Learning how to speak Malay

• DeadPoet

  4 Mar 07, 23:14

  Originally posted by Superbus:

  Your question should be a bit clearer. It should be "Adakah orang putih itu makan buah durian?", or "Does that Englishman eat durian?".
  
  In this case, your answer should be "Tidak" or "No".
  
  On the other hand, if your question is "Bukankah yang sedang makan buah durian itu seorang lelaki Inggeris?" or "Isn't that a Caucasian man who's eating the durian?", your answer should be "Bukan", not "Tidak", although in English you would have answered it "No".

  Thanks but I will need some times to digest this.
• DeadPoet

  4 Mar 07, 23:18

  Is "seorang lelaki Inggeris" and "seorang laki-laki Inggeris" the same? Thanks.
• DeadPoet

  4 Mar 07, 23:20

  Originally posted by sunny6110:

  pardon me...
  
  ini is here
  
  orang is pple
  
  itu is here
  
  melayu is malay
  
  the rest of the words leh??

  Rumah is house, ini is this and itu is that.
  
• Superbus

  4 Mar 07, 23:31

  Originally posted by DeadPoet:

  Is "seorang lelaki Inggeris" and "seorang laki-laki Inggeris" the same? Thanks.

  "Lelaki" is another variant of "laki-laki". In Malay, words like "laki-laki" are known as "Kata Ganda" or "Repetitive Terms". It is also usual for such words to be simplified, becoming "Lelaki" instead of "laki-laki". Notice that the first letter of the term is used for the simplified variant.
  
  Laki-laki Lelaki
  
  Other examples are:
  
  Biri-biri Bebiri
  Sama-sama Sesama
• DeadPoet

  4 Mar 07, 23:35

  Originally posted by Superbus:

  "Lelaki" is another variant of "laki-laki". In Malay, words like "laki-laki" are known as "Kata Ganda" or "Repetitive Terms". It is also usual for such words to be simplified, becoming "Lelaki" instead of "laki-laki". Notice that the first letter of the term is used for the simplified variant.
  
  Laki-laki Lelaki
  
  Other examples are:
  
  Biri-biri Bebiri
  Sama-sama Sesama

  That is very interesting, just like "tidak" and "tat" right? Thank you so much for your clear explanation.
• DeadPoet

  4 Mar 07, 23:38

  Originally posted by DeadPoet:

  That is very interesting, just like "tidak" and "tat" right? Thank you so much for your clear explanation.

  Sorry, after I've read your post again I think it is different. So malu.
• Superbus

  4 Mar 07, 23:43

  Originally posted by DeadPoet:

  That is very interesting, just like "tidak" and "tat" right? Thank you so much for your clear explanation.

  I guess you meant "Tak"?
  
  Quite correct. Let me explain. "Tidak" is used in written Malay. "Tak", which also mean the same, is used in conversation Malay. From my understanding, to use "Tak" in written Malay is a fatal grammatical error.
  
  And it has been my pleasure to help. Feel free to ask if you need more explanations.
• DeadPoet

  4 Mar 07, 23:48

  Originally posted by Superbus:

  I guess you meant "Tak"?
  
  Quite correct. Let me explain. "Tidak" is used in written Malay. "Tak", which also mean the same, is used in conversation Malay. From my understanding, to use "Tak" in written Malay is a fatal grammatical error.
  
  And it has been my pleasure to help. Feel free to ask if you need more explanations.

  Yes, I meant "Tak". Terima kasih.
• fudgester

  5 Mar 07, 11:21

  Wah... I didn't notice this thread at all...
  
  I slept early last night.