Malaysian English at the crossroads: Some sign‐posts

Abstract

Abstract Attitudes towards one's second language are often ambivalent. One needed to use it but often one could not or would not master the language to native‐like or even near native‐like competence. The compromise is a non‐native variety such as Malaysian English, distinct from the Standard British English from which it evolved. Whether this Malaysian variety consolidates in its present form or continues evolving into a form even further from its roots, depends on the attitudes of its speech community. Some small‐scale studies in Singapore show that speakers of Malaysian as well as Singaporean English are confused as to their future direction. This study, to some extent, replicates and amalgamates these Singaporean studies in an attempt to predict the future of Malaysian English.