" Cangkir ni pane."
Do you know what's the phrases above means? >
it's means....
"Kakak sudah sampai."
"Cawan ini panas."
it seems familiar to us but we can't really understand what exactly the phrases mean
so this interesting language is called "Baba Malay".
Baba Malay_Introduce
The language of the Peranakans, Baba Malay (Bahasa Melayu Baba), is a dialect of the Malay language (Bahasa Melayu), which contains many Hokkien words. It is a dying language, and its contemporary use is mainly limited to members of the older generation. English has now replaced this as the main language spoken amongst the younger generation.
In Indonesia, young Peranakans can still speak this creole language, although its use is limited to informal occasions. As is the case with many languages, young Peranakans have created new words (and lost others), so there is normally a difference in vocabulary between the older and younger generations.
Like Malay, Baba Malay has many loan words: taci ( from Tamil ), cangkir ( Chinese ) and pane ( Malay ). During the British colonial administration, it adopted English words as well. For instance, tempeh ( temple ). The Baba-British relationship was excellent so much so that they were known as the King's Chinese.
It was only during the process of researching for this webpage that I found out Baba Malay is the Malaysian creole with the largest number of speakers - no more than 5,000 primarily in Malacca.
Unlike the other Chinese ethnic groups who spoke their Mother tongue and Mandarin, the Babas and Nyonyas (of Hokkien descent) mainly spoke in Hokkien with a mixture of Malay words and English. In fact, it was common for them to speak part of a sentence in Hokkien punctuated or substituted with Malay words and yet they could understand one another with ease. It might sound strange, even incomprehensible to the younger generation of Peranakans when two adults conversed in Baba Malay. Common Malay words often repeated would include tumpang, kasihan, sembang, tuala, tapi, suka, batuk, tolong, jamban, piring, sampah, geram etc.
Form of Baba Malay
This corrupted form of spoken Hokkien with liberal borrowings from Malay words can even have more than one meaning. These are few reasons that form of Baba Malay:
- Very often mispronunciations occurred because the Babas and Nyonyas picked up Malay words by ear.
- Many could not even read or write then ; they had to rely on memory power alone.
- They merely picked up words through speaking with their Malay counterparts and perhaps, the Indian kuih sellers.
- Married and expectant Nyonyas who had employed Malay or Javanese orang jaga (confinement period women) and bidan (mid-wives) would have picked up a smattering of communicative Indonesian & Malay words to indicate their wants and wishes.
Baba Malay_Examples
Extracts from a simple conversation might include simple sentences like the following:
1. Dia suka datang sini sembang. (He likes to come here and gossip).
2. Keliap-keliap, dia naik angin. (Slightly provoked, he gets angry)
3. Gua tunggu dia sampai gua k'ee geram. (I waited for him till I got angry).
4. Oo-wa! kinajeet, dia pasang kuat. (Wow! Today he dresses stylishly!)
Words like bunting (pregnant), gugur (miscarriage), datang kotor (menstruating), bulanberanak (given birth), pantang (abstinence or taboo), tetek (breasts), sayang (love), susu (milk), lampin (baby diapers) etc crept into the Nyonya's extended Malay vocabulary. And with subsequent usage and knowledge of the Malay language, the Nyonya's confidence grew. Indonesian loan words began creeping into Baba Malay that the language itself began to sound similar in structure and pronounciation to that of Betawi or Jakarta Malay with its "Gua" and "Lu's".
Baba Malay_Names of babies
Influenced to a great extent by their Javanese or Malay confinement-period women (orang jaga) and mid-wives ('Bidan') as well as their Malay neighbours, the 'Nyonyas' became involved with local superstitions and beliefs. Ever fearful of evil forces which might take away their new-born babies, the Nyonyas (acting on the advice of the orang jaga and bidan would give nicknames to their children. Hence it was not at all surprising when we heard of boys having Malay nicknames like Tuteh, Itam, Bulat, Kurui, Botak, Panjang and even Kassim . Female children would have nicknames like Kechik, Molek, Intan, Nya- chik, Penyet etc. though it must be pointed out that every child was given his/her Chinese name. When a child fell sick, it was the Nenek (Malay female spirit) the Nyonyas appealed to for help.
Baba Malay_Customs
For other domestic problems such as when the husbands strayed, the Nyonyas would consult the Bomohs seeking guidance to win back their husbands from the 'other women' .Words like tangkai, air jampi, asap kemenyan, santau, bomoh etc. (often associated with the black arts or black magic) were familiar with the Nyonyas, no doubt due to local Malay influences. Young children from Baba families wore tangkai (talismans) to protect them from evil forces. Nyonyas would also not hesitate to make a vow taruh nia at keramats (Malay holy shrines) when their children fell ill. When the children recovered, the Nyonyas would fulfill the vow (menunaikan niat ) with offerings of nasi kunyit , fruits, flowers and sireh leaves etc. at the keramat where they had placed their vow. Words like anak dara (virgin), kahwin (marry), Mak Andam (Mistress Of Ceremony), pengapit (page-girl/page-boy), pengantin (newly-wed bride or groom), menantu (daughter-in-law), seronee ( a musical instrument) were terms all too commonly used in a typical Baba-Nyonya wedding which incorporated both traditional Chinese and Malay customs. Here daun sireh or betel-leaves (introduced by the local Malays) played a very significant role. In the past, some very conservative Nyonya matriarch would insist on the introduction of the sireh dara as proof of the bride's virtuousness.
Baba Malay_Songs
Babas and Nyonyas are noted for their performance of Malacca's popular musical culture, the Dondang Sayang where they exchange poems in a humorous style, accompanied by a violin, accordion and traditional instruments such as the huge drum Rebana and Gong. Here's a Baba pantun mixed with Chinese dialects:
Ada satu Cina Hylam,
Pergi pasar beli ayam,
Habis duit berjudi malam,
Pulang rumah cuci tilam.
Ada satu Cina Makau,
Pergi pasar beli tembakau,
Habis duit main pakau,
Duduk rumah jadi risau.
Here's another one, Syair Renchana Piatu :
Ikan keikek keikek,
Masak sama cuka,
Nyonya banyak geitek,
Baba tidak suka
Bunga melor putih,
Kenangan hijau kuning,
Nyonya pandai meletih,
Baba suka jeling.
