Language+Trends+&+Current+Issues







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 * ALYANI MOHD RADZI
 * SUSANTHI RANI RAJOO
 * NOORFARA ASHIKIN AHMAD TARMIZI
 * RASHIDAH ABDUL RAHMAN



Should Malaysians speak Manglish or proper English?
For those who don’t know, Manglish is English as it is commonly spoken in Malaysia. It’s basically English with Malay and Chinese words and grammar thrown in. For example: // “Why you so like that one? Don’ play-play-lah!” // // “Where got such a ting?” // Obviously, sentences like these totally confuse any visiting foreigners, but to Malaysians they somehow make perfect sense. So is Manglish a useful communication tool or does it prevent Malaysians speaking English properly? The Malaysian government hasn’t taken a strong stance, unlike the Singaporean government, which is trying to ban ‘Singlish’. Therefore, to help you decide whether to embrace Manglish or not, I present the cases for and against:

** The Case For It sounds ‘fake’ for Malaysians to speak proper English **
// Many Manglish speakers worry that if they talk properly, their friends will think that they are putting on airs. // ‘Why you tok liedat ah?’ ‘You ting you are a matsalleh, is it?’  If you speak proper English, many Malaysians won’t understand // After all, there are many people in Malaysia who have an extremely limited grasp of English. If you use bombastic words and phrases (like ‘bombastic’), they will not understand. So to be understood, you need to speak Manglish. //  Language is a communication tool // The purpose of language is to communicate. Manglish actually helps people to communicate better because it is easier to understand. Even in the world of business, people give presentations and write reports in Manglish. //  It’s better to speak broken English than not speak English at all // People who speak Manglish are trying their best. Just because their English isn’t perfect, you shouldn’t judge them. After all, the Government is trying to improve the standard of English in the country and everyone needs to do their part. //  Malaysians have a right to speak their own kind of English // In America, people speak American English. In Australia, people speak Australian English. What’s wrong with Malaysians speaking Malaysian English? After all, every country has its own slang and accent. For example, Americans say // cellphone //, Brits say // mobile phone // and Malaysians say // handphone //. What’s wrong with that? //  Manglish has become part of Malaysian culture and heritage // Manglish has become something we can be proud of. Why try to hide it? It’s part of our cultural heritage. And it’s something that all Malaysians can participate in, no matter which ethnicity. Muhibbah! Plus tourists think it’s cute when they hear people saying // lah // all the time. //

** The Case Against Speaking Manglish makes you sound uneducated **
“That one no good oledi!” // How are you supposed to impress people if you walk about saying things like that? At a job interview, you will die-lah. What happens if you have business overseas with foreigners? They will all laugh at the way you speak. It’s not that difficult to speak properly with a bit of effort, so why sound uneducated? //  Manglish isn’t even English // Manglish can be classified as a pidgin or creole language, a simplified form of English mixed with Malay and Chinese, which is becoming (or has become) a separate language from standard English. //  Manglish prevents Malaysia from being competitive // The reason the Malaysian government encourages the use of English is to boost the nation’s competitiveness. However, Manglish has exactly the opposite effect. For example, call centres in Cyberjaya are shutting down and moving to other countries because overseas callers are fed up with hearing ‘no-lah’ and ‘ya-lah’ when they call up with a technical problem. Meanwhile, Countries like Thailand, Korea and China are succeeding in raising the level of English over there. //  Even if Manglish is okay for spoken English, it is not appropriate for written English // It is not realistic to use words like ‘oledi’ and ‘liedat’ in written English Imagine what the newspapers would be like if the whole country could only understand Manglish! //  If you learn Manglish, you will never improve your English // Once you get into the habit of speaking broken English, it is really difficult to speak proper English. It’s better to learn correct English from scratch. //  To communicate effectively, you need to speak properly // Manglish is a simplified form of English. To express yourself well, you need to understand the nuances and subtleties of English. Imagine if Shakespeare had spoken Manglish. Instead of ‘Romeo, wherefore art thou?’ it would be // ‘Eh, Lomeo, you where-ah?’

So there it is lah. Now that you know the cases for and against Manglish, it’s up to you to decide how you want to speak English.

[[image:glitterfy9192300T633D38.gif]]
Perhaps the most distinct and unique Malaysianism is the use of Manglish. Manglish is a quaint colloquial style developed by Malaysia's melting pot of races (Chinese+Malay+Indian) since the country's colonialism by the British way back in the `50s. Malaysians will have you know that manglish is a certifiable, legitimate language of its own. Foreigners who attempt to speak Manglish are normally greeted with facetious praise.

Some common uses of Manglish: "I'm on the way **lah**, on the way, on the way!"- **lah** is ubiquitously used and repetition is mandatory in Manglish. "You **got** umbrella-ella-ella **or not** ?"- use of **got** and **or not** is complementary and mostly to question. "I can teach you how my milkshake is better than yours but I have to charge **lor** "- use of **lor** is mostly redundant in a grammatical sense but vital to Manglish execution.



To further illustrate use of Manglish, take this conversation for an example: Mohammad Ali : Simon, you say want to lend me your car next week, sure or not? Simon Khow : Your head lah, I was drunk then. Don't remember liao. Don't have, don't have. Belen Singh : Yeah lah, Simon. I also heard you promise him. Where can like that one? Simon Khow : What? Cannot ah? Want fight is it? Mohammad Ali : Confucius say Chinaman with beer in hand acquires short term memory loss.

For tourists or foreigners unaccustomed to such difficult manner of speech, you must never disapprove of Manglish yet you should not attempt to imitate it. It is best that you either gaze pensively or laugh appreciatively to gain your Malaysian friend's approval and trust.



Losing Our World's Languages  Every 14 days a language dies. By 2100, more than half of the more than 7,000 languages spoken on Earth—many of them not yet recorded—may disappear, taking with them a wealth of knowledge about history, culture, the natural environment, and the human brain. National Geographic's Enduring Voices Project (conducted in collaboration with the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages) strives to preserve endangered languages by identifying language hotspots—the places on our planet with the most unique, poorly understood, or threatened indigenous languages—and documenting the languages and cultures within them.   Why Is It Important? <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Language defines a culture, through the people who speak it and what it allows speakers to say. Words that describe a particular cultural practice or idea may not translate precisely into another language. Many endangered languages have rich oral cultures with stories, songs, and histories passed on to younger generations, but no written forms. With the extinction of a language, an entire culture is lost. Much of what humans know about nature is encoded only in oral languages. Indigenous groups that have interacted closely with the natural world for thousands of years often have profound insights into local lands, plants, animals, and ecosystems—many still undocumented by science. Studying indigenous languages therefore benefits environmental understanding and conservation efforts. Studying various languages also increases our understanding of how humans communicate and store knowledge. Every time a language dies, we lose part of the picture of what our brains can do. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="color: #800080; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"> Why Do Languages Die Out? <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Throughout human history, the languages of powerful groups have spread while the languages of smaller cultures have become extinct. This occurs through official language policies or through the allure that the high prestige of speaking an imperial language can bring. These trends explain, for instance, why more language diversity exists in Bolivia than on the entire European continent, which has a long history of large states and imperial powers. As big languages spread, children whose parents speak a small language often grow up learning the dominant language. Depending on attitudes toward the ancestral language, those children or their children may never learn the smaller language, or they may forget it as it falls out of use. This has occurred throughout human history, but the rate of language disappearance has accelerated dramatically in recent years. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

It's amazing that it took us this long to get to accents but it is critical that you understand this Malaysian phenomenon, it definitely warrants its own entry as a Malaysian peculiarity that persists throughout time. The faux accent is consistent with Malaysian people's love for all things foreign and Western. It would not be a cliché to use the saying; imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If you're unsure what this accent sounds like, imagine a bad Michael Caine impressionist performing while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Generally, the Malaysian person develops an accent when returning from abroad or perhaps after one too many episodes of an American sitcom.

The former is a common occurrence which explains the plethora of international accents you might hear rolling off Malaysian tongues. Be prepared to hear the excuse "I was there for so long, it's hard to just shake it off." The average Malaysian is not able to discern between English, American or Australian accent but just having one will sufficiently raise their social profile. It would not be an understatement to say that Malaysian people are fascinated by accents. Even a hypnotist would be hard pressed to produce anything close to this. In fact, Malaysian people in possession of accents receive better treatment from everyone and will even seem more attractive by virtue of their speech, regardless of their shortcomings. I know you're incredulous of this but believe me, it's true. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to developing an accent.

Little things like grammatical deficiencies, illiteracy or lack of actual foreign experience can be discounted. All that matters is that the accent sounds different and affected. No one really knows what a genuine one sounds like anyway since they're all doing the same thing. To avoid being labelled pretentious, some Malaysian people occasionally use Manglish terms to show that they have not completely abandoned their lingua franca //.//Most of the time, Malaysian people speak Manglish but there are certain occasions or incidents which prompt them to change their inflection (if they aren't retaining it permanently already). One situation which calls for it is an encounter with you, the foreigner. You may wonder why your Malaysian friend has adopted a manner of speech so uncommon and awkward and you may even be a little offended. No, they're not making fun of your dulcet tones or your delightful lilt. They're being hospitable and trying to make you feel at home, silly! Make sure you indulge in this charade and show appreciation for their efforts. Having an accent also helps impress newly-made acquaintances, as mentioned earlier.

// "Hey, you know that guy who just came back from abroad?" // and //"Which one? There's so many of them."// And //"The one who has the cute British accent."// And //"Yeah, you should totally date him. It's a known fact that Brits are posh and sophisticated which by virtue of his accent, means he is too. It's the theory of relativity. You can't fight science.// Malaysian people will sometimes erroneously refer to an accent as "slang". You must excuse this for it is just as common for them to confuse terminology as they confuse people with their accents. But you must remember never to imply that a Malaysian person's accent is false or fabricated. This will lead to a long argument that will leave you questioning the authenticity of your own accent.



__Origins of English__ The arrival of three Germanic tribes ( the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes ) invaded Britain during 5th century AD is the started of the history of English and began to live in Jutland, Holstein and Schleswig areas.. These tribes, crossed the Northern Sea ( today called Denmark) and northern Germany. The inhabitants of Britain spoke in Celtic language at that time. But the invaders were pushed west and north to most of Celtic speakers which is mainly into what is now Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Angles were called Angli in Germanic.After that that, it was transformed to Engle in Old English. thus, the land of all three tribes was collectively called England ( Engle + Land ). <span style="color: #ff0087; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="color: #1d5e1d; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">__Old English ( 450-1100 AD)__ The invading Germanic tribes spoke similar languages which in Britain developed into Old English as what we call now. English today did not look or sound like Old English. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">26 consonants and vowels of Latin alphabet were uses by English language. In the beginning there were very few words of general use like, words of kinship: //faeder, modor, brothor, sweostor,// and //dohtor;// 25 names with their inflections like //mon, men// (man, men) and some adjectives and verbs. There were two demonstratives: //se, seo, thaet// (that) and //thes, theos// (this) but there were no (‘a’ or ‘the’) articles.Native English speakers now would have great difficulty understanding Old English. Nevertheless, about half of the most commonly used words in Modern English have Old English roots.

<span style="color: #ff0087; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">__Middle English (1100-1500 AD)__ In 1066, part of modern France, William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy invaded and conquered England. Normans who is the new conquerors brought with them a kind of French, which became the language of the Royal Court, and the ruling and business classes. There was a kind of linguistic class division for a period where the lower classes spoke English and the upper classes spoke French. English became dominant in the 14th century in Britain again but with many French words added. This language is called Middle English. It was the language of the great poet Chaucer that in c1340-1400 but for native English speakers it would still be difficult to understand today.

<span style="color: #143d16; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 112%;">Modern English <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">__Early Modern English (1500-1800 AD)__ 1660 to 1700 is called the Restoration period because the Parliament, on the public urge, restored the monarchy under Charles II. The period between 1700 and 1750 is called the ‘Augustan Age of English literature’ because the English writers of this period tried to capture the soul of the Latin literature of the period of King Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD), which was considered the peak of the development of Latin literature when Virgil, Horace and Ovid produced their masterpieces. The further development of English literature happened with the publication of Samuel Johnson’s “//Dictionary of the English Language//” in 1755, and Robert Lowth’s grammar in 1761. The extensive (two volume) work of Samuel Johnson was simplified by the single volume of his dictionary in 1756 which continued to be used up to the 20th century. In fact, since the 13th century, every century had its reformers of the English language. The grammarians of the 18th century like Robert Lowth and James Buchanan etc. took a critical view and spent a lot of time in correcting the shortcomings and the improprieties of the English language that were commonly in use. For example: //‘I had rather not,’ ‘a third// //alternative,’ ‘more perfect,’// and //‘you was’// etc. The //‘you was’// term was very commonly used among educated people in those days. It was changed to //‘thou wast’// and then to //‘thou wert’// and finally to //‘you were.’// They held the view that Latin was still a superior language. During that time Lindley Murray published his //Grammar// in 1795 followed by //English Reader// in 1799 and //English Spelling Book// in 1804. During that period Noah Webster (1758-1843) produced his Spelling Book in 1783, the first edition of his //American Dictionary of English Languag//**//e//** in 1828 and a subsequent edition in 1840. <span style="color: #143d16; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A sudden and distinct change in pronunciation which is the Great Vowel Shift started with vowels being pronounced shorter and shorter towards the end of Middle English. The British had contact with many peoples from around the world from the 16th century. The Renaissance of Classical learning this meant that many new words and phrases entered the language. The invention of printing also meant that there was now a common language in print. Books became cheaper and more people learned to read. Printing also brought standardization to English. Spelling and grammar became fixed and the dialect of London, where most publishing houses were became the standard. The first English dictionary was published in 1604. <span style="color: #1d5e1d; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">

<span style="color: #ff0087; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Late Modern English (1800- Present) __ The main difference between Early Modern English and Late Modern English is vocabulary. Late Modern English has many more words, arising from two principal factors: firstly, the Industrial Revolution and technology created a need for new words; secondly, the British Empire at its height covered one quarter of the earth's surface, and the English language adopted foreign words from many countries.

//<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Vocabulary of Modern English. //
The vocabulary of English language is a mixture of Germanic (Old English and Scandinavian), Greek, Latin and French where almost half of it is Germanic and Greek and half is Latin and French with some of the words from almost all of the notable languages of the world as it had taken free admission from everywhere. A sample of other adaptations are: Spanish-cigar, mosquito, tornado, tomato (tomate) and potato (patata). Hebrew-amen, manna, messiah, rabbi and jubilee. Norwegian-ski. Finnish- sauna. Russian-mammoth and vodka. Czech-robot. Hungarian-paprika. Portuguese-marmalade, flamingo and molasses. Turkish-turban, coffee and caviar. Hindi-sahib, maharajah, jungle, cheetah, karma, mantra and dhoti. Persian-divan, purdah, bazaar and chess. Tamil-curry. Chinese-tea. Japanese-judo and jujitsu. Malay-ketchup, sago and bamboo. Polynesian-taboo and tattoo. African languages-mumbo jumbo and voodoo. Caribbean-hammock, hurricane and tobacco. These are just a few examples of adaptations. (19th and 20th century) In 1864 Frederick James Furnivall founded //the Early English Text Society// to initiate the revival of the Medieval English literature and to synchronize it with the gradual development of the English language. As a result of that “A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles,” edited by Sir James A.H. Murray and assisted by three more editors, Bradley, Charles Onions and Craigie, was published in 12 volumes along with its supplements from 1884 to 1928. It gives the inventory and the history of words in use from 1150 up to 1500 of all the five dialects of the Middle English. After 1500 only literary English words are taken, not the dialecticals. It enormously contains the quotations from the English literature and records, and incorporates the words that have entered into English vocabulary from the earliest records to the existing date along with their history and origin. It contains more than 15,000 pages and over 400,000 words. A revised and concise edition of this dictionary called “The Oxford English Dictionary” was first published in 1933.Dialects of Modern English. There are a number of dialects and subdialects in United Kingdom. For instance, Southeast England, Northern, Midland, Norfolk, South Western, Wales and Lowland Scottish etc. Then, the English speech of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, India, Gulf countries and Africa has its own peculiarity.

//<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The latest form of the most advanced English language. //
<span style="color: #ff0087; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The English language is considered to be the world language of today. It has an extensive amount of words not found in other languages and its rich vocabulary may sufficiently accommodate all the situations of a social and technical nature. But, even at the maximum height of its evolution (which took a full 1,500 years since the arrival of the Germanic people in England in the 5th century AD) could you be sure of the spellings of the names of people or their pronunciations unless you are told? Isn’t it a dilemma that the vowels have no fixed sound or phonetic value, like, f//a//ther, //e//ye, n//o//w, s//o//n, s//u//n, where //a, e, o// and //u,// all of them sound as //a,// (long or short), and //o// is either //o// or //a// as in J//o//an, J//o//hn, J//o//hnny? It is because the basic alphabetic structure was scientifically wrong from the very beginning; and this is the case with all other languages of the world.words from many countries.

__ Varieties of English __ From around 1600, the English colonization of North America resulted in the creation of a distinct American variety of English. Some English pronunciations and words "froze" when they reached America. In some ways, American English is more like the English of Shakespeare than modern British English is. Some expressions that the British call "Americanisms" are in fact original British expressions that were preserved in the colonies while lost for a time in Britain (for example //trash// for rubbish, //loan// as a verb instead of lend, and //fall// for autumn; another example, //frame-up//, was re-imported into Britain through Hollywood gangster movies). Spanish also had an influence on American English (and subsequently British English), with words like //canyon//, //ranch//, //stampede// and //vigilante// being examples of Spanish words that entered English through the settlement of the American West. French words (through Louisiana) and West African words (through the slave trade) also influenced American English (and so, to an extent, British English).Today, American English is particularly influential, due to the USA's dominance of cinema, television, popular music, trade and technology (including the Internet). But there are many other varieties of English around the world, including for example Australian English, New Zealand English, Canadian English, South African English, Indian English and Caribbean English.


 * **A brief chronology of English** ||
 * BC 55 || Roman invasion of Britain by Julius Caesar. || Local inhabitants speak Celtish ||
 * BC 43 || Roman invasion and occupation. Beginning of Roman rule of Britain. ||^  ||
 * 436 || Roman withdrawal from Britain complete. ||^  ||
 * 449 || Settlement of Britain by Germanic invaders begins ||^  ||
 * 450-480 || Earliest known Old English inscriptions. || Old English ||
 * 1066 || William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, invades and conquers England. ||^  ||
 * c1150 || Earliest surviving manuscripts in Middle English. || Middle English ||
 * 1348 || English replaces Latin as the language of instruction in most schools. ||^  ||
 * 1362 || English replaces French as the language of law. English is used in Parliament for the first time. ||^  ||
 * c1388 || Chaucer starts writing //The Canterbury Tales//. ||^  ||
 * c1400 || The Great Vowel Shift begins. ||^  ||
 * 1476 || William Caxton establishes the first English printing press. || Early Modern English ||
 * 1564 || Shakespeare is born. ||^  ||
 * 1604 || //Table Alphabeticall//, the first English dictionary, is published. ||^  ||
 * 1607 || The first permanent English settlement in the New World (Jamestown) is established. ||^  ||
 * 1616 || Shakespeare dies. ||^  ||
 * 1623 || Shakespeare's First Folio is published ||^  ||
 * 1702 || The first daily English-language newspaper, //The Daily Courant//, is published in London. ||^  ||
 * 1755 || Samuel Johnson publishes his English dictionary. ||^  ||
 * 1776 || Thomas Jefferson writes the American Declaration of Independence. ||^  ||
 * 1782 || Britain abandons is American colonies. ||^  ||
 * 1828 || Webster publishes his American English dictionary. || Late Modern English ||
 * 1922 || The British Broadcasting Corporation is founded. ||^  ||
 * 1928 || The //Oxford English Dictionary// is published. ||^  ||

<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Cambria','serif';"> Language can be define as the system of human communication which consist of the structured arrangement of sounds (or their written representation) into larger units, e.g. MORPHEMES, WORDS, SENTENCES, UTTERENCES. In common usage it can also refer to non human systems of communication such as the “language” of bees, the “language” of dolphins. Language and Human. Language also is a huge system of human communication. Sometimes a language is a spoken by most people in a particular country, for example, Japanese in Japan, but sometimes a language is spoken by only part of the population of a country, for example Tamil in India, French in Canada. Languages are usually not spoken in exactly the same way from one part of country to the other. Differences in the way a language is spoken by different people are described in terms of religion and social variation like some dialect. In some cases, there is a continuum from language to another. Dialect A of Language X on one side of the border may be similar to Dialect B of Language Y on the other side of the border if language X and Y are related. In language trends and current issue, we can see out how the language been produced, shifted, transferred and code switching. <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Language production. The process involved in creating and expressing meaning through language. Numerous theories in psycholinguistics and cognitive psychology attempt to account for the different processes involved in language production. Among the different stages involved are : Construction : the speaker or writer selects communicative goals, and creates PROPOSITIONS which express intended meanings. Transformation or articulation : meaning are encoded in linguistic form according to the grammar of the target language. Execution : the message is expressed in audible or visible form through speech or writing. This is where a language ‘born’ or start to slip into the human conversation. Language shift A change (‘shift’) from the use of one language to the use of another language. This often occurs when people migrate to another country where the main language is different, as in the case of immigrants to the USA and Australia from non-English-speaking countries. Language shift may be actively encouraged by official government policy, for example by restricting the number of languages used as media of instruction. It may also occur because another language, usually the main language of the region, is needed for employment opportunities and wider communication. <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Language transfer The effect of one language on the learning of another. Two types of language transfer may occur. Negative transfer, also known as interference, is the use of native language pattern or rule which leads to an error or inappropriate form in the language. For example, a French learner of English may produce the incorrect sentence //I am here since Monday// instead of //I have been here since Monday,// because of the transfer of the French pattern //fe suis ici depuis lundi// (“I am here since of Monday”). Positive transfer is transfer which makes learning easier, and may occur when both the native language and the target language have the same form. For example, both French and English have the word table, which can have the same meaning in both languages. Code switching A change by a speaker (or writer) from one language variety to another one. Code switching can take place in a conversation when one speaker uses one language and the other speaker answer s in a different language and then change another one in the middle of their speech, sometimes or sometimes in the middle of a sentence. As overall, when all these elements blend together in world society, the languages get spread in very assorted and variable choice. People nowadays love to ‘mix and match’ the language in order to suit the comfortable and trendy conversation. For example, in Malaysia, the Malaysia uses to mix a native language and English. They have been come out with Manglish, for example, “Don’t play-play lah,” which is totally not correct either in structure or the word itself. The word -//lah is// from Malay language where this is a Nation Language for Malaysia. There are a lot of languages that keep on developing daily with new trends and brings in more issue to the current language. <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">



People are more comfort on their new inverted language but how far it’s been accepted in the society. What will happen to the current languages that already been used for a few decades? The main issue that occur when come to language is the new generation that far from the usage of proper language when they speak. Mix and match can also bring a mess to a formal speech and writing. For example, if the person used to speak in Maglish, most probably his or her writing will go for the same language. It will be hard when come to professions part-no formality. <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; text-align: center;">





**<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: aqua none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #17365d;">“ ****<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: aqua none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #17365d;">MUDDIED WATERS: THE ISSUE OF MODELS OF ENGLISH FOR ** Which model of English should the Malaysian English language teacher emulate and teach? This question has been debated but not seriously addressed in the recent history of Malaysian ELT. The recent changes in the Malaysian Language policy in my view, makes it even more pertinent that we clarify this issue. Which model? Acceptable models? “Malaysian Standard English vs. Manglish?” These are issues and questions that have been debated in ELT circles in Malaysia during the last thirty years. The newspapers have published news items where politicians, captains of industry and the general public have commented on the standards of spoken English amongst university graduates. Parents have written in letters highlighting the errors made by English teachers. Lately however, the spotlight has shifted to the mathematics and science teachers. **<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: black;">The Debate on Models of English ** The debate on which models of English one should teach/use often arouses controversy. Fifty years ago many ex-British Colonies such as Malaysia would have advocated adopting the British model of English i.e. Received Pronunciation without reservations because of its association with the governing class. But independence from British rule has brought about changes. The debate and the increasing literature on World Englishes indicate that the colonies are fighting back and there is growing tension between what Kachru (1991) terms the inner circle (standards of British and American English) and the outer circle (ex–colonies of the British empire) and what now is termed as the expanding circle nations such as China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Eastern Europe who are making extensive use of the English language. This will have many implications with regard to the future of English. In fact, Graddol estimates in time to come (1997:11) “those who speak English alongside other languages will outnumber first language speakers and will increasingly decide the global future of the language.” **<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: lime none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: black;">Varieties of English ** Varieties of English have usually been associated with nationalities e.g. American, British Polish etc. But it appears that even this is being redefined as English takes its place as the lingua franca of the word. Current classifications of English center around three norms. The first is Standard American-British English, which is also known as SABE. This refers to “native” English as used in USA, Australia, United Kingdom and the rest of the English-speaking world. Then there is the Oral and Vernacular Englishes also Known as the OVE. These refer to languages which are a mixture of English and local languages. These versions incorporate lots of English “pop” and commercial phrases. Examples would include Japlish, Singlish, and Malaysian English and there are many examples of this throughout the world. The third norm is International Colloquial English or ICE which is referred to as “a rapidly mutating “world language” which based largely on English but has borrowed a large number of words from other languages and also American street slang. It also includes text messaging style abbreviations and even symbols. Crystal estimates that ICE English is increasing at the rate of 5,000 new words every year (BBC News On Line:UK : 2001) .Hence the spoken model of English has not been codified the way the written model has been. So it is difficult for teachers and learners to say precisely why one form is acceptable or not.Secondly, because the spoken form is more intricately bound with one’s culture and personality, it is more prone to adopting unique socio-cultural features of individual which then gets categorized as one of the Englishes spoken in the world. As the English language is exported to the “outer circle” and “ expanding circle” (Kachru 1992) we are going to see the development of more spoken regional varieties of English, influenced in many parts by the dominant language and cultures of the region (Just as we have in this region developed the Malaysian variety with many sub-varieties in between).Thirdly, the spoken model responds to changes much faster that the written model because wehear it being used on the media and speakers soon adopt the new forms. As English becomes thelingua franca of the world, new words are rapidly intruding into the English language. As Crystal says “Change is so fast that attempts by the Oxford English Dictionary to record and codify all the new words and ways in which they are used, are trailing way behind. They can’t keep up.Nobody could “(BBC News On line: UK 2001). Hence adhering to one particular model for teaching both the written and spoken forms of English in Malaysia is not practical.
 * <span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: aqua none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #17365d;">MALAYSIAN SCHOOLS **
 * <span style="background-color: #ff0000; color: #000000; display: block; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">The Spoken Model of English Advocated by the Ministry of Education **

Which spoken model of English does the Ministry of Education want Malaysian students to master? The answer to this question is not so simple. The Curriculum Development Centre(CDC) has one response to the question- a model that is “internationally intelligible”. Officials from the CDC feel although we may insist on a British model, the fact remains that the media is predominantly dominated by programmes which use the American model of English. As such, they feel it is pointless to insist on a model of English, which is seldom heard or used in the country. Further in the evaluation of computer software for English Language teaching, officials from the CDC say they focus more on the content, quality and suitability of the materials than on whether the spoken model of English in the software is American or British. Hence teachers can expect software in schools that uses American and British models of spoken English. In a recent document on Guidelines for school based oral assessment, the Examination Syndicate made a case for “clear speech”. Amongst the criteria listed for assessment of oral English, are fluency and rhythm, pronunciation and intonation, grammar and vocabulary, ethical (etiquette) and manners. The Textbook Division says that they instruct vendors producing materials with samples of spoken language to adhere as far as possible to the British model that is Daniel Jones R.P. They admit that they are well aware of the difficulties of finding speakers but hope the vendors would find “models of clear speech.” However they admit that they do not have the resources or expertise to monitor the models of speech in spoken samples materials in the way they would like to. In teacher training, the students are taught to use the IPA as guide to improve their pronunciation. Generally the British model of English is favoured as we have drawn our expertise from United Kingdom. Generally most teacher trainers aim for the development of clear and intelligible. The conclusion of the debate on which models of English we should adopt is indeed a timely one. The issue as I have shown is a little “muddied” as there does not appear to be a clearly defined model of spoken English for us to adopt in the classroom. Whereas where the written language is concerned, there appear to be a clearer consensus. But the written model of English also faces its challenges and this too is going to pose problems for us teachers of English in the future. As we enter into an era where our students are going to be exposed to greater numbers of English language users and speakers in the school, it is important that we adopt a model of spoken English that is easily understood.

//<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: lime none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">MALAYSIAN SPEAK- CAN OR NOT //



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Definition: //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: fuchsia none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"> A question pertaining the feasibility of a situation or to ascertain the possibility of an occurence. //Malaysian Definition// i) Are you sure? ii) Can it be done? iii) To punctuate sentences iv) To make a rhetoric statement v) Yes or no? vi) Please vii) May I?

//<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: lime none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Example: //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: lime none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"> a) Yamamoto: Let's go karaoke this weekend. I've been practising and I think I can hit those high octaves on that Bon Jovi song we always sing. Yagamoto: Huh. Can or not.

b) Bridget: Sweetheart, I thought of what you could get me for Christmas. A new grand piano! Can or not? Steven: Cannot. <span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: fuchsia none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"> //Conclusion// //Can or not// is one of the more common phrases you will find being used in the average Malaysian's vernacular. Its uniqueness is that it can be a question, punctuation mark, rhetoric or replacement for outdated terms like please, could or may I?.

//<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: red none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">MALAYSIAN SPEAK- ON THE WAY // //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">This is a new section where we will be highlighting phrases and expressions commonly used by Malaysian people. You will come across these local parlances and therefore need to discern their true meaning. Let this be your guide to Malaysian vernacular. //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"> //ON THE WAY// //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Definition: //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"> In a state of movement, travelling to a predetermined destination. Yet to arrive, but arrival is impending. //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Malaysian Definit //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">ion: i) I will be indeterminably late ii) I am at home but am planning on leaving soon iii) I am at another location but will drop by should the mood strike me iv) I won't be coming at all //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: red none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Example: //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: red none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"> FARA: I'm already here, where are you? ALYAH: Ah, //I'm on the way, on the way//. Will be there soon. //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Conclusion: //<span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"> As explained, being late is an inextricable part of Malaysian life. This phrase is indiscriminately used by Malaysian people regardless of the point they are at in their journey. You will hear this expression at least 10 times a day, the number is extrapolated by the fact that it is usually repeated with conviction. There is a well known idiom that Malaysian people adhere to which states "Late is on time, on time is early and early is inconceivable." ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE DONE TO TEACH THESE ITEM: HAVE FUN!!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!! Exercise 1 Read the following sentences. Change Malaysian usage to standard usage. 1. They are all hoping that I could come to the meeting. 2. Shasha wanted to find out where is my school. 3. Lim is much lazier compared to all of his friends. 4. I wonder where is my book. 5. Alyah has resprayed her Proton. Exercise 2 Rewrite the following sentences in Standard English. 1. Could you lend me a chalk, please? 2. our new Science teacher gives us a lot of homeworks. 3. Rashidah bought some beautiful jewelleries when she went to China. 4. Fara sold 5 refrigerator in a week. 5. Tina want to give Tom an advice. Exercise 3 Choose the correct Standard English usage from the sentences given. Lam had his hair cut. John built a new house. Anggur repaired car. Pink had a new house built. Stacy cut her hair. Mango had his car repaired.

Exercise 4 Write a correct answer in usage of standard English. 1. I recommended that the student __ his composition as soon as possible. (A) finishes writing (B) should finish the writing (C) finish writing (D) finished writing 2. If you ask nicely, Grandmother will probably___ a piece of cake. (A) let you to have (B) allow you have (C) allow that you have (D) let you have

3. Although she doesn't like most sports, she ___. (A) enjoys swimming and golfing (B) is a swimmer and golfs (C) likes swimming and he golfs (D) likes to swim and a golfer

4. Jenifer and I can go to the lecture,__. (A) but neither can Charles (B) and so Charles can (C) but Charles can't (D) and Charles also can 5. ___ was due to a poor water supply. (A) The epidemic's starting (B) The outbreak of the epidemic (C) How the epidemic got started (D) That the epidemic it began 6 . If you check the map, you'll notice ___ to the north of Oakdale. (A) that Camden placed (B) that Camden lies (C) Camden laying (D) Camden there is 7.  He seized control of the government___. (A) by diplomacy and being forceful (B) by using diplomacy and force (C) not only because of diplomacy but force (D) by being a diplomat and forceful

8. I would have___ gone to the meeting if I time. (A) had had (B) have had (C) had to had (D) would have had 9. I'm really_ to Seattle for the weekend. (A) go hoping (B) wish to go (C) looking forward to going (D) anticipating to going

10. Robespierre, the French politician___ (A) had great faith in Rousseau, the philosopher, and he was a clever lawyer from Arras (B) came from Arras, having great faith in the philosopher Rousseau who was a clever lawyer (C) not only was a clever lawyer coming from Arras, but he had great faith in the philosopher Rousseau