Language
Cocos Malays have their own language variety, which is being called Basa Pulu Kokos. It is considered rough and unsophisticated because of the use of slang in it and the constant change in word meanings. The language is a mix of 'Indonesian and Malaysian with local pronunciation and elements of English and Scottish being mixed in.
Phrases/ Vocab:
Selamat pagi - Good morning
Selamat ténggah hari - " " Good Afternoon
Selamat soré - " " Evening
Selamat malam - " " Good Night
Apa Kabar? - How are you?
Kerangkeng - Food closet.
Ke kaca - Cute
Kenes - Cute
Baik - Good
Jumpa lagi - See you later (See you again)
Korsi - Chair (normally in Malay, Kursi or Kerusi)
Dostor - Doctor (normally in Malay, Doktor)
Esbok - Fridge
Bok - Box (normally in Malay, Kotak)
Epel - Apple (normally in Malay, epal)
Jukong - Cocos Malay boat (Junk ship came from this)
Gua/Loh - Me/you (this is Hokkien derived Indonesian slang, but considered normal in Cocos Malay)
Cimni - Chimney
Kot - Coat
Hiju/Hijo - Green (usually in Malay, hijau)
Kalo - if (normally in Malay, kalau)
Emak/Mak - Mother (used to address females with children)
Pak/Ayah - Father (First term used to address males with children. Second term is father)
Paman/Man - Uncle (used to address males without children)
Bibik - Aunty (that is younger than the parent)
Nek/Nenek - grandma ( used to address grandparents of any sex)
Wak - respectful term to address woman with teenage children
Allah Mak Gua! - Oh my god!
Mak Yusri- Mother of Yusri If Yusri is a teenager, then Mak Yusri becomes Wak Yusri, When Yusri who is now Man Yusri, has a child called Mustafa, Wak Yusri becomes Nek Mustafa and Man Yusri becomes Pak Mustafa and if Mustafa who is Man mustafa if he is teenager, has a child called budi, then Pak Mustafa becomes Nek Budi.
Read more about this topic: Cocos Malays
Famous quotes containing the word language:
“Talking about dreams is like talking about movies, since the cinema uses the language of dreams; years can pass in a second and you can hop from one place to another. It’s a language made of image. And in the real cinema, every object and every light means something, as in a dream.”
—Frederico Fellini (1920–1993)
“It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to.... The feeling for the things themselves, for reality, is more important than the feeling for pictures.”
—Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890)
“It is impossible to dissociate language from science or science from language, because every natural science always involves three things: the sequence of phenomena on which the science is based; the abstract concepts which call these phenomena to mind; and the words in which the concepts are expressed. To call forth a concept, a word is needed; to portray a phenomenon, a concept is needed. All three mirror one and the same reality.”
—Antoine Lavoisier (1743–1794)