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Article published In:
Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages
Vol. 33:1 (2018) ► pp.136–173

Baba Malay

Diverging trends in two ecologies

| National University of Singapore, Singapore
This article sheds light on the systematic differences between the variety of Baba Malay spoken in Malacca and that spoken in Singapore. In the literature, the creole is usually discussed as if it is a single homogeneous variety. Language documentation work conducted in both Malacca and Singapore shows that there are crucial differences between how Baba Malay is spoken in both places. These differences are systematic, and they pervade areas of morphology and syntax. All differences lead to the same conclusions. Evidence shows that the variety of Baba Malay in Malacca is much more heavily influenced by its lexifier, Malay, than the variety that is spoken in Singapore. Singapore Baba Malay is also more influenced by its substrate, Hokkien, than Malacca Baba Malay. This divergence between the two varieties is attributed to their specific ecologies. Crucially, the impetus for establishing two varieties of Baba Malay becomes even more vital than ever, given the fact that both varieties are highly endangered, and that researchers engaged in research on Baba Malay should be aware of both varieties and their social environments in order to fully represent the creole.
Keywords: Baba Malay, Southeast Asia, Austronesian, Sino-Tibetan, documentation, endangerment, ecology, morphology, syntax
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Historical and social context of Baba Malay in Malacca and Singapore
  • 3.Differences between Malacca Baba Malay and Singapore Baba Malay
    • 3.1Morphological differences
      • 3.1.1 ke – an nominalizing circumfix versus -an nominalizing suffix
    • 3.2Syntactic differences
      • 3.2.1Noun demonstrative versus demonstrative noun
      • 3.2.2Differences in the verbal aspectual system
      • 3.2.3Differences in adjectival comparatives and adverbial comitatives/instrumentals
      • 3.2.4Differences in coordinating conjunctions
  • 4.Findings and implications
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 7 May 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jpcl.00004.lee
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