Typical Malaysians' Issues of English Mastery

Apparently, 2014 was the last time I posted on my blog. It was incredibly 7 years ago, peeps! Well, the only excuse that I can think of right now is that I have been tied up at work. Nope, I am lying. I am such a lazy bum. Here are a number of controversial issues of the importance of English mastery brought up by typical Malaysians.

Issue 1: I am Malaysian who lives in Malaysia. What is the point of knowing English, then?

Education aims at preparing young Malaysians for a better tomorrow – not for the sake of exams! Pupils at school normally find their future unpredictable or else they will never have a hard time selecting elective subjects for upper secondary curriculum. Meanwhile, only if students at university ever knew what exactly they would do for a living in the next five years will they never grumble for taking the wrong course either.

Some jobs demand employees with a good command of the English language – no question! Thus, learning English at an early age is a must! Enrolling for an English course when they have grown up later is possible yet it is not always a good idea.

Issue 2: English is our colonial language!

Living in the twenty-first century, Malaysians should no longer have such a mentality. Think of English as a great opportunity to help boost the country's economic growth i.e. tourism. We play a 'small ambassador' role in our home country. Our small effort lending a helping hand whenever some holidaymaker asks for directions to some tourist destinations is considered such a big help to the country. Even better, we are able to share useful info regarding the cultural diversity, local cuisine as well as the preaching of Islam!

Issue 3: Most Malaysians speak Malay!

Do we really need a listener every time we speak? Think again. Actually, not necessarily. When having a bad day, we tend to whine, grumble or even curse and it need not have people around, correct? So why don't we do it in English instead? 

For instance, 'Ah, I'm knackered! Need a rest soon'. 

This might sound simple to you but when we keep it in practice, we shall definitely see the change after a while. What about saying several English phrases while conversing with somebody? For example;

Eg 1. 'Aku dah tolong ambil buku kau tadi.' 'Oh, thanks!'

Eg 2: 'Jom pergi shopping, nak?' 'Let's go!'

It is not a sin to do so, is it?

Issue 4: Some people can be so sarcastic sometimes when I speak in English to my children.

Honey, those children are yours. Screw them! Have faith! Your children will not have trouble learning English at school later – but please keep in mind that your children should speak Malay as well. Let them be bilingual, at least. Growing up in Malaysia, we shall not worry pretty much about their Malay mastery since the Malay-speaking environment certainly helps! So, take it easy.

Issue 5: A lot of Malaysians speak Manglish.

In my view, learning British or/and American English is best. The truth is Manglish is not the correct English, so why bother? For the record, British English is taught at Malaysian schools and that Malaysia was a British colony is the reason why. Even so, school seems to have already accepted both Englishes lately. Besides, who cares if we would rather speak American than British English anyway? Don't you think, in the end, to get the message across really counts?

Issue 6: Some Malaysians can be a brutal grammar nazi!

These things happen. Nevertheless, that does not mean we have to stop speaking in English. Grammar mastery helps us convey our message more precisely, be it spoken or written English. But we know it does not take 24 hours to master it. It can be months or even years. So, all we need to do is never ever give up our learning. 

These days, there are numerous learning resources to choose from. Examples are Youtube videos, educational websites, reference books – you name it. Everything is actually at our fingertips! Even better if you can afford an English course and I would say, 'go ahead!' Learning grammar does help us speak better English. Isn't that what we are after?

Issue 7: It is so hard to imitate British accents!

Oh well. Does it matter? For the most part, if Malay is your race, your accent most probably sounds Malayish while speaking. To me, the main focus should be on pronunciation. Learn to pronounce every word as accurately as possible. Use Google for help. Why is that? Because after all, our hope is to get the message across when we talk. Whilst mispronouncing too many words can only cause either misunderstanding or misinterpretation.

Hopefully, I have just left something for you to contemplate. Who knows? My views could be the answers that you have been searching for. Look on the bright side and stop being pessimistic! With that, all the best!

Love,

Mohd Khairul Anuar

B.Ed TESL (Hons), UIAM

Look Before You Leap!

My gratitude is to be expressed to Allah the Almighty for still giving me the opportunity to meet Ramadan Al-kareem once again at the grown-up age of 20’s. Praise be to Him. To all Muslims in the world, hope it’s still not too late to wish, happy fasting! Scratch that for a while since I’m not gonna talk about it for this time. Let’s now appreciate what I’d already experienced over the last few weeks, shall we?

  

After several weeks working as a sales assistant, I myself have felt how hard this job is. As you know, absolutely this kind of job doesn’t employ an employee with any higher educational qualification like a bachelor’s degree. More precisely, this job needs not an SPM graduate either. This job is much more suitable for those looking for a job which is enough to classify it amongst the ‘halal’ jobs in Islam. This is far better than ‘working’ as a beggar, burglar or stealer– only if are these allegedly counted as a job, then. Working as a sales assistant at a sundry shop, for instance, requires you to be ever energetic. Yes, I’m talking about energy. A low-paying job most typically entails a lot of your energy over working hours and this job I think isn’t even called a profession. Plus, no interview session is necessary to be conducted for new recruitment. You just need to show up and applying the job using your enzyme will do.

My experience for choosing this job for the time being has kept me wondering. I often see many hard-working workers don’t fast during the holy month. Who cares if you’re a non Muslim? However, people care because you’re a Muslim who’s obliged to fast for a month in Ramadan. Furthermore, you’re a male. I’m feeling so upset when they’re down to drink a bottle of water in the lorry. I can’t deny that their job having to carry and delivering so heavy stuff to each supplier every day is such an exhausting job! I dare to say so because I myself have undergone all this myself! In fact, it’s extremely exhausting and I’m not lying!  

I admit I haven’t much stamina to work very hard daily. It’s alright whether I love that job but I so loathe it, unfortunately. I wish my employer would consider us sales assistants to get some more rest since it’s during the fasting month. Whenever we feel tired, we can’t even drink unless remain patient till it’s time to break fast. Sorry to say so ‘cause I’ve just never seen this happening, really. Oh well, I’m just trying to be outspoken.

I’d been thinking of each of the hard-working workers’ luck who gotta use their whole energy when carrying dozens of heavy things every day. I can’t buy it whether they’re varsity graduates. Yet, I’m pretty sure if they got another choice, they didn’t even want to keep working that way. Who wants to work under the heat of the sunlight for 6 days a week if they’ve got a better choice to work in an air-conditioned office, right?

I’ve realised the truth of this and the rationale is that one has gotta study very hard and perform well at school. I’ve realised how educational qualification has become thoroughly essential for current job market. That’s why I feel pity on school children who’ve yet to be aware of this circumstance. Disciplinary problems at schools such as skipping classes, smoking, getting involved in illegal race, fighting and hanging out are only a waste of time. School students should be more intelligent in decision making. I’ve no idea whether I’m presently the only one who’s thinking this way. Had I got the opportunity, I wanted to share the pain to be ‘accepted’ by low-paying job workers with them so they know how complicated this life can be without having any educational qualifications. Based on my personal experience, being a sales assistant at a sundry shop is such a tiring job! If I were you, I wouldn’t easily choose this job for my future. It’s not even worth it!

Quite certain that students have their own determinations, however how far they’ve done to make their determination come true every time is always the question. Only will many school graduates regret when it’s already too late ‘to turn over a new leaf’. Time for sure can never be rewound. Well, it’s good to look before you leap, sometimes.

My advice to all SPM candidates this year, please and please study hard for your own future or you’ll regret it forever.

The Colonial Language

None of the Malaysian citizens at present can deny the fact that English is a colonial language. Just ask the elderly who used to live over the era of British occupation for instance, of course they’ve long instilled the attitude of hating the colonizers. After Portuguese and Japanese, historically, British was also one of Malaya’s colonisers. Therefore, I guess it makes sense if the English language is categorised in the column of ‘Colonial Language’. 

In spite of the fact that it’s a colonial language, Malaysia is one of the countries in the world that puts high belief that English is significant. The ‘faith’ has led to a big consequence towards the country after independence in 1957 whereby English has been officially declared as the second language. It is evident that English has been long taught and is a compulsory subject to study at schools, be it primary or secondary schools.

Recently, the Ministry of Education has suggested that it be passed in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam or else students won’t be qualified to acquire a piece of the SPM exam certificate later. Is it the government’s urge in order to ensure students primarily the Malays will be concentrating on the colonial language in earnest? Or this action will only cause the Malay students fail to procure the SPM exam certificate and finally fail to get a job neither at the government nor private sector. Have a think!

A lot of educated parents have been aware of the importance of English nowadays. In addition, there are some parents who make English as their daily communication language at home. Consequently, their children whose nationality is Malay aren’t fluent and proficient in their mother tongue. This shouldn’t be happening! In the book ‘An Introduction to Sociolinguistics’ written by Janet Holmes, it is believed that the demand of a worker to use English much more is among the biggest contributor to language shift. Yet, speaking in a foreign language 100% and ignoring our own native language constitutes a foolish step which may lead to language loss.

Speaking about language loss, the habit of speaking in a foreign language is a main factor that contributes language death. Would you be happy when your own mother tongue dies? Of course, not!

Do you know that the group of immigrants often face this kind of problem? This includes immigrants to the United States, Japan, Australia and so forth. Mostly their children are bilingual for being able to speak more than one language. However, should the mother tongue be never spoken at all, the coming generations will turn to be monolingual and more disappointingly, these future generations only know English. Even worse, they’ll get confused with their own identity. What a shame!

Were I a parent, making Bahasa Melayu and English as the main languages in my family institution is really awesome. At least, my children wouldn’t undergo any difficulty in mastering both languages. Recalling a friend of mine who was born in the United Kingdom, her mother usually speaks Malay at home while his father speaks English. That has made him bilingual. Living in a foreign country like the United Kingdom, of course at school, he has no choice and has to study fully in English. This is because English is the language used when speaking to his classmates and teachers.

I feel amazed and impressed because their parents have strong identity as a Malay. They too speak Malay although their children study in English at school.

What makes me astonished and surprised is when some Malaysian parents who are too obsessive about the coloniser’s language by prioritizing the language at home. This sounds really risky for the children as they tend to lose their identity as a Malay and will probably be facing the problem of identity later. What’s the point of being a Malay if being unable to speak Malay fluently?

It isn’t wrong to converse with children in English. Plus, they should foster it. Anyhow, don’t forget the national language which is supposed to be proud of. Also, make sure that the mastery of both languages lies on a very satisfactory level.

Thus, parents are encouraged to speak English to their children but mother tongue can never be left behind. By using both languages, this will help children master both languages fluently and the problem of English mastery among Malaysians will no longer happen. So disadvantageous if there’re people who’re too fanatic toward Bahasa Melayu who totally ignore the significance of English in today’s world.

Language Loss

The higher your educational background is, the bigger possibility your hometown dialect is getting lost on you. You may disagree but can do nothing cos I myself have been experiencing all this!

 

In Malaysia, like many other countries in the world, has a variety of dialects spoken by Malaysians regardless of which state they come from. 

Diverse dialects notwithstanding, Malaysians still find less difficulty understanding any communication they’re involved in. The most preferable language amongst these varieties is standard Bahasa (or standard Malay). It functions just like a lingua franca and is widely spoken in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. It's also a language which is well understood and accepted by the whole Malaysians, be it in Peninsular Malaysia or even Borneo Island (Sabah and Sarawak)

You know what? This phenomenon is typically undergone by local university students. Seeing that a varsity comprises thousands of students coming from the entire country, like it or not, they’ve no choice to make themselves understood unless to try hard speak standard Bahasa. 

Based on my personal experience, my hometown dialect is dying. Don’t carry out a Terengganuvian dialect test or else I mightn’t pass with flying colours. The purpose of claiming such things doesn’t mean to underestimate the dialect, but just realise that my dialect is now fading away. 

I’m quite positive that I’m still able to interpret certain terms most typically spoken although I’m not used to. Instead, I’d much rather speak standard Malay words. It’s still stuck in my head when a friend of mine corrected me for mentioning a standard Malay word [rosak] for ‘punoh’. 

Presumably I’d see eye to eye about this scenario too. I firmly dare to say that the way one speaks is also affected by their educational background. You can distinguish between the educated and the uneducated, can’t you? Have a think, then. 

I assertively believe that Malay dialects are very unique that much research has been done. I used to find a few books investigating thoroughly about Kelantanese and Terengganuvian dialects. Isn’t this interesting? 

The teaching of Malay literature component at school has engaged me more in gaining new Malay vocabulary I was never familiar to before. Reading Malay short stories [ Cerpen ] for instance, has exposed me with bombastic Malay words and, of course, rarely are they used in spoken Malay. Some words are too classic spoken in the bygone era. At first, I thought the words were wrongly pronounced such as ‘drebar’, ‘payah’ and ‘dan’ as in ‘Tak dan aku nak cuci muka tadi!’. The word ‘dan’ here isn’t a conjunction. 

I’ve no idea whether or not we really should perpetuate our hometown dialect. I’ll leave it to you to evaluate it yourselves. 

Should we ‘Martabatkan Loghat, Mantapkan Bahasa Melayu’ ?

In fact, the government urge us to…

‘Martabatkan Bahasa Melayu, Mantapkan Bahasa Inggeris’

The Language Barrier

I hate waiting and so do many people on this planet.

Do you believe that on the other side, waiting can bring a good thing? How’s it possible?

Al-kisahnya...

It’s such a sunny day. I accompanied Mom to a branch of Bank Rakyat near the Paya Keladi Shopping Centre. I stopped my motorcycle right in front of the bank. I thought Mom wouldn’t take too long but I was totally wrong. I had to wait for her nearly 1 hour! Oh my God, I swear I do hate waiting! Nobody likes, anyways.

Dunno what to do, I just looked around. Many walking people came from various ways, from the north, the south, the west and so on. My eyes moved wildly like a beggar looking at those walking people with diverse characters. Indescribably boring! There’s a premise in front of me which was under construction. The workers looked hardworking enough cos I saw how sweaty they were. Macam orang dah mandi hujan pulak!

Then, I observed a couple of sellers, a married couple selling ‘rojak buah’. Agak terliur sebenarnya memandangkan perut menderita kelaparan. They’re ever so diligent and maybe they have children who’re still schooling, who knows? And that’s their work to keep surviving. At least, it’s a halal (legal) job although no air-cond. This kinda job requires a very energetic and patient person as it demands a lot of sacrifice. Their daily sale relies much on how many customers bought what they sold.

I saw two women selling miscellaneous items of handicraft such as man-made baskets, wooden, carved clocks and a lot more. I felt so proud of them. They worked for survival. They don’t get involved in crime, praise be to Allah (alhamdulillah). I was slightly attracted to the way they did the selling. Through my observation, I enjoyed the moment so much.

Shortly, there’s a group of Australian tourists who approached them. The old Australian lady seemed fascinated at the beautiful man-made baskets. I found the language barrier caused the sale process to meet a little predicament.

At the same time, a lady about 35 happened to pass them by. She suddenly returned and came approach the selling ladies. Oh I see, she actually came for help. She spoke English with the Australian tourists. Even though she didn’t speak that fluent, it’s alright. At least she could speak English. Ada berani?

What’s more interesting was her self-confidence and courage that maybe it sounds somewhat complicated to find a Malay in the city having such characteristics. I saluted the lady! I praised for her self-assurance. Her intention was really nice. Oh, by the way, I overheard the conversation between the lady and the tourists.

Lady: “From where?”

The tourist: “Australia.”

It’s fine whether she spoke Manglish. I know she’s supposed to ask “Where do you come from?” or “Where’re you from?”

THE LANGUAGE BARRIER!

In this case, it’s proven that English mastery really matters! Of course, it doesn’t make sense if I suggested that the sellers learn English. In reality, many people don’t realize its significance until they’ve undergone such a situation themselves. Yes, I used to read some people’s experience that were quite similar to this ‘state of affairs’. Indeed, they’re amongst the most excellent English learners today and I’m not lying!

SCRATCH THAT!

I remember the news I watched on TV recently and very surprisingly the interviewee pointed out that the Malays are rich of courtesy.

That the Malays are rich of courtesy makes me proud of my own nationality! Thank you the MALAYS for ‘inventing’ this incredible record!