The Baba Malay Lexicon: Hokkien Loanwords in Baba Malay

Abstract

Baba Malay (BM) is spoken by the Peranakan or Baba Chinese ethnic group of Malacca & Singapore. Data were gathered at the Katong Antique House over a three-month period. It is shown that the general perception that there are many Hokkien loanwords in the BM vocabulary is correct, but some of these words are present in other Malay dialects. The extent & character of Hokkien borrowings is limited to certain semantic & cultural fields, including value judgment & emotive terms. It is shown that the way in which BM has used Hokkien borrowings is what makes it unique. Malay word order is used in all Malay-Hokkien hybrid forms, suggesting that the Hokkien influence is not as strong as believed. B. Annesser Murray.