Malaysian English
Germanic
Malaysian English (MyE; language tag en-MY) covers English varieties used as a second or additional language across multilingual Malaysia. It developed mainly from colonial British English through contact with Malay, Sinitic languages, Tamil, and other languages. Usage ranges from formal Standard Malaysian English, which remains close to international and British norms, to localized colloquial forms often called Manglish; speakers readily shift register, and acrolect, mesolect, and basilect are descriptive points on this continuum. Pronunciation is often non-rhotic and relatively syllable-timed, with possible simplification of final consonant clusters and weaker aspiration of voiceless stops, but patterns vary by region, ethnicity, proficiency, and formality. Colloquial speech uses local vocabulary and stance-marking particles such as lah, meh, and lor; Malay is the national and official language, while English remains prominent in trade and industry, higher and private education, science, technology, and the media.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Malaysian English
Sources
- Baskaran, Loga 2004, "Malaysian English: phonology", in Kortmann & Schneider (eds.), A Handbook of Varieties of English vol. 1, Mouton de Gruyter (not consulted this round; LOT fixes rest on row-internal evidence); en.wiktionary English lemmas
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Malaysian English | Ghanaian English | Nigerian English | Singapore English | Kenyan English | English | Jamaican English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ |
| Fire | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /fajə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ |
| Sun | sun /san/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sɔn/ | sun /san/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sɵn/ |
| Moon | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /staː/ |
| Night | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /reːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ |
| Snow | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoː/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːt/ |
| Stone | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ |
| Mountain | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmɵʊntn̩/ |
| Sea | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | mother /ˈmadə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmɔðə/ | mother /ˈmadə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmɵðə/ |
| Father | father /ˈfadə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfadə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ |
| Daughter | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ |
| I | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | you /juː/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /ju/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ |
| We | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ |
| Name | name /neɪm/ | name /neːm/ | name /nem/ | name /nem/ | name /neːm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neːm/ |
| Person | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsɔn/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ |
| Head | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ear /iə/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /iə/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /iːa/ |
| Nose | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noʊs/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noːz/ |
| Mouth | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | — |
| Tooth | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ |
| Tongue | tongue /taŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tɵŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hæn/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hɛn/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hand/ |
| Foot | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | heart /haːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hat/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ |
| Bone | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boːn/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /boːn/ |
| Blood | blood /blad/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blɔd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blɵd/ |
| Poop | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poo /puː/ |
| Love | love /laf/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lɔv/ | love /laf/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lɵv/ |
| Tree | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /dɔk/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔk/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ |
| Cat | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kɛt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kʰat ~ kjaːt/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːɹd/ | bird /bɜːd/ |
| Butterfly | butterfly /ˈbatəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɔtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbatəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɵtəflaɪ/ |
| Egg | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /beːɹ/ |
| Horse | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ |
| House | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hɵʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | honey /ˈhani/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhɔni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhɵni/ |
| Salt | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ |
| Chocolate | chocolate /ˈtʃɔklət/ | — | — | chocolate /ˈtʃɔklət/ | — | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ | — |
| Iron | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈajən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ |
| Wheel | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | one /wan/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wɔn/ | one /wan/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wɵn/ |
| Two | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tu/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ |
| Three | three /tɹiː/ | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /θɹi/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /tɹiː/ |
| Four | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /foː/ |
| Five | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhandɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhɔndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhɵndɹɛd/ |
| Hello | hello /həˈlo/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello lah /hɛlo lɑː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ | hello /həˈloː/ |
| Thank you | thanks /tɛŋks/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thanks /tɛŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thank you /taŋk juː/ |
| Good | good /ɡʊt/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊt/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /nju/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ |
| Red | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blɛk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blak/ |
| Green | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blu/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ |
| Cuckoo | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ |
| Woof | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ |
| Computer | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutə/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /komˈpjuːta/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ |
| Coffee | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ |
| Sugar | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ |
| Orange | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔrɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
| Dopamine | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ |
| At sign | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /ɛt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /at/ |
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