I enjoyed M Bakri Musa's column on modern Malysian language use, having been an interested observer of Malaysian English while living in Malaysia for a year or so ('Aiya! Stick to one lah, can or not?' July 22). There are a couple of points that perhaps deserve an alternative view.

Firstly, although the column seems to be a trifle defensive about the progress of Bahasa Malaysia and its relationship with English, I don't think this is at all necessary. The process of rapid growth and obvious borrowing from other languages is of course the same as had happened a couple of thousand years ago to English. At that time English was vastly less formal than it is now (or at least not so defined) and words were appropriated all the time, either as they were needed or as they tickled the fancies of English people and so became fashionable.

Malaysians are fortunate to be able to observe the 'early' progress of their own language, and should take some joy in watching and experiencing how it turns out, and participating in that process.

With lah , Malaysians already have a significant one-up on English-only speakers. Lah , as the column points out, is a useful and appealing word for which we (Australians in my case) have no equivalent. It expresses a useful emphasis and must surely be close to a defining part of the Malaysian character - an attractive part at that.

The author fears that "such hurried and haphazard growth stresses the basic character and foundation of the language...(and) degrades the culture that gave birth to the language." I have to disagree - it is the basic foundation of the language, just at a different stage from more mature languages. Lucky country Malaysia to be building its own language now, in front of our very eyes!

While it may dilute the old cultural sources, it is unlikely - probably impossible - for the old sources and cultural influences to be lost, and there needs to be enough room for current culture to make its mark.

As for mixing Malay and English in one sentence, this has been done by more educated folk in all languages since forever, sometimes in order to be smart, but more positively because some thoughts can truly be more exactly expressed in one language than the other.

I envy bilingual cultures - what a resource! What a luxury to be able to switch midstream to another language for emphasis, for better capturing that thought, for emotional impact, or to alert the listener to some subtlety that might otherwise be missed.

Sadly all non-English languages are today feeling the pressure from English as the increasingly dominant language, and I am sure there are very few who think this is a good thing.

The best way for any language including Malay to withstand the onslaught is to remain relevant and evolving. This includes keeping up with new technology and other changes - and to do this being willing to borrow new words from the language that sourced the new thing - which today almost always means English.

Malay

must be willing to adopt or adapt from English to remain comprehensive and thus to maintain its usefulness. To lose this flexibility and relevance would certainly lead to it being sidelined by English, and eventually lost.

Lastly, my favourite piece of Malaysian English (I am not sure I like the word Manglish - it sounds too negative) is the use of on and off as verbs - to "on the light" and "would you please off the aircon when you leave". I assume these are transliterations of Malay grammar, but so efficient!