Title: A study of Chinese loanwords (from South Fujian dialects) in the Malay and Indonesian languages
Abstract: 1932), as well as studying quite a number of Chinese and foreign articles dealing with this subject.The following observations, which, I should point out, are of a preliminary nature, are the result of these researches. I. Historical BackgroundChinese loanwords in Malay and Indonesian languages in the main are derived from South Fujian dialects.In the eight Malay-Indonesian dictionaries studied, I have found altogether 507 Chinese loanwords, of which a rough check has shown at least 454 to be derived from South Fujian dialects, representing 89.5% of the total Chinese vocabulary found in the Malay and Indonesian languages.The reason why South Fujian dialect loanwords form such a great majority of the total number of Chinese loanwords in the Malay and Indonesian dictionaries is provided by certain historical and social factors.To begin with, it was a long established practice for South Fujian people to go overseas in search of a new life.The South Fujian region mostly consists of barren mountains (80%), with very little land for cultivation.This made the people more vulnerable to hardship in the event of war or some natural calamity.They were thus forced to seek ways and means of evading hardship.As the old saying goes, 'Men are