Can all Malaysians speak English?

Question

I am going to Kuala Lumpur next week. But I am now so worry about my language, I wonder whether I can communicate with those Malaysian. Can they all speak English?

Answer 1

me no speaketh englisho..me no goeth to the schooleth...me the very dunno

Answer 2

Malaysia having been a former British colony and English being the second language since independence 50 years ago, most educated Malaysians can speak, read and write in English, though many are not masters of the language. You may hear grammatical and pronounciation errors or lack of fluency. In responding, speak slowly. Your "foreign" accent, whether you realise it or not, may contribute to miscommunication.

From your question, may I ask if English is your mother tongue? A little polishing is in order ;-O

"I am going to Kuala Lumpur next week. But I am now so worry (should be worrIED) about my language (you should be if you use poor English!), I wonder whether I can communicate with those Malaysian (there are actually a few million MalaysianS). Can they all (can you ALL?) speak English?"

Answer 3

I am a Malaysian and a resident of Kuala Lumpur..in regards to your curiosity..i just want to say that..please do not worry that much as most of Malaysian especially in the big cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor..the majority speaks good english..in other parts of the country..its depends..some may speak average english and some suprisingly do fluently speaks in the 'mat saleh' ( terms we use to the 'white' western people ) language..but it is much more fun to do some research in learning the main local language that is Bahasa Malaysia ( Malay Language )..and communicate with the local people in Malaysia..

anyway...Malaysian are amazingly friendly..even you cant understand a word they are trying to say..they will however will assist you in everything that you need..

Happy Holiday!!

Click on this for more latest info regarding Kuala Lumpur
http://www.visionkl.com

Answer 4

Most Malaysians will attempt to speak English - not British English, which is a disgusting expression, full marks to them. The Malaysian education system lost its way with language tuition from the late 60s, preferring that everyone be taught Bahasa Melayu, in itself an estimable goal, Unfortunately, the rest of the World,with the possible exception of France, viewed English as the international language, and Malaysia fell by the wayside. Sometime in the late 90s Malaysia woke up to their error and is trying to do somehing about it, again full marks. One of the problems is that malaysians tend to do direct translation, from english idiom to malay and vice versa, this causes confusion as the 2 languages are not really compatible. Further problems are old fashioned slang, and the the tendency to drop the last syllable, the last 2 again caused by the 30 year gap in teaching. I applaud malaysians for trying.

Answer 5

Basically all Malaysians have a good grasp of the English language because of its weightage in the Malaysian education system. However, emphasis is mostly on reading and comprehension thus although the vast majority is capable of understanding you, a handful might not be able to communicate fluently with you (i.e. talking) so you have to be patient with all the slang and gestures they will use in order to make a point. This however is rare in KL since its city centre and most people communicate in English daily. Also, communication problem might arise if you mistook foreign labours from Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines as Malaysians because mostly they only speak their mother tounge; it might be tough to differentiate them from locals thus, if you find them baffling or smiling shyly just say 'thank you' and ask help from the other person standing by.

Answer 6

I on the other-hand am worried that Malaysians might not understand your English. Basically, I think about 95% of Malaysians speaks English, not very well but can be understood, even my grandmother who can't read nor write speaks broken English. Unless of course you intend to go into the jungles where even Malaysians seldom visit.

Answer 7

In Kuala Lumpur, most Malaysian speak English especially the youngsters. But their slang might cause a bit of difficulty to you. You have to speak slowly to them so that they can easily understand your enquiries.

Answer 8

No, not all Malaysians speak English. However the young do mostly and in the shops you will find most do especially in the shopping malls. Taxi drivers do speak English or can be understood if you state the destination and look at the meter! Insist on the meter. Hotels will help.

Answer 9

Malaya the former name of Malaysia was a former British colony; naturally many do speak the English language from the uniform hotel bellboy to bank staff and shopkeepers. Don't expect Oxford English though but the local "Malaysian english" still quite comprehensible. "Those Malaysians" are well versed in a few other languages apart from their mother tongues - Malay, Indian, Chinese - how many languages can you speak in?

Answer 10

Yes majority of us speak English. However, speaking good English is another matter. Our education system is not sufficient in providing Malaysians with the means of reaching that potential.

Answer 11

I was born in K.L, although i haven't gone there for a while. I have cousins born and bred there so their understanding of English and speaking is basic.

I find that the 'pure' Malay's - that are the Islamics have a better education than the Chinese and Indian blood but also you might find that if you stick to certain places like the city, it should be okay. if you go into the poorer parts of the city like the suburban areas, English is poor or non-existent as they are probably less learned. I think it doesn't matter where you go however, even if its to England, America, the English language is varied as we use different terms for different things. I think its good to learn the basics of Malay or even Cantonese/Mandarin and be very good at making pictures in the air. But everyone is friendly - as long as you aren't by yourself and be safe!

Have a safe trip and enjoy!