29/10/2026

LYFE THURSDAY | OCT 29, 2026

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Malaysian Paper

/theSunMedia /

Ű BY AMEEN HAZIZI lifestyle@thesundaily.com

M ALAYSIANS borrow English words so regularly that we can attend a meeting, discuss a deadline and complain about parking without finishing a sentence entirely in Malay. But English has been borrowing from our side of the world too, sometimes disguising the evidence with a different spelling. Amok, compound, orangutan, pangolin, paddy and rattan all have Malay connections. Their histories stretch across the wider Malay speaking region and predate modern Malaysia, reflecting centuries of contact between languages. Some remain recognisable, while others require a little detective work. How amuk became amok The phrase “run amok” now gets used for everything from destructive behaviour to children making a mess. Its history, however, is considerably darker than a classroom getting out of hand. English acquired amok through the Portuguese amouco , from Malay amuk , associated with attacking furiously. Early Portuguese accounts from the Malay world described armed individuals launching frenzied attacks on people around them, sometimes continuing until they themselves were killed. The word therefore reached European readers in accounts of extreme violence. These descriptions came through outsiders’ interpretations of the

Before ‘run amok’ became an everyday expression, the word appeared in accounts of violent rampages.

Few English speakers would suspect that a residential compound shares its linguistic roots with a kampung .

Malay words English borrowed

Animals with Malay names Orangutan needs little explanation once broken into orang and hutan : person of the forest. English speakers use the name for the great ape found in Borneo and Sumatra, often without knowing its literal meaning. Pangolin is less immediately recognisable. Its name comes from pengguling , connected to guling , meaning to roll. The name describes the animal’s ability to curl into a protective ball. Malaysians generally call it tenggiling , which helps explain why its English name might not immediately register as another Malay borrowing. Both names carry descriptions of the animals into English. From padi to rotan Paddy comes from padi , referring to rice growing in a field or grain before milling. Its Malay ancestry is particularly easy to hear in the familiar expression “paddy field”. Rattan comes from rotan and refers to climbing palms and the stems used for furniture and woven goods. Browse an English-language furniture catalogue and the word appears quite naturally. From rice fields to living rooms, Malay vocabulary has travelled well beyond the conversations where it began.

o From amuk to orangutan, discovering local terms that have gone global

villages and hometowns. The spelling has travelled far enough that most people would never think to connect them. There is one catch: This origin applies to the enclosed-place meaning. Chemical compounds and the verb meaning to worsen a problem have separate histories. Sharing a spelling does not mean sharing a family tree.

far more casually.

societies they encountered and should not be treated as a general description of Malay behaviour. Over time, English broadened its use. Someone running amok might still be committing violence, but the expression can also describe disorder, recklessness or anything getting beyond control. The familiar connection to mengamuk remains, even when the English phrase is used

Kampung behind gates Compound is a less obvious borrowing. In the sense of an enclosed area containing buildings, the word traces back to kampung , also spelt kampong . That gives a residential or military compound a linguistic connection to a word Malaysians associate with

Known locally as padi , the crop lent its Malay name to the English vocabulary of rice farming.

Of the Malay words that entered English, orangutan wears its origins most openly. – PICS FROM 123RF

Zeppo Youngsterz crowned Haru 2026 champions in South Korea week to learn the choreography before joining the team for another week of rehearsals in South Korea.

MALAYSIAN dance crew Zeppo Youngsterz recently emerged as champions at Haru 2026 in Seoul, South Korea, beating 16 competing groups from South Korea, China, Switzerland, Japan, Vietnam and Germany. The 24-member crew spent three months preparing for the international competition, refining its choreography and coordinating rehearsals ahead of the event. The winning performance was based on a concept developed by Zeppo director Faris Azim, with Spanish choreographer Larkin leading its creative development and choreography. Preparations suffered a setback when dancer Danial Fuad sustained an injury that ruled him out of the competition. Khai Zun was brought in as a replacement, leaving him just one

and trusted the process. “I’m proud of the entire team for staying committed and working together until the end. This win is not just about the result, but about the journey, the sacrifices and the people who made it possible. “We hope to continue bringing our work to international stages and make Malaysia proud.” Following its victory in South Korea, Zeppo Youngsterz is now looking towards The Vibe, an international dance competition held in the US. The crew hopes to bring its Haru winning performance to the competition in 2027, although its participation has yet to be confirmed. The Haru victory adds to Zeppo Youngsterz’s growing international experience as the Malaysian dance crew seeks further opportunities to compete overseas.

The crew also relied on online training sessions and practice videos to coordinate rehearsals and ensure the dancers were familiar with the routine. Despite the disruption, Zeppo Youngsterz went on to secure the championship title against an international field. Faris said the victory was particularly meaningful given the difficulties the team faced in the weeks leading up to the competition. “Winning Haru 2026 means a lot to us, especially after everything the team went through during the preparation. “We had to adapt to unexpected challenges and make difficult adjustments at the last minute, but everyone continued to give their best

Months of preparation pay off as Zeppo Youngsterz takes home the top prize at Haru 2026. – HANDOUT PIC