English as an international language
It is undeniable that English is the most
common and the most important language in the world. The speakers can be
found almost anywhere, whether native or non-native. The expansion and
acceptance of English is still growing. According to Zaharuddin (1993),
this widespread use of English is due to two successive periods where
two English speaking countries dominated the world with their wealth,
strength, economic power and advanced technology. During the period of
the 19th century, the English controlled the world trade. After that,
from the 20th century onwards, the United States of America takes over.
Malaysia learns English as a result of the British colonisation, similar
to other countries which have had the same experience, and takes the
language as the second language because of its importance in development
and modernisation.
Presently, Zaharuddin (1993) stated that
English is used by a number of countries totalling about 600 million
people. Half of the population is native speakers while the other half
is of the non-native speakers. Since English is still expanding, it is
estimated that the number of non-native speakers of English may exceed
the number of native speakers. Strevens (1980) stated that it would be
an area of interest, since “the larger the total number of users, the
larger the number of differentiated versions of the language which will
develop.”
The position of English language in Malaysia
Due to colonisation, English was introduced
to Malaysia, and has become the second language. Presently, it is an
international language and is used as the language in international
relations, and in exchanging knowledge and technology.
According to Platt (1982), English has had a
comparatively long history in Malaysia. It was only since a few decades
ago that it is taught to almost all school children. Historically, the
Malays were the main ethnic group until the 19th century. They lived
mainly along the coasts and rivers. Though there were a number Indian
and Chinese merchants who settled here during the 15th century, a great
number of them arrived after the establishment of British. Platt (1982)
says that English colonies grew rapidly. When Kuala Lumpur became the
capital of the federation, with the development of the British
administration, the importance and use of English increased. However,
then, Malay or pidginised Malay was used as a tool of communication
between the ethnic groups. A local “English-based pidgin” did not
develop, but the basic Pidgin English was used to communicate with the
Europeans here.
Since the independence in 1957, English has
had changes in its roles and functions. In government’s effort to unify
the multi-racial Malaysia and create a sense of identity, Bahasa Melayu
has been chosen to be the national language. Juliah (1993) stated that
being the national language, it is also the official language and the
medium of instruction. Therefore, every Malaysian citizen has to acquire
it. According to Asmah (1983), as an official language, Malay is used
orally or in written form in official and formal communications in
government administration. As a medium of instruction, Malay is the
medium used in schools and other educational institutions. Juliah (1993)
added that due to its significant status and role in communication and
language teaching, Malay has been made as a compulsory subject in all
schools and institutions run by the government. With this new
educational policy, Malay is gaining more and more prestige and
importance.
With the upgrading of Malay, English was
phased out from being the official and prestigious language. Its
position has been reduced to the second language, and its usage is very
limited. In the public sector, English is no longer important. In
academic field, English is learned mainly because it offers access to
higher academic pursuits and certain positions in employment. Although
English is a compulsory subject, students do not have to pass it in
public examinations. Juliah (1993) says that this has caused indifferent
attitude and lack of motivation towards studying the language. Besides
that, with Malay being the official language, there is a limited usage
of English outside the classrooms, and even outside the English periods.
These factors could be the reasons why the level of English proficiency
among Malaysian students has declined seriously since the independence.
English in the Malaysian Education system
Though Malay is chosen as the national and
official language, the government realises the importance of English as a
tool for international communication and development. Therefore,
English is taken as the second language in this country.
In the education system, English is made a
compulsory subject to all students. The education system has been
designed to produce students who are able to communicate effectively in
English. Asmah (1983) stated that in terms of speaking skills, the goal
of it is to teach students so that they can be understood not only by
other Malaysians, but also by other English speaking communities in the
world. This can be seen in the Upper Secondary School Curriculum
Specification (form four and five) where the aims are:
The English Language Programme for the upper
secondary school level aims at building and extending upon the
proficiency of the students from the lower secondary school level so as
to equip them with the skills and knowledge of English to communicate in
certain job situations; and also to provide points of take-off for
various post-secondary school needs.
References
Asmah Hj. Omar. 1982. Language and society in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur : Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
Juliah Mohamad Beon.1993. Stress and meaning : Malay UKM students’ ability to apply English word stress. Academic exercise. University Kebangsaan Malaysia
Platt and Weber. 1980. English in Singapore and Malaysia: status, features, functions. Oxford : Oxford University Press
Strevens, P. 1980. Teaching English as an International Language. Oxford : Pergamon Press
Zaharuddin Yaacob. 1993. Intonation Patterns of Malaysian newscasters : a pilot study. Academic exercise. University Kebangsaan Malaysia.
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