Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

XVI. MALAY BACK-SLANG.
By Ivor II. N. Evans, b.a.
The following are some examples ol one kind of Mala)
back-slang cluikap balik (obtained from a Linggi, Negri
Sembilan, Malay), which is used by bad mannered Malay
children when they wish to talk secrets before their elders and
betters or before uninitiated companions. The first stanza is
a pantun in ordinary Malay, the second the same converted
into back-slang. A beginner is supposed to learn both of those
by heart m order to acquire a facility in this secret means of
communication, lino- do not serin to he any very well
i
defined rules fot converting irdinarj words into back-slang by
this method, .• pi that in those of two syllables, the syllables
ire generall) transposed. In three-syllable words, letters or
ivllables may he inserted and the original letters or syllables
transposed,
unchanged.
but the last syllable in many cases remains
Kioli rendah bunyi-nya burong.
Burong terbang deri sa'brang.
Hinggap sa'ekor atas bumbongan (tulang bumbong).
Menegoh bumbongan hanyut deri nln.
Perisek pekasam udang.
Anak rimau jantan mati jerongkong.
Yon yarah nubi nei ubong.
Nerubong terbarung rida serabung.
Ngahip jikou latung u-ung.
Megonoh latung u-ung nyor-at rida luhu.
Pesingik pesangam dahung.
Nahak mori tajan tima jikorong.
Further examples of ordinary Malay with back lang
equivalents.
(i) Angkou hendak ka'mana?
i i,; \ ii i angou nahak kenema ?
(2) Aku hendak pergi Taiping.
(2d) Kni n 1
. 1 1 :
I giper
Pa) teng.
The next example was given to me by a Provinci
- Well Ii \ in in. In it the insertion oi addition of the letter s
eithei with, or without, a vowel before or following it ei ms
to be the chief feature. There appear to be many diffi renl
methods of talking back-slang.
Ill 1 Ian;; link pergi kenianii ?
ion Has nasak perasgisi kas ma n 1
a