Understanding Malaysian English (Manglish) jargon in social media

Abstract

The advent of the internet, mobile communication and media has created a new form of language such as Slang, Emoticons, Hashtag and Abbreviation as well as a combination of several languages in one word. Some go to the extent of localizing foreign language. In Malaysia, a new trend of using social media language is called Manglish, a mix language of Malay and English words that are popularized by social media users. Based on initial findings, the use of Malaysian English (Manglish) jargon can lead to confusion and miscommunication between social media users of different generations. Even though there are various translation software available, no online Manglish Jargon translator is available at present. Therefore, this work proposes the development of Manglish Jargon Translator that will reduce the miscommunication gap between social media users of all ages. Interview and survey instruments were conducted to capture user requirement and as part of the Manglish Jargon validation process.  As a result, the Manglish Jargon translator was developed to further clarify Manglish Jargon terms, actual words, meanings and definitions.

Keywords: Manglish, jargon, communication, social media, Malaysian