Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Old Classic Sarawak words used by a Chique Modern Girl which made my day!

Intro | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
(roll over image below for its description)

Last night, I was filling my time browsing a friend, aPayne's picture in my social network site and that night, the comments on it made me laugh like no other till my jaw and neck hurts! It came from aPayne's friend, Hazel Jz.

Here goes, but first of all, thanks Payne & Hazel. You've made my day.

A picture at the Sarawak Old Court's House taken by Ariffin Kifle aka aPayneA picture of Sarawak Old Court House taken by Ariffin Kifle aka aPayne

Background:
It began with commenting a friend who took a gorgeous composition of a wonderful architectural spot, with water spouting in a row. aPayne, an avid photographer, was trying not to get caught by the guards, tip toed, tried not to slip and fall in the pond, successfully took a shot. The conversation between three of us started and in the midst of it all, a true local Sarawak conversation started using words that I haven't heard in a long time!

First of all, dear Hazel Jz, this is how chique you are.
"haha, bait besinsin seloar. mun nyinsin tangan baju ték? éh lupak, kitak makey baju séndar nak hahaha...jgn terusuk, ngigis palaktut kelak gago nak ke godang ngagak dréssar,mun nya xda d godang agak ke spétar.hujan ka sik masa ya?takut derang tubuh kelak.gambar simpan bait2 kah dalam telok atas pak.haha..."
Below is what it meant, which, in normal conversation, will not make you laugh like I did but knowing the context of those colloquial words, just makes a whole lot of a difference.
haha, its a good thing just shortening yr pants, not your sleeves?oh, I forgot, you're wearing your tank top ( in British English, sleeveless pullover/ singlet) right, hahaha...don't fall, scrapped your knees or else you need to go to the clinic to see the dresser, if there's none, you have to go to the hospital. is it raining there? Afraid that you might get a temperature later. (a believe is not to go in the rain afraid that you might be sick) Keep the picture/photo well and put them in the little nook or on a shelf. hahaha
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before I begin, tips with pronunciation in Sarawak Malay:
a = ä as in Father
e = e as in Term
é = é as in Let
i = ee as in Bee
o = o as in No , Toe
u = u as in Took, Put
ei,ey, ay = as in Day, Pay,

ng = word begins with 'ng' as in thing
ny = word begins with 'ny' as in banyak [banyak means more in English]

reference for ny from:
Retroflex nasal  / rujukan untuk ny dari: Sengauan lelangit



**In Sarawak dialect, the way you pronounces words with 'R' are also different. Emphasis on the 'R' are as if there are 2 'r's with an 'h' = 'rrh' , not rolling end of your tongue but using the back of your throat. Guttural Sound.
**make known that there are many words that are spelled with 'k' at the end and any word with the " ' " is with a silent 'k' in pronunciation, with an abrupt stop to the word. Any word without the " ' " please emphasize on the "k" sound.
Also referred to as a glottal stop. A very important info given to me by Suhaila Saee:) thanks Su:)


Below are samples of why the glottal stop is important to each word spelled and used correctly.

sak jak ( sa' ja') : walaupun - even though
sak ati : sakit ati - annoyed

the word 'sak' here is spelled the same but with a different pronounciation and meaning. the use of " ' " is very important to denote that each is different.
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The words extracted from the above are:

besinsin/nyinsin : from word, Sinsin, to shorten
seloar or for short, loar: pants
baju séndar:
tank top/ singlet/ sleeveless pullover
terusuk(terusu'): to fall on your knee
ngingis:
scrapped from word kikis - scrap
palaktut(pala'tut):
knee cap - kepala lutut in Bahasa Malaysia
godang: from the word godown;(in India and other countries in Asia) a warehouse or other storage place but the word has also been used as clinic
dréssar
: dresser who dressed wounds
spétar
: derived from the English word Hospital
derang
: warm- associated to warm temperature; also can be use for "Boil the water" - Derangkan Air
telok
: nook
pak
: shelf created by diagonal wood that holds the wall.

and there's these words too, coming from that conversation

tinjak: to step on
kasut bertigak(bertiga'): kasut is shoe; bertigak(bertiga') means with heel so its shoes with heel, from the word tigak which means heel
ngéténg: short, hanging, a reference to attire worn

and more was added:

ingga: this is a hard word to describe, hmmm, disgust
diimbat: to hit with hand or rattan
belebo or paluk(palu'): beaten up
lebor: soaking wet
dipolén: lecture with all might
ngerépak: to nag, nagging
menséa or menséya: long time ago, classic? need to refer more for this word
telab: small container
berayan: scattered around
gohét: derived from the English word go ahead
betabun: to run fast with all might
berékot: running
lantak/melantak: hit/to hit
berekot: running
boyak(boya'): also from the Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia word Buaya, in English, Crocodile
kérék(kéré'): from the Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia word Kiri, English for Left
sesar unjur: straightened dried shrimp, mainly found in west coast of North Borneo
serampuk(serampu'): rubbish that gathers in the water
anyut: from the Bahasa Malaysia word hanyut, English for drift
tangga/nangga: look/to look, looking
indah: in Bahasa Malaysia it is describes as Beauty, in Sarawak local language it decribes an adjective used in words, lika an additon. I can't explain it well, yet.
serakak: jaw bone
jaguk(jagu')/daguk(dagu'): jaw, dagu in Bahasa Malaysia
kepak(kepa'): tired
ngindin: to crash on one's lunch or dinner
ngégéh: show off
ngelayor: walking/driving around
terkayo-kayo: walking around clueless
Gocoh Siréh: a tool use to crush betel leaves, lime and betel nut eaten by elderly or lovers of chewing betel leaves
Alu' & Lesong: Pestle & Mortar
Mortar: rubber or plastic layer to lay on a mattress to avoid accidents especially for small kids.
rengang/ngang: a word to describe a foul smell....urghh!
dudi: later/last, in Bahasa Malaysia - kemudian

All the words above are from conversation mostly with Hazel Jz and my sister. These are regular old Classic Sarawak language that all locals, my grandmother's era knows but modern kids might not and I was surprised that this young lady are very fluent at it! My jaw and neck hurts just reading it laughing till I cannot laugh anymore. It's not what she meant is funny but the words she uses was very classic that I have not heard of in years! I am not sure if it applies anywhere, but when you have colloquial words used in a certain community vs the formal everyday conversation, it can be the most uplifting conversation ever.

Amongst all this with another conversation with my second sister about her kids and nieces, my nieces, I can't. for the life of me express this meaning "Tua Ija." The closest meaning I can think of that it refers to is, young kid who thinks and acts like an adult.

Thanks Payne and Hazel, Mah, once again.

tapak: plate, in Bahasa Malaysia -pinggan
cangkér: cup, in Bahasa Malaysia - cawan
nyior: coconut, in Bahasa Malaysia - kelapa
palak(pala'): head, in Bahasa Malaysia - kepala
kalas: pink, in Bahasa Malaysia - merah jambu

...to be continued on the next page >>

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