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Waruno Mahdi wrote:<br>> <br>> But the process of borrowing can sometimes have unexpected, or no<br>> longer apparent loopholes. The word _bro_ (short for _brother_)<br>> began to be used some years ago in Malaysia as gender-specific term<br>> of address to a (male) friend. I noticed recently that it has also<br>> started to be used by some young Indonesians.<br><br>Likely from the influence of rap music, movies or other pop phenomena.<br>> <br>> In view of the fact, that _bro_ in (American) English has a quite<br>> pronounced derogatory meaning (something like "white-trash male"),<br><br>I have to disagree. While it certainly originated in Afro-American slang-- as a term of affection-- it has been adopted by young Americans of all races and classes and has no negative connotations that I'm aware of. (Of course, some whites of a certain mind-set may find it risible, or criticize the youngsters for "sounding too black".) It has probably reached other English-speaking areas too. It's quite widely heard e.g. in TV shows, movies, music....though I speak as one who's several generations removed from all that :-).<br><br>> it seems very unlikely that the Malay word was a direct borrowing<br>> from English. I tentatively suspect, therefore, that the original<br>> precursor was _brother_ as term of address amongst Afro-Americans,<br>> and that Malay _bro_ was shortened from _brother_ in Malay itself,<br>> independently of the shortening to _bro_ in English. Does that<br>> sound likely?<br><br>I'd go with the pop music/movies/TV idea, or even the internet and cell-phone/texting usage......<br><br> </body>
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