Language loyalty: a case study on Malay

Abstract

The Malay language is spoken by the Malay people in nearly all of the peninsular Asian region. During the Majapahit rule, the Malay language was used as a language of communication between the immigrants and the local people. Foreigners who wished to trade with other traders had to learn the Malay language. The same was true for transactions with the Malacca government. What is happening to the Malay language now? Does the Malay language still have a place in the heart of the Malays? What about the competition between Malay and foreign languages especially English? This paper will discuss the attitude of the Malays towards the recent strength and development of the Malay language. Data for this study is collected via questionnaire given to a sample of Malay teaching staff in UPM.