Having received my education in Malay language but in a missionary catholic school, I have a pretty good command in English and Malay. However, we study the Queen's English. Now that I am in US, I am re-learning my English. Kind of.
Back home, when you need the water running, you say turn the tap on. But a tap is not a tap. It's faucet!
I get on a lift as my office is on the seventh floor of the building. But NO. You don't get on a lift but the elevator lift you up to the seventh floor!
Learning English in Malaysia exposes you to the infamous Malaysian English.
I uses a lot of 'idiom' back at home.
For example...
1) When I have breads and fruits for breakfast, I says, I took two pieces of breads and a banana....and people here asked me then, what do you do with it?
Hello...I says I took two pieces of breads and a banana during breakfast, who do you mean what I do with it? I ATE it!
2) I leave my office at about 5pm everyday here. But people still talking and chatting with each other. I says Well, have a good evening. I have to make a move now. Bye.
People will look at me and wondering what move will I make.So am I going to dance now or am I suddenly going to jump up and down in the meeting?
3) Or sometimes, when I have to leave, I will tell my colleague, I will have to go first!
And they will always answer me back and says, well then, I will be second!
ahh....there are more experiences which makes me suddenly so conscious of the word I use now!
But then again, who cares! I speaks English, matter of fact, I am Malaysian, I speak Malaysian English.
Malaysian Boleh!
1 comment:
wah... i realize some english word that we always use.. if we use it at other country.. wil be funny =p
we are malaysian..!! yeah
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