal 18(36-37): 301-318.

King, Julie K. 1994. A preliminary update to the language situation in Sabah. In Shipping patterns of language use in Borneo, edited by P. Martin. Williamsburg: The Borneo Research Council, Inc.

Leete, Richard. 1996. Malaysia's demographic transition: Rapid development, culture and politics. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press.

Maxwell, George. [1907] 1982. In Malay forests. Petaling Jaya: Eastern Universities Press.

McLellan, James. 1994. Questions of language choice for speakers of Bau Jagoi Bidayuh: A micro-analysis. In Shifting patterns of language use in Borneo, edited by P. Martin. Williamsburg: The Borneo Research Council, Inc.

Mohamad Subakir Mohd Yasin. 1998. Language allegiance and language shift: Malaysian case study. Bangi: Faculty of Language Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Moody, David C. 1984. Conclusion. In Languages of Sabah: A survey report, edited by J.K. King and J.W. King, Pacific Linguistics C78. Canberra: The Australian National University.

Muhlhausler, Peter. 1996. Linguistic ecology Language change and linguistic imperialism in the Pacific region. London and New York: Routledge.

Nothofer, Bemd. 1996. Migrasi orang Melayu Purba: Kajian awal. Sari 14: 33-52.

OED. 1986. The compact edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Philipson, Robert. 1992. Linguistic imperialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Posner, Rebecca. 1996. The Romance languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Prentice, D.J. 1990. Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian). In The world's major languages, edited by B. Comrie. New York: Oxford University Press.

Putten, Jan van der and Al Azhar (eds.) 1995. Di dalam berkekalan persahabatan, "In everlasting friendship". Letters from Raja Ali Haji. Semaian 13. Leiden: Department of Languages and Cultures of Southeast Asia and Oceania, Leiden University.

Ramsey, S. Robert. 1987. The languages of China. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Ross, Clark. 1990. Austronesian languages. In The world's major languages, edited by B. Comrie. New York: Oxford University Press.

Said, E. 1979. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books.

Shamsul A.B. 1996. Debating about identity in Malaysia: A discourse analysis, in Mediating identities in a changing Malaysia, edited by Zawawi lbrahim (Southeast Asian Studies 34 (3): 8-31). Kyoto: Center for Southeast Asian Studies.

Skeat, Walter William. [1900]1967. Malay magic. New York: Dover Publications.

Topping, Donald M. 1970. A dialect survey of the Land Dayaks of Sarawak. Manuscript.

Wells, Carvath. [1925] 1988. Six years in the Malay jungle. (Reprint.) Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press.

Wurm, S.A. and S. Hattori. 1983. Language atlas of the Pacific area. Part II, Japan area, Taiwan (Formosa), Philippines, Mainland and insular South-east Asia. Canberra: Australian Academy of the Humanities in collaboration with the Japan Academy.

Zaharani Ahmad. 1999. Isu fonologi bahasa Melayu: Konflik antara rumus dan korpus. Jurnal Dewan Bahasa. 43(2): 108-120.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN: 0126-5008

eISSN: 0126-8694