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 

 defined rules fot converting irdinarj words into back-slang by 

 this method, i .• 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, but the last syllable in many cases remains 

 unchanged. 



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 



