GOASIAPLUS January 2019

LOST & FOUND
Text and photos
FRANCIS YIP
LOST
LANGUAGE
Language is the soul of a nation. As a multiracial
nation, Malaysia has speakers of over 137
living languages with 41 of them are found in
Peninsular Malaysia.* Malaysia practices the freedom
of languages. We have Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban,
Dusunic or Kadazan languages, and our official
language is the Malay language.
Over the decades, languages have evolved so
much. Technology terminology made their way
into some languages, enriching it further. However,
some are facing extinction as speakers of the native
languages prefer to use other main languages.
In fact, Etnologue Report, a database of the
world’s 7,000-plus languages claimed some 80
percent of 137 languages in Malaysia are considered
“endangered” in which the speakers are mainly the
elderly people.
LOST IN WORDS
My niece couldn’t speak any Chinese dialect. Like
most Chinese Malaysian children today, she was
raised to communicate in Mandarin and English
although Cantonese is my brother’s mother tongue.
The declining state of Chinese dialects as mother
tongue, like Penang Hokkien is not surprising.
Chinese independent schools emphasise on
Mandarin over other dialects while national schools
focus on Malay and English language.
The state of ethnic languages in other parts
of Malaysia also saw a decline. For the Melaka’s
Portuguese Eurasian community, those aged below 45
are less fluent in their Cristang or Creole language..
And most younger generation of Lun Dayeh, a
minority ethnic group in north-eastern Sabah and
Lun Bawang, Sarawak speak Malay at home because
of mixed marriages and school.
I remember my grandma used to speak Toi
Shanese language, which originated from Taishan, the
city in southwest of Guangdong, China. The Toi Shan
community used to be a close-knit community in
King Street, George Town, Penang. Today, this dialect
is less spoken among the community.
On a brighter note, linguists have recently
found a language, Jedek which is spoken by about
280 people of the community which once foraged
along the Pergau River. Jedek speakers now live in
resettlement area in northern Malaysia. The language
is recognised as unique by Swedish linguists from
Lund University.
Malaysian English is perhaps the most widely
spoken among Malaysians. We sometimes call it
Bahasa Rojak because the English language mixes
with other languages, from Malay, Chinese to Indian
languages. Talk to any Malaysian, and you will bound
to come across the word “lah” spoken along with
many sentences. For instance, “I have eaten lah” or
“gostan” to be “go astern”.
PROMOTING LANGUAGES
Realising their languages are in the decline, some
communities have stepped up efforts to promote
their languages. This include the making of Malaysia’s
first Penang Hokkien language movie, “You Mean the
World to Me” which has received rave reviews and
set the pace to more ethnic language movies.
Dictionaries of their mother tongue languages
like Penang Hokkien, Cristang and Lun Dayah were
published by individuals and associations. Some
have even created tutorials and podcasts of these
languages or a website like www.penanghokkien.com
All in all, we should preserve our languages. After
all, the more languages you know, the more you will
be in demand.
Note:
*Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Malaysia
FRANCIS YIP always loses himself but somehow, finds his way back with lots of juicy stories to share. Forgive him if he sparks a debate.
Love him if he unlocks hidden jewels. So heavenly, so travelicious with him!
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