American philosopher, John Dewey once said, “Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.” When you are learning a language, it is essential to set realistic and consistent goals for every level to achieve fluency.
Perhaps you have been learning the Malay language for quite some time now and you may feel comfortable with having some basic knowledge of the four language components. After completing your basic beginner Malay lessons, you may find that it may take you some time to transition into your intermediate Malay lessons.
Do not be discouraged as you are not the only one who is facing this. With extra practice and the right focus, your basic Malay lessons will act as a stepping stone to propel you to be an intermediate Malay learner.
Asking some basic questions to prepare yourself for the right track
What sets you apart from a beginner and an intermediate Malay learner? Here is some checklist questions that you can review to evaluate your current language proficiency.
1. Are you able to construct simple sentences without grammatical errors?
This applies to your writing and speaking. You should be able to use the correct pronouns, relevant adjectives and position your subjects accordingly to form basic sentences.
2. Are you able to apply the words that you have previously learnt in normal conversations?
This is a good way to test your vocabulary retention as well as how good you can consistently interchange new words of similar meanings. For instance, masa and waktu are both Malay words to describe time. You should know which word is more suitable to describe the concept of time in different settings.
3. Are you able to speak and write spontaneously on more complex topics?
This is greatly related to your level of confidence as well as how comfortable you are with expressing yourself in the Malay language. You should be at ease to engage in longer and deeper conversations.
Source: Pixabay
Spice up your writing and speaking with Malay idioms and proverbs
A good to improve your Malay language is to apply Malay idioms and expressions in your speaking and writing. Learning simpulan bahasa (idioms) and peribahasa (proverbs) is fun and culturally enriching because it is deeply related to the heart and culture of the Malaysian society.
It promises a diverse, natural, funny and meaningful learning experience. As you master various Malay expressions, you also get to improve your writing skills while forming a deeper connection in friendship and communication.
Malay idioms are a combination of two separate words that come together to form a new phrase with a distinct meaning. For instance, some Malay idioms are derived from our everyday life and natural surroundings. One idiom to describe a proud person in Malay is hidung tinggi.
Hidung means nose in Malay while tinggi means something tall or high. When you combine them, it literally means someone who has a high nose (who is looking down on others). Another example that is part of our everyday life is buah tangan which means fruit in one’s hand. This idiom is usually used to describe presents or something that you bring during visitation.
Malay proverbs are longer and tend to be more philosophical. Some of the Malay proverbs are rather similar to English proverbs. They normally share the same meaning but used different concepts in terms of their description. For instance, the Malay proverb that is equivalent to the English proverb “Don’t cry over spilt milk” is “Nasi sudah menjadi bubur.” The meaning is the rice has turned to porridge, which symbolizes that something that cannot be changed.
Practice makes perfect- Be intentional to communicate in Malay
Talking to yourself in Malay is a great way to improve your Malay consistently. You can always practice self-talk if your environment doesn’t allow you to meet other Malay speakers. Start with words or phrases that you already know (link to speak better Malay) and you can start replacing them with similar meaning words or phrases. Do an exercise of “Is there another way to say or write this?”
While learning, be reminded that it is normal to make mistakes along the way. Aim for progress and not perfection. Remember that in language learning, it is certainly better to have the experience of doing it wrong rather than the experience of not trying it at all.
Sometimes your previous mistakes will help you to remember new words or phrases better that can be used for other contexts. As a result, you get to experience maximum vocabulary retention when learning Malay.
For speaking, a way to advance to an intermediate Malay learner is to grab any opportunity to speak in different situations and settings. Though engagement in one-to-one conversations is good, do not shy away from speaking in a meeting and voicing up during discussions.
Source: Monash University Malaysia
You can start by practising speaking in terms of a simple introduction and then slowly organizing your points for the body right until the conclusion.
Let’s say you are participating in a workshop or a lecture, you can also prepare some questions to ask the instructor or your friends and even actively engage in a Q and A activity after the session. This is also a good practice for you to state your opinions and even make effective arguments to improve your articulation in the Malay language.
Ways to improve your listening and reading in Malay
This is one of the most widely used methods by language learners. Bear in mind that, it is more effective for those who have a basic understanding of the Malay language. Watching a Malay movie or drama with Malay subtitles enable you to have a personalized experience when it comes to self-learning Malay at your own pace.
This is because when you are reading and listening at the same time, you are more likely to understand the content and remember the new words better.
Treat this experience as a fun learning exposure instead of straightforward lessons that you normally have. Of course, it is important to pay attention but remember that this activity acts as a supplementary practice after you have attended regular intermediate Malay lessons with your Malay teacher.
In terms of reading, though it sounds fancy to have fast reading speed, it is more important to grasp the meaning of the content that you are reading.
Depending on the context and setting, at times you can opt for skimming the passage by glancing over the text to get an overall idea. For instance, if it is an easy objective passage, you can read the headline and first sentence of every paragraph and also look through the questions asked to swiftly find the answers.
Lifelong benefits of learning Malay
It may be easy to start learning Malay, but it could be a challenge to sustain your interest. Many language teachers have mentioned the importance of creating new experiences and discovering new methods.
In between, you can try something that you have not attempted when you are learning Malay. For instance, you can attend a language learning workshop, or be part of an audience of a Malay singing competition. Furthermore, you can also enhance your reading comprehension by exploring both traditional and non-traditional routes such as Malay textbooks, short stories and even poetry.
The journey to be fluent in Malay will take time and dedication, but you should not underestimate the lifelong benefits of mastering a foreign language.
Firstly, you will have the opportunity to explore a new culture that makes new international friendships. Secondly, being fluent in Malay will give you an edge in the competitive job market, regardless of where you plan to work in the future.
Source: Free Malaysia Today
Having both cultural and language proficiency in the Malay language will make you a valuable asset especially when it comes to documents translation and even language tutoring. Furthermore, ever since the global lockdown has taken place, many people have released the importance of multilingualism.
This is evident through the case of increasing demand for virtual and online translators and interpreters for foreign subtitles in streaming services as well as online conferences.
Benefits of engaging with a Malay tutor with Superprof
Language learning should be an active and engaging process. When you start learning Malay with Superprof, you will automatically have a capable and experienced guide from time to time. Apart from having the chance to work on your speaking skills in Malay, you can also refine your Malay listening skills by listening to the pronunciation of locals in various dialogues settings too.
When you are learning Malay for every level, you will also receive comprehensive and diverse notes and materials on various topics to help you master the Malay language effectively.
You can have a strong foundation as a beginner and progress to become an intermediate or even advanced Malay learner as long as you set your mind on it. You can soon achieve your goal to become fluent in the Malay language.
Start learning Malay with a tutor in Malay from Superprof today!
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