ID :
501214
Mon, 08/13/2018 - 07:56
Auther :

Malaysia: Kelantanese Dialect A Unifying Medium

By Rohaiza Ab Rahman TUMPAT (Kelantan, Malaysia), Aug 13 (Bernama) -- In Kelantan (Malaysia's northeastern state), it is not unusual to see people of various races speaking in the local dialect. The Kelantanese lingo has helped the local Malay, Chinese, Indian and Thai communities to communicate better during their daily interactions. It is also obvious, indeed, that the dialect has played a vital role in maintaining harmony among the people of different faiths. Words like ‘kawe’ or ‘ambo’ (which mean 'saya' or 'I'), ‘ghoyak’ ('beritahu' or inform), ‘make’ ('makan' or eat), ‘bakpo’ ('kenapa' or why), ‘tak dok gapo’ ('tidak ada apa-apa' or there's nothing) and ‘bekwoh’ ('kenduri' or feast) can be heard everyday. It is heartening to hear people from the Thai, Chinese and Indian communities speaking in the Kelantanese dialect with ease. In fact, at the Bunohan market in Tumpat, the Chinese vegetable seller speaks to his customers, who also include Thais, in the dialect. Often, many outsiders mistake the local Thais for Malays, not only because they look similar but also due to the way they speak the local dialect fluently. Kelantan Siamese Association deputy chairman Ea Chuan Ea Eng said almost all the 18,000 Siamese in the state spoke the local dialect well. "When we speak (to others) in the Kelantanese dialect, we feel there are no barriers between us and feel close to each other. In fact, even among the Siamese community, we speak to each other in the dialect," he told Bernama. UNIFYING MEDIUM Acknowledging that the local dialect is the main medium uniting the various communities in the east coast state, Ea Chuan said it has helped him and his family members to forge close friendships with the Malays. "I hope the peace and harmony that we enjoy will prevail for generations to come," added the father-of-three. Chinese traders operating at the Siti Khadijah market in Kota Bharu or the shops in the surrounding areas also speak the local dialect fluently. Businessman Lau Chit Fang, 55, and his friends of various races have taken the initiative to create a couple of Facebook pages which they call ‘Kami Anak Malaysia’ (We are Malaysians) and ‘Rakan FB Kelantan’ (Kelantan FB Friends) as they want to preserve the harmony they are now enjoying. ‘Kami Anak Malaysia’ was created by four friends from different racial backgrounds with the objective of strengthening bonds through social media. They have been carrying out various programmes, including the 'We Reject Racism' programme, to promote the spirit of togetherness and patriotism. They will also be active throughout the National Month leading to the National Day celebrations on Aug 31 and plan to distribute aid to needy communities. INTERESTED IN MALAY LANGUAGE, WAY OF LIFE Lau also said his interest in the Malay language and way of life was sparked when he was a student at Sekolah Menengah Tengku Mahmood in Besut, Terengganu, as most of his classmates were Malays. "In fact, my friends used to call me Fauzi because I spoke Malay fluently," the father-of-three said, adding that he also wrote Malay poems then and even submitted some of his works to the Terengganu Literary Association and the 'Dewan Masyarakat' magazine published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. He regards unity as something of great value that has to be kept intact always for the sake of maintaining the harmonious atmosphere that the people have enjoyed for a long time. Medicine supplier G. Maran, 45, meanwhile, said he and his family never felt isolated even though they were the only Indians residing at Taman Remah in Tanah Merah, Kelantan. Stressing that he was a true-blue denizen of Kelantan, he said he was raised in a Malay environment and was therefore familiar with the local cultures. "My lifestyle is similar to their way of life and the Kelantanese dialect has become like my own mother tongue. My neighbours and I are close to each other," he said, adding that he conducted his business in the local dialect as most of his customers were Malays. "In fact, when I get together with my Indian friends I find it more comfortable talking to them in the Kelantanese dialect." Translated by Rema Nambiar -- BERNAMA

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