English in Malaysia: Current Use and Status offers an account of the English language used in present-day West and East Malaysia and its status anchored in different linguistic, social and educational domains. After an Introduction giving a birdâs eye view of the status of English in Malaysia, the eight main chapters offer case studies revolving around four themes:
i. linguistic features, with special focus on pronunciation and language contact;
ii. language attitudes;
iii. English in on-line discourse; and
iv. English and language policies.
The chapters cover original data and topics, seeking to draw an accurate portrait of Malaysian English, a non-native variety of postcolonial English that is currently developing its pronunciation, grammar, lexis and distinct identity.
Toshiko Yamaguchi, Ph.D. (1999), University of Essex, is Associate Professor of the Department of English Language at the University of Malaya. She has published articles and books on Japanese language and linguistics and is currently researching varieties of English.
David Deterding, Ph.D. (1990), University of Cambridge, is Professor at the University of Brunei Darussalam, where he teaches Phonetics, Translation, Forensic Linguistics and Research Methods. His research focuses on acoustic phonetics, Brunei English, and Misunderstandings in English as a Lingua Franca.
"It [The book] is an invaluable addition to anyone who is interested in the story of how a language that was a legacy of the colonial masters have shaped and will continue to shape a nation with conflicting views towards this âlegacyâ." - Sharifah Nurul Huda Alkaff, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, in: Southeast Asia: A Multidisciplinary Journal, Vol 16 (2016)
- Abbreviations vii
- Preface ix
- Introduction
- 1 English in Malaysia: Background, Status and Use 3
Toshiko Yamaguchi and David Deterding
- Language Attitudes
- 5 Attitudes towards Malay, English and Chinese among Malaysian Students: A Matched Guise Test 89
Paolo Coluzzi
- 6 English for the Indigenous People of Sarawak: Focus on the Bidayuhs 102
Patricia Nora Riget and Xiaomei Wang
- Malaysian English Online
- 7 English and Other Languages in the Online Discourse of East Malaysians 125
James McLellan
- Malaysian English and Language Policies
- 8 Literacy Practices in English in Malaysian Educational Settings 147
Pandian Ambigapathy
- 9 Impact of the English Language on University Policy in Malaysia and Japan 172
Sachihiko Kondo
- Afterword
- 10 A Prognosis for the Future 193
David Deterding and Toshiko Yamaguchi
- Index
This book is targeted both at students and researchers in sociolinguistics, language policy, language diversity and contact, and at teachers and professionals with keen interest in the English language, particularly its Outer-Circle varieties.