Dear all Malay/Indonesian specialists/linguists/teachers on the list<BR> <BR>I hope you can help answer the following questions. Please send reply to Jason Adamson directly <A href="mailto:jadamson@avantassessment.com">jadamson@avantassessment.com</A><BR>You can also of course cc to the list to enlighten the list members (like me) who are interested but don't know a whole lot about the issues.<BR> <BR>- YH<BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>From: Jason Adamson <jadamson@avantassessment.com><BR>Date: Monday, April 7, 2008 12:29 pm<BR>Subject: Questions Regarding Malay - Avant Assessment<BR>To: yuphapha@hawaii.edu<BR><BR><BR><SPAN xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml">
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>Professor Hoonchamlong<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">, <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>My name is Jason Adamson. I work for a company called Avant Assessment (<A href="http://www.avantassessment.com/" target=1>www.avantassessment.com</A>). Avant specializes in developing assessment tools. One of Avant’s customers recently requested a Malay proficiency test. It turns out, however, that neither Avant nor Avant’s customer has a full grasp of what Malay is exactly. <o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>As the lead manager for the project, I have been conducting research into what the term Malay even connotes. My research has suggested to me that Malay may not be a single identifiable language, per se, but rather a lose term used to indicate any number of similar languages spoken in the Indonesian archipelago. <o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>As I have researched the countries of the region I have found that each has its own official language (e.g. Indonesia has Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malayu for Malaysia etc.), which share similar characteristics. However, I would like to determine whether there is a single, unifying language, which could be considered a standard form of Malay throughout the Indonesian archipelago. I suspect that Bahasa Maleyu Raiu may be this standard language. Does Bahasa Melayu Raiu constitute an cross-cultural, standard language in the Indonesian archipelago? If so, to what extent is it used throughout the Indonesian archipelago and by whom is it used under what circumstances? Is it universally understood by all those who speak some version of it (e.g. Bahasa Indonesia or Bahasa Malayu)? If Bahasa Maleyu Raiu is not a standard form of Malay in the Indonesian archipelago, is there such a language? If so, to what extent is it used and understood and under what circumstances is it used?<o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>As I’m sure you can imagine, trying to apply the same rules that are used when discussing Germanic or Romance languages to languages of the Indonesian archipelago is very challenging. It’s sometimes hard to even know what to ask. In any event, it seems at least reasonable to conclude that trying to construct as assessment tool for “Malay” may not even be an appropriate test construct. I certainly hope you can help shed light on some of the issues we are having at Avant Assessment as we attempt to better understand that languages and culture of the Indonesian archipelago and develop tools that help students to improve their languages skills. Any information you could provide would be greatly, greatly appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you. <o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>Jason I. Adamson<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>Test Development Manager<o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>mobile: (210) 316-1289<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>home: (210) 455-4521<o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><A href="javascript:main.compose('new','t=jadamson@avantassessment.com')"><FONT style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-STYLE: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f5f8f0">> </FONT>jadamson@avantassessment.com</A><o:p></o:p></P>
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