ARTIKEL 1

English Language Used in Malaysia English Language Standard That Malaysians Would Be Able to Relate to (That Would Ensure That They Are Internationally Intelligible.) This paper focuses on language, in terms of the English language used in Malaysia, the characteristics of this Malaysian English and the standard of the Malaysian English with comparison to other countries. Introduction: The Standard English is a general term for a form of written and spoken English that is considered the model for educated people. There are no set rules or vocabulary for "standard English" because, unlike languages such as French, English does not have a governing body to establish usage. As a result, the concept of "standard English" tends to be fluid. A rough rule of thumb used in some parts of the world, particularly those that are (or were) members of the Commonwealth of Nations, is to follow pronunciation and old usage guides of the BBC, otherwise known as Received Pronunciation or the Queen's English. (Cited in http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Standard_English) Therefore, It is plain now that no one can claim sole ownership of English.(Crystal, 1998: 130) cited in Gill 2004:27.The English used in Malaysia is now the Second Diaspora where the seeds of English were spread widely across diverse socio-cultural environments. (Krachu, 1992: 230) cited in Gill, 2004:27. As a result, a variety of English was born which Malaysia have adopted and used the English language as a language for social and international communication. (Gill,2004:27) The development of varieties of Malaysian English reflects identity and the pragmatic need to have a means of communication that is internationally intelligible .(Gill, 2004:28). Now, before going in detail, it is essential to first look at the historical background of Malaysia, on how Malaysia was able to adapt to this variety of English. Historical background of Malaysia: Malaysia, a multinational country in Asia, was once empowered by the British and the English language was then used as the official language of administration and communication between the governmental bodies in the nation. However, after independence in 1957,Bahasa Melayu soon replaced English as the next official and national language of the country though the carefully planned language policies by the authorized governmental bodies and institutes. English was then used only as the second most important language in the country next to Bahasa melayu. It became a learning subject in schools while Bahasa melayu was used as the main medium of instructions. as a result of this language policy which was strongly held together by political factors and the urgent need to create a national identity, many Malaysians speak a variety of English described generally as Malaysian English. (Gill,1998 :21) Characteristics of Malaysian English: Therefore, as a result of the degradation of the English language, a majority of Malaysians who were from various ethnicity backgrounds and whom had their own mother tongue to deal with caused a natural cross fertilization between Bahasa melayu, English and various other ethic language such as Tamil and Cantonese led to the nature of changes in the development of the English language.(Gill,2000:39) the English language could not help but be influenced by the various other languages and developed into a number of

varieties.(Gill,2000:39) In other words, English in this context is described as the second Diaspora meaning that English, a language that was spoken by the natives of the language originally had gone through a number of changes in lexicon semantics and phonology (Gill ,2000:39) in Malaysia and had changed order to suite its new socio cultural and linguistic surrounding, and in this context to be spoken by the other races whom are not natives of the language. As time went by, this new variety soon gain recognition to be spoken widely by the various races in Malaysia as a tool of communication. However, although Malaysians had adapted and used the language for various functions and purposes and it had acquired the unparallel functional and societal depth (Krachu,1994:3)(Gill 2000:39) but Malaysian still has to understand that the main value for English language for Malaysians for international communication. There is a need for speakers to be internationally intelligible to nurture and sustain the synergy between various countries for political and diplomatic, trade and economic, scientific and technological purposes.(Fong :1997)(cited in Gill,2000:40) in order to face and meet the challenges of globalization. The enhancement of he role of Bahasa Melayu and the corresponding reduction in the role of English led to a drastic decrease in the amount of exposure to English. (Gill, 2004:39). English could not but be helped be influenced by the various other languages developed into a number of varieties.(Gill, 2004:39). There are two main varieties in Malaysia. One is the institutionalized variety and the other is the performance variety. The institutionalized varieties in Malaysian context are those of Malaysian English and these varieties have developed and grown in the cultural and linguistic context.( lexico-semantics and phonological varieties as they was an urgent need to speakers to be internationally intelligible to nurture and sustain the synergy between various countries for political and diplomatic, trade and economic , scientific and technological purposes.(Fong:1997) cited in Gill, 2004:40( Gill, 2004:43) Accordingly to Krachu, 1992b: 55 (cited in Gill 2000:43), some of the characteristics of the institutionalized English variety in Malaysia is: 1. They have an extended range of uses in the socio-linguistic context of a nation 2. They have an extended register and style range 3. They have undergone a process of nativization in the registers and styles both in formal and contextual terms. (Cited in Gill, 2004:43) Standard Malaysian English: The performance variety.(cited in gill, 2004:43)is commonly known as the standard Malaysian English . This is the same variety that had been used to establish a rapport between the Malaysians of different ethnicity ad it has given all Malaysians a strong sense of identity. It is used in informal social contexts and it exists on one end of the continuum.(Gill, 2004:43) and it is also used as an international language for Malaysians. It has a highly restricted functional range in specific contexts.(Krachu,1992:55) cited in Gill, 2004:43 It is important to know the differences and the functions between the institutionalized variety with the performance variety when dealing with international communication as one has to be sure of the variety used is

acceptable and intelligible for international communication. (Gill, 2004:43) In discussing an acceptable standard of Malaysian English, Baskaran classified Malaysian English into three categories, known as the acrolect, mesolect and basilect categories. And each category is described precisely in the table. (Source: Baskaran ,1987:53) cited in Gill, 2000:130. ) Acrolect: standard ME, formal use, international intelligibility Mesolect: - Dialectal Me, informal use, national intelligibility Basilect: - Patois ME, - Colloquial use, patois intelligibility and currency - Phonology Slight variation - Tolerated so long as it is internationally intelligible - More variation tolerated, including prosodic features especially stress and intonation Extreme variation - both segmental and prosodic with intonation so stigmatized - almost intelligible internationally. - Syntax No deviation tolerated at all. - Some deviation is accepted although it is not as stigmatic as broken English. - Intelligibility is still there. Substantial variation/deviation. - National intelligibility. - Lexis Variation acceptable especially for words not substitutable in an international context(to give a more localized context) - Lexicalization quite prevalent even for words having international English substitutes. Major Lexicalization heavily infused with local language items. The acrolect is the variety spoken by those whom are able to use English based on the international standards set by the British English speakers. The mesolect variety is the variety used for social communication while the basilect variety is the variety used within a certain speech community as it is in other words broken English which can only be understood if spoken by a certain community for a certain purpose only. The native speakers of the language use the acrolect category. Now at the moment, the educated Malaysian crowds in the urban areas are conversing in the mesolect category while in the rural areas across Malaysia, people are still conversing in the basilect category. Therefore, it is accurate to say that Malaysian are somewhere between the basilect and the mesolect category. And now the question is if the currently spoken English could be worked out and be recognized as the standard variety for Malaysia ; that reflects Malaysian identity and at the same time facilitates international intelligibility.(Gill ,1999:223), meaning an additional category called acro-mesolectal. (Gill 1999:223). In order to attain a certain standard with regard to the linguistics aspects of the language-the syntax, the lexis and the pronunciation, it is important to get a message across effectively and accurately.(Gill, 204:45) Therefore, both the lectal classification and international framework should work together for the purpose of working out acceptable standards of performance varieties of English, making it a standard variety. Therefore, the process of codification is truly important and necessary to ensure that the spoken English is accepted globally and not just in a local setting or society. Meaning that grammatically speaking the rules should be constructed in such a way that it would be easier to detect and follow the rule and forms as

trying to get Malaysians to sound like native speakers is impractical. The English language in Malaysia should be nativitized accordingly to the economic, technology and social needs of the nation and to give a strong sense of identity to the multi ethnic social groups in the country. As Prof.Dr.Saran Kaur Gill mentioned in one of her lectures (Gill, 2002) based on a case study that she had done many years ago about a number of students who were asked a question that if given a chance, whom would they like to sound like? These questions were asked before students were allowed to listen to a tape script of these speakers. an educated British English speaker with a standard accent? an educated Malaysian who speaks English with a Malay accent and makes almost no grammatical mistakes? an educated Malaysian who speaks English with a Chinese accent and make almost no grammatical mistakes? an educated Malaysian who speaks English with an English accent and makes almost no grammatical mistake? an educated Malaysian who speaks English with an unmarked accent , that is an accent which is neither strongly Malaysian or strongly RP, and who makes almost no grammatical mistake? Source: (Gill 2000, :61-62) The results of the study were rather shocking as most students, before listening to the actual tape script chose an educated British English speaker with a standard accent as their prime model or target in learning English, in other words, the educated British English speaker was assumed to be the perfect speaker as the British English was considered to be the most desirable model of English.(Wong ;1987:33)(Cited in Gill 2000:66). However, after listening to the tape script, the students preferred the educated Malaysian who speaks English with an unmarked accent, that is an accent which is neither strongly Malaysian or strongly RP, and who makes almost no grammatical mistake as it was easier to understand and comprehend. One case study that was discussed in class, in groups, in relation of implementing English as a foreign language medium in schools and colleges as a national strategy. The main reason to do that was : 1. To enhance the quality of the Finnish education. : The Finnish students needed to be exposed to the English language, in order to keep up with the rest of the world. 2. To enhance the chances of having graduates in international environment.(The societal change was taking place in the country due to globalization. International companies were interested in investing in and out of Finland. Job opportunities were available to the Finnish students, but only to those who had international intelligibility. 3. The students exchange programmes .:Students were coming to Finland to study. Therefore, the colleges and universities had to change their language policies in order to cater for the international environment, meaning that, English needed to be used in order to assist these students in their studies.. And this implementation of the new language policy was done through: 1. Internationalization strategy: the government targeted initially at the higher learning institutions to implement the language change in order to expose the national students to the language, to enable students to choose the subjects to

be learned either in English of Finnish, to promote student exchange programmes between countries and to enhance the quality of Finnish education through internationalization. 2. Expansion of international collaboration. All sectors in the country were dealing with nationalization and internationalization collaboration, by working hand in hand with the government and supporting each other in terms of opinions, finance in implanting the change, to utilize language skills, international capabilities and intercultural skills in order to work or to perform in a multicultural environment. 3. Teaching in English : subjects were taught in both the Finnish and English language, and students were given the chance to choose the medium. 4. New internationalization strategy : the ministry came up with a anew strategy by setting up a new working group to draw up the new internationalization , due to the era of globalization, by learning from each other and through international cooperation by attracting foreign students and by collection of fees. The Finlands efforts to implement the English language in schools and universities is if compared to Malaysia, meets the main agenda that is enable international intelligibility amongst the speakers of the English language. Conclusion: It is important for Malaysians to be able to use the Malaysian English not only for the purpose of performance or social communication in informal social contexts, but Malaysian too should be able to use the language for international intelligibility. This can be done by the nations linguistic policy makers by translating the pragmatic policies into action and further implemented , by encouraging and convincing Malaysians the value and need to acquire competency in English. (Gill, 2004:50) References: 1. Gill, S .K 2002 International communication: English Language Challenges for Malaysia, Serdang: Universiti Putra Malaysia press 2. Gill , S. K. Winter 2003/ spring 2004 English Language Policy Changes in Malaysia: Demystifying the Diverse Demands of Nationalism and Modernization . In Asian Englishes, 6(2):10-25 3. Abdullah Hassan 1994. Language Planning in South East Asia: Kuala Lumpur. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka 4. Asmah hajj Omar. 1992. The Linguistics Scenery in Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur : Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka 5. Crystal, David. 1987. 'Australian English'. David Crystal, ed. The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 350-353. 6. The North-American Influence on Australian English Jordi Bult Gonzalez 1998 By Pramita Kaur Sidhu Published: 11/19/2010

HOW TO IMPROVE ORAL COMMUNACATION Oral communication is the exchange of information in spoken form. Effective oral communicators practice controlling the volume, tempo and inflection of their voice while speaking.

It is also important to speak with clear, concise sentences while continuously using selfassessment as a tool in improving oral communication skills.

Volume

Practice controlling the volume of your voice according to the specific situation in which you are using oral communication. For example, if you are giving a speech at a library, a softer voice would be ideal. However, if you are giving a motivational speech to a cheerleading team in the school's auditorium, a louder voice would be more appropriate.

Tempo

The tempo, or the speed, at which you are speaking must also be controlled depending on the situation you are in. For example, if you are having lunch with your friend in a coffee shop, a faster tempo of speech may be acceptable. If you are speaking to a group of young children or senior citizens, a slower speech tempo will be much more effective. Also avoid speaking with a fast tempo at formal or professional events.

Inflection

Practice using appropriate voice inflection in your oral communication to express emotions. Use a higher-pitched voice to express excitement, happiness or positive emotions. Lower the pitch of your voice to express sympathy, sincerity or authority during meaningful communication. The inflection of your voice should never be overexaggerated or artificial sounding.

Self-Assessment

Use continuous self-assessment to improve your oral communication skills. Take notes directly after using oral communication to help you focus on the areas of your oral communication that need the most improvement. Record the progress that you have made in improving these areas, and evaluate your overall performance regularly

Read more: Tips to Improve Oral Communication | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6954565_tips-improve-oralcommunication.html#ixzz1QJ0Kh1M7

ARTIKEL 3

The Advantages of Learning English

By David Boughton
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There are 1 billion people in this world who are just like you. One billion people trying to conjugate verbs. One billion people trying to understand the difference between much and many. One billion people trying to pronounce TH and make it sound natural. Yes, that's right, one billion people trying to learn English. This is because English has become the most important language in the world. 1.5 billion people already speak the language in addition to the 1 billion that are learning it. Most major world organizations and functions are administered in English, including the United Nations, Olympics, and others. Most international business is in English, and the language is often used between people form different nations. English is the international language. As the world becomes smaller there will soon be no way to avoid English. So why not learn it now? Look at all the advantages you can have... Access to Knowledge and Information Internet Most of the web pages on the Internet are in English. The Internet has a huge amount of information, some of which can only be accessed in English. English will allow you to chat with people from all over the world in chat-rooms, email and other services. News International news is broadcast in English. Examples include networks such as CNN and NBC International. These are much faster and more up-to-date than local networks, and a knowledge of English allows you to follow news all over the world. Likewise, international newspapers written in English can be found all over the world. Science Around 90% of scientific journals are written in English. Therefore, if you want to remain current in the world of science, an understanding of English is vital. For the scientists, imagine being able to go to conferences around the world and improve your understanding in this field. Career Advancing Your Career If you are interested in advancing in the business world, English is a key to success. Most countries in some way will do business with English speaking countries. As well, English has become the international language of business and is often used as a neutral language for business between various countries. It is now common for an engineer in Mexico to get technical support in English from an expert in China. With English you can communicate with technicians and experts from the United States in order to help your company. You can also communicate with business people from other countries in the neutral language of English. Companies are also recognizing the value of English and now pay more for

employees who can speak English. So even in your own country, speaking English can get you more cash! Future Jobs Knowing English will open the door to many new and exciting jobs in countries all over the world. As well, you will be able to obtain jobs in your own country because you can speak English. Your resume will be stronger because you are bilingual and have a knowledge of the English language. Your opportunities will be numerous when you can speak and read English. Entertainment Books You will be able to read books written by American, British, and other English speaking authors without needing the translated copy. Many classic novels were written in English. Reading Shakespeare just isn't the same in translation. Magazines Some of the most famous magazines in the world are in English, such as Time or even Cosmopolitan. Movies Learning English will allow you to watch movies in their original language. Hollywood movies are not as good with translations or subtitles. Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly why the latest Hollywood blockbuster won so many Oscars? Music When you learn English you can finally understand what your favourite song on the radio is saying. American and British music is some of the most popular in the world, and surprisingly some musicians still have something important to say in their lyrics. Travel Learning English will give you the ability to travel to English speaking countries like the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. As well, you will be able to communicate with other people in Europe, Asia, and all over the world. English is spoken in more than 100 countries and is often the only way to communicate in a foreign country. You would be surprised how many more people in Japan speak English than Spanish. Asking directions is simple when you can speak the language. Understanding the tour guide is another benefit of understanding English. Your whole vacation will open up before your eyes when you can understand the people and the things around you. With English you will be able to meet new people on your vacations. Likewise, you will no longer feel embarrassed trying to order that steak dinner in a fancy restaurant. Satisfaction

There is a satisfaction that comes with learning a language. It will be very rewarding the first time you understand a movie in full, or read a book completely. Or what about helping an English speaking tourist find their way around your city? It is also very fun to tell your friends what exactly the new song on the radio is talking about. Nothing is more satisfying than having a mistake-free conversation when traveling in an English speaking country. It will be a great moment when you walk away and say to yourself: Hey, I understood everything that guy said. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Boughton