MALAYSIAN ENGLISH
Although Malaysians are extremely proficient in written English having been a former British colony, they have their own unique brand or casual style of speaking English. Malaysian "Spoken" English is a grammatical blend (or perhaps mess?) of English, Malay, Chinese and even Indian all rolled up in one. There is the use of the expression "lah" at the end of sentences to soften up the delivery. Here’s some example humorously comparing how a British gentlemen would say it versus a Malaysian in "full flight".
BRITISH : This is optional.
MALAYSIAN : "Put or no put, also can-lah".
BRITISH : Why do you behave like so ?
MALAYSIAN : "Why you so like that ?"
BRITISH : Yes, you can do it!
MALAYSIAN : "Can…lah !".
BRITISH : Are you sure of this ?
MALAYSIAN : "Sure or not ?"
BRITISH : Are you crazy ?
MALAYSIAN : "You crazy or what ?"
BRITISH : Hey, please reverse or back out the car a trifle bit more.
MALAYSIAN : "Hey, "gostan" some more, some more. (note : gostan = go astern, a shipping term)
BRITISH : What shall we eat ?
MALAYSIAN : "What to eat ?"
BRITISH : Excuse me, may I enter ?
MALAYSIAN : "Can enter or not ?"
BRITISH : Please excuse me, I’m off to the gents.
MALAYSIAN : "Toilet, toilet, ah (with finger wagging)."
BRITISH : Sorry I’m late. I was caught in a heavy traffic jam.
MALAYSIAN : "Traffic jam, lah."
BRITISH : Sorry, we are out of stock on this good.
MALAYSIAN : "No more anymore, lah."
Although Malaysians are extremely proficient in written English having been a former British colony, they have their own unique brand or casual style of speaking English. Malaysian "Spoken" English is a grammatical blend (or perhaps mess?) of English, Malay, Chinese and even Indian all rolled up in one. There is the use of the expression "lah" at the end of sentences to soften up the delivery. Here’s some example humorously comparing how a British gentlemen would say it versus a Malaysian in "full flight".
BRITISH : This is optional.
MALAYSIAN : "Put or no put, also can-lah".
BRITISH : Why do you behave like so ?
MALAYSIAN : "Why you so like that ?"
BRITISH : Yes, you can do it!
MALAYSIAN : "Can…lah !".
BRITISH : Are you sure of this ?
MALAYSIAN : "Sure or not ?"
BRITISH : Are you crazy ?
MALAYSIAN : "You crazy or what ?"
BRITISH : Hey, please reverse or back out the car a trifle bit more.
MALAYSIAN : "Hey, "gostan" some more, some more. (note : gostan = go astern, a shipping term)
BRITISH : What shall we eat ?
MALAYSIAN : "What to eat ?"
BRITISH : Excuse me, may I enter ?
MALAYSIAN : "Can enter or not ?"
BRITISH : Please excuse me, I’m off to the gents.
MALAYSIAN : "Toilet, toilet, ah (with finger wagging)."
BRITISH : Sorry I’m late. I was caught in a heavy traffic jam.
MALAYSIAN : "Traffic jam, lah."
BRITISH : Sorry, we are out of stock on this good.
MALAYSIAN : "No more anymore, lah."
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