To the more advanced lessons and exercises which are contained in this section, it may be well to prefix a few notes on colloquial Malay, which are suggested by a consciousness of some of the common errors into which European students of Malay are apt to fall.
First, Try to observe and imitate the impersonal and elliptical construction of Malay sentences. Notice how much more is left to the imagination than in English, and get rid of the notion that it is necessary to express invariably by nouns or pronouns the agents or objects of the actions spoken of. Ideas are conveyed in Malay in a much less concrete form than in the civilised languages of Europe, and what is lost in accuracy and distinctness is partially compensated for by brevity.
Why say kasih sama sahaya (lit. “give to me”), in imitation of the English give me, or the French donnez-moi, or the German geben sie mir, in all of which the pronoun is expressed, when a Malay would simply say bahagi-lah, give, or bawa, bring? It is easy enough to leave tone or gesture to supply any deficiency in meaning. The constant use of this phrase, sama sahaya, or sama kita, is a bad habit, which arises from a natural desire to give the word “me” its due value in Malay. This, as has been shown, is not necessary.
Examples.
Tell me; don’t be afraid— Bilang-lah, jangan takut; not, bilang sama sahaya, &c.
What are you going to give us?— Apa mahu bahagi? not, apa mahu bahagi sama kita?
How much must I pay you?— Bĕr-apa nanti kĕna bayar? not, bĕr-apa sahaya mahu bayar sama angkau?
I want him to make me a jacket— Sahaya handak suroh dia buat baju; not, sahaya handak suroh dia buat baja sama sahaya.
Can you make me a table?— Buleh-kah buat meja? not, buleh-kah buat meja sama sahaya.
Afterwards come and tell me— Lepas itu mari-lah khabar-kan; not, mari bilang sama sahaya.