[MS] Pengetahuan Pelajar Berkenaan Padanan Kata Pinjaman Arab dalam Bahasa Melayu: Satu Analisis

Students' Knowledge of Arabic Loanword Equivalents in Malay: An Analysis

Abstract

Generally, many languages in the world consist of words and vocabulary used for communication by their speakers. They express emotions, share ideas, and deliver information. Loanwords exist to add more vocabulary to the language borrowing them, helping to ensure the language's longevity. Arabic loanwords have been present in the Malay language for decades, as they are used in everyday Malay speech. This study was conducted to research the equivalents of Arabic loanwords with Arabic vocabulary. The objective is to reveal students' knowledge in providing an equivalent Arabic word for Arabic loanwords in Malay. This study used a qualitative descriptive methodology. Eight loanwords were selected and presented to ten students from the Centre of Foundation, International Islamic University Malaysia, who are studying the Arabic language. Additionally, the study discusses the methods used by the students to provide equivalent words. These methods include letter-by-letter equivalence, meaning equivalence, and other methods not falling into the first two categories. The study found that the letter-by-letter equivalence method received more responses from the respondents, as they saw the possibility of directly exchanging Malay loanwords for Arabic vocabulary letters, rather than considering meaning or other aspects. In conclusion, the researcher suggests conducting a study with a different group of Malay speakers regarding Arabic loanwords to gain more insights into loanword equivalents.