Language, Lah! Ep. 4

Celebrating the Beauty and Confusion of Malaysian English I I rang with a couple of Japanese as well last night and. Speaker 2 Yeah, Have. Have they adapted to the Malaysian we're speaking? Do they understand? Speaker 1 They yeah, they do, but they don't really speak English. Maybe just a few words, but that was enough for us to understand each other. Most of the time we we just do the drinking. Speaker 3 Can't go wrong with that. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 1 Soy Jesus. Speaker 2 Hello everyone and welcome back to Language Life, the podcast where we celebrate the beauty, confusion and pure genius of Malaysian English. Speaker 3 Or, as we like to call it, Manglish. Speaker 2 I'm Jen, speaking from Malaysia. Speaker 3 And I'm Andrea, Malaysian living in the United States, where apparently you cannot open the lights. Speaker 2 Yeah. And today we have a very special guest host joining. Speaker 3 Us. Hey. Speaker 1 Hello everyone, I'm Zach. I was born and raised in Malaysia and I'm proud to say that I speak really fluent Malaysian English, although it might be grammatically incorrect. Speaker 3 Incorrect globally well, but correct in Malaysia. The Essential Malaysian Word for Taking Food Away Oh yes, today we're talking about Malaysian English words and phrases that confuse everyone else. Speaker 1 Yeah, but it actually makes perfect sense to us, especially for people that speaks English in Malaysia. And no matter like which race you're from that you can understand the same word. Speaker 3 Yeah, yeah. Sometimes we call it roja, which is like all in one. But we're going to be talking about words, including classics like Tapao, Qin Chai. You'll soon find out what it means. Speaker 2 Oh yes, and one of the most confusing phrases ever. My God. Speaker 3 Oh, I like that one, yeah. Speaker 2 OK, anyway, let's start with one of the most essential Malaysian words. Tap out. Speaker 1 Yeah, this word is a pretty common one, especially for someone like me. I don't really eat outside from my own place and I usually will go out and I tap out food from, especially in Penang, there are a lot of foot Hawker stalls everywhere. So yeah, I talk about basically every day. Speaker 3 Yeah, I mean in Penang that's what people usually do because Penang foot is just the best in Malaysia. I'm, I'm a little bit biased that you're also biased because you know, we've been in Penang, living in Penang. But anyway, tabao means to take away food in America, they say to go. Speaker 2 Ha, so in Malaysia you go to a Mama store, you go to any restaurant or they call it, you will say. Speaker 3 Say this in America and they would probably think it's a new food. I had to learn to say to go. But honestly, tapa feels more correct, right? It feels like something natural that you would say, hey Tapa. Speaker 2 Yeah, APA also has emotional meaning, right? Especially when your mom says yeah they're not tapa for little. Speaker 1 Yeah, true. I mean this is a common practice for me and my partner as well. We usually will order a lot of food like over order our portion and then I am someone that was taught not to waste boot so I've been doing this stop out every time. Yeah, when I order too many for me my partner or when I'm when I'm with my friends. Speaker 3 Yeah, but one. Speaker 2 Thing I'd like to add though, you know, but Tapao only works in Malaysia or even Singapore. But if you go to Hong Kong and you say babao, that is actually a no, no word. Tapao actually means, you know, for the dead, you know, you wrap the the body Tapao. Yeah. So don't say Tapao when you go to Hong Kong. Speaker 1 Yeah, but I thought this word originated from Cantonese though. Speaker 3 Yes, Tapao. Speaker 2 But. Speaker 1 What? Speaker 2 They will say, they will say wrap it up. But for food, they don't use the word Taobao. You can say yeah, but if you say Taobao in Hong Kong, they are offended. If it's a restaurant is usually when they say that it's a dead body and then you Taobao. That's why they say so. Be careful. Speaker 3 Wow, that's something new. OK, all right. The Versatile Malaysian Phrase for 'It's Fine' or 'Whatever' Right. Next word. Qin Tai. Speaker 1 This word is, yeah, this word has a lot of meaning, especially, you know, when they asked someone like, what do you want to eat? There was a like Qin Tai, where you want to go, what you want to do today and then yeah, Qin Tai. So yeah, very useful word I would say. Speaker 2 It is. It just means it's fine. Whatever. I would say whatever. Anything good enough. Speaker 3 Example when you ask someone is this OK and they say yala chinchilla. Speaker 1 Yeah, which means that, yeah, anything with two or like not I'm not sure like what I what I even want as well. So we just answer this. Speaker 2 Yeah, it's just whatever. It's OK. They also means don't stress. Speaker 3 Yeah, don't worry about the standard. Yeah. In America, everything is very precise. So there's no in between. There's no chin Chai, you know, like, OK, but everything is very precise. Yeah. Speaker 1 Malaysia, that is where it can actually solve many problems. And I mean, we can use this word to ignore or like, push away the responsibility, you know, to make a choice when we're outside with our friends. Speaker 2 Yeah, it is, but I think it sometimes creates problems as well, right? Speaker 3 Especially at work, if you tell your boss that, next thing you know you'll be in your boss office in China. Boss, Hey, come to my office now. Bye. Speaker 2 I say bye. Speaker 3 Performance Review. Speaker 2 No, too bad. Well, let's, let's not use it at work, please. OK, so don't say bust in China. Understanding the Confusing Yet Efficient Malaysian Denial Phrase So let's talk about one of the most confusing Malaysian English phrases. Regard. Speaker 1 The God. Yeah, I mean, this one makes no sense dramatically. Speaker 3 But every Malaysian understands it instantly. Speaker 1 Yeah, yeah. Speaker 2 Well, well, God. Well, God actually means there isn't. No way. Yeah. Speaker 1 For example, when I told my girlfriend like this bag was expensive, she would answer me something like we're God, we're very expensive. Speaker 3 Which actually means it's not expensive. My God. Speaker 2 No, it isn't expensive at all. So in another example. Hey, you jealous, is it? My God, yeah. Speaker 1 It really means that I'm not jealous. Yeah, that's all. My God. Speaker 3 Yeah, but I think, you know, sometimes it also, you know, when, when girls are jealous and they say by God they actually mean like they are jealous and they don't want to tell you honestly and you have to figure it out. It's for me to know. It's for you to guess, to figure out. Yeah. But when I first said this in America, you know, when I first got here and I said by God, people thought I was asking where is God? Like God? Where is God? Speaker 2 Yeah, I think that might be the problem, yeah. Because it does sound like a question, you know? Speaker 1 Yeah, but it's actually a defense statement where I got. Speaker 3 Yeah, it's denial. Speaker 2 Malaysian English is very efficient. Speaker 1 Only to those who understands it. Speaker 2 Welcome alone, Welcome to Malaysia. Speaker 3 So if you come to Malaysia, this is a word that you need to learn or you can say or need to say. We got to blend in. Speaker 2 Oh yeah, very. Speaker 3 Useful. Very useful. Yeah. Describing Confusion and Cluelessness with Malaysian English Terms Yeah, let's talk about blur. Well. Speaker 2 I think blur means confused, right? Speaker 1 Yeah, for example, like, why are you so blur? Speaker 3 Yeah, I used to say that as well, you know, but Americans would say confuse instead of blur because blur can be so amid other meanings. An confuse is more I don't, I don't know how to explain that honestly. But confused, it's like blur can be like, what are you talking about? Blur, but confused. It's like you understand, it's like mentally confused if that makes sense. Speaker 2 Yeah, I think, but blur sounds more personal. I why you so blur? Why? Hey, that guy. Blur. Blur. Speaker 1 Yeah, maybe we can use that to describe someone as well. Like you look so blur and you sound so blur and everything is so blur. Yeah. And then, yeah, we have the word satong. That's all satong. Speaker 3 Well, which literally means squid. Speaker 2 Yeah, but it also means clueless, right? Food, but still clueless, Yeah. Speaker 1 This is actually in Basa and Malaysia, but we use that when we speak English as well. And for example, you don't know about this, you satong. Speaker 3 Yeah, well, squid didn't do anything, but, you know, in, in Malaysia. So this is this is the culture in Malaysia which you need to know if you come to Malaysia or you're speaking to a Malaysian friend. We borrow words from other languages like what Zach mentioned earlier. We just mix everything together because it's so convenient, right? We Malaysian, an average, I mean a regular Malaysian or a normal Malaysian, we can speak at least 2 languages which is what you need to learn in school. Malay and English and Mandarin is optional right? So yeah, so we are multilingual and so we just, you know what people say you're Jack of all trades, master of none. So that's why we use we just jumbo everything. Speaker 2 Roger. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. But be careful if your boss say Oh yeah. So Tongula, that means Tao Yi. Yeah. Yeah. The Malaysian Word That Instantly Creates Guilt for Not Inviting Well, there's another one that I want to talk about as well. OK, so this word creates guilt instantly, Bojo. Speaker 1 Bojo, I mean my friends love to use this like means, you know, Why didn't you invite invite me? Why Bojo? Speaker 3 Yeah, so very careful. Be very careful, you know, because especially when you post something on Instagram, we like to do that, right? So we post. Speaker 2 Yeah, You mean like food, right? You mean like food? Food or. Speaker 3 Nice food. Yeah. Or you go to a party or a concert and if your friends saw it on Instagram, a bocchio, right? That's what they say. Juan Ochioa. Bocchioa. Yeah. Well. Speaker 2 I mean, it's not about going, it's about being included. Speaker 3 Even if they say no, you need to chill, which means invite. You need to at least, you know, have the courtesy to invite and say, hey, come on, let's go. But although you know they would say no, you still have to do that. You still have to extend the invitation, right? Speaker 2 So you never had the excuse to say, oh, hey, you don't want to go, I tell you already. So if you look at the picture, don't regret because I tell you already. Speaker 1 But if you come back to Penang Andra, you better not post any, you know, food on Instagram like Penang food and I would text you. Speaker 2 Everybody will do that with all that. Speaker 3 That's, that's the yeah, that's my intention, my intent. If I ever go back, I don't want to tell anyone a surprise. Speaker 2 Now I know, now I know, now we know, now we know Zach if suddenly her Instagram has talk, idea or whatever. Ha, no. Be careful what you post. Speaker 3 Yes, yes. The Malaysian English Phrase That Reveals Your Origin And the next one exposed me immediately in America. Well, this, this let me say that is pretty common in Malaysia, I would say, but in America it doesn't sound correct. Yes, open the light. Speaker 1 And help me to close the light. Speaker 3 Americans say turn on the lights. Turn off the lights. Yeah, but you know that. Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 2 Proper English, yeah, but but then open and close, you know it makes sense. Emulation. You know, it makes sense. Speaker 3 Yeah, you know, one time I, I told my friends, you know, I my, what's it called when you how do I say when I lock my car? You know there's a like a. Speaker 2 Be. Speaker 3 Very loud sound and I like to and and, and it's so embarrassing. I hate it so much. I try to fix it, but I couldn't I I can't fix it. So anyway, the my friend one time was just standing next to the car and I knew that there was coming because I'm going to lock my car. So I was like, close your ears. And he said, wow, that's the first time I heard that. And I it didn't click at 1st and then was Oh my gosh, so embarrassing. Cover your ear. Speaker 1 Yeah, true. And then because in our mind, I mean, this is something light, is something that you open and you close, especially if you're multilingual, you know, in Basa, Malaysia, in Mandarin as well, if we translate the word, it's actually like open and close the lights. So, yeah, yeah. Speaker 2 That's how, yeah. Yeah, it's true. Speaker 3 Yeah, yeah. I mean, people would still understand you, right? And I mean the meaning is still there. It's just English wise, it's not really correct or appropriate word to use. So if you use that immediately, people would know that you're a Malaysian. Yeah. Speaker 1 Oh, that would be a Malaysian. Speaker 2 Oh yes, yeah. From 'Let Bar' to 'Shot La': The Creative & Multicultural Spirit of Manglish Wow, two of the best Malaysian words are. Speaker 3 Oh. Speaker 1 A word that I use a lot when I was still studying, you know, and let's let's, you know, hang out. So let's let bar you know. Just relax doing nothing, you know? Speaker 3 Yeah, that's the best. No agenda just exist. Speaker 2 I I think I still use the word let bar with some of my high school friends. I, I guess it's, you know, even though we all it's old, old age and maybe because we, we still remember our days growing up together and then we always say, hey, you know, well, I guess some words you don't have to just keep it, just need to use it. Then of course then the other one we I still use until now shot LA means feel really good. Speaker 3 Yeah, for example this food. Damn short, man. Speaker 2 Yeah, I guess it's kind of related to food as well, right? Speaker 3 Shop LA. Yeah, it can also means, I mean like activity, right? Yeah, I don't know experience. Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's true. It's true. Yeah. So experience as well. Wow. Shop LA. You're going somewhere. Wow. So short, man. Speaker 3 Actually, does that work come from Hopkin I? Speaker 1 Don't think so, though. I don't know what it was. I think so. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. True, true. Is it? Speaker 2 How do you how do you say that in in Hopkin then? Speaker 3 Shabo. Speaker 2 Really. Speaker 1 Shabo, but not not really, though in Hopkin we say song song song a. Speaker 2 Little bit song, a little bit song. So how come it's shocked? Speaker 1 By some Malaysia. Speaker 3 Where did that word come from? Speaker 2 Exactly. Because when you say yeah, the only thing I can think of, song, little bit song, song, yeah, song. So song. So we always mix up. We always make fun of this with the Thai language, you know, every time they speak, you know, there's always sing, song, song, song, song, you know, that kind of thing. So only thing I can relate that it'll be a song. So. But when you say shock, we really have to. I think we should do some investigating. Yeah, I think it's Malay. Speaker 3 I think it's a Malay word. Yeah, Yeah. Because I always see, like, subtitles or commercials that says shock. Wait, I remember there was a movie or a show, right? That's something something short. Yeah. I don't know. I gotta look it up. We gotta shocks and Didi. Speaker 2 You know, shocks and Didi, things like that. I mean, they, I mean, we borrow words from them and they also borrow words from Chinese as well. And then they use it daily. Yeah. Speaker 3 Yeah, yeah. Why not? Yeah. Speaker 2 Not offended, we are. Speaker 3 Not offended, yeah, no. Speaker 2 We're proud. That's how a multicultural country should act. It's not yours, it's not mine, it's everybody's. You're Malaysian. You're entitled to use any words you want, you know, So I am proud. They even implemented some of the Chinese food and the Chinese words, and they use it. And the younger generation did not even know it is a, you know, a Chinese word, you know, and they use it. And I'm happy. And I see the kids are saying that, but they did not know it's actually a Chinese word. But it doesn't matter. It's Malaysian. It's Malaysian. Yeah. Speaker 3 We have to preserve that, Yeah, that's why. Speaker 2 I say, you know, Malaysian English is not wrong, it's just creative, Yeah. Speaker 3 Inefficient as well. Speaker 1 And very unique, everyone that comes to Malaysia after being exposed to the Malaysian language, I mean, Manglish, even the foreigners here nowadays, yeah, they speak like us after some time here, yeah. Speaker 3 Yeah, expats. Yeah, expats learn that right now they're part of us. That's. Yeah. That's damn shot, by the way. All right. Yeah. Thank you for listening to Language LA If you enjoyed listening to this, remember to subscribe, rate and share. See you next episode. Bye. Yeah. Speaker 2 Bye, everyone. Bye. Thank you, Zach. Yay, it's how do. Speaker 3 You feel? How do you feel? Yeah, yeah, I feel. Speaker 1 Good. Yeah, it's more like chit chatting. Oh yeah.