Linguistic Contact in East Timor

[Roger Mills]

Waruno Mahdi wrote:
> 
> But the process of borrowing can sometimes have unexpected, or no
> longer apparent loopholes. The word _bro_ (short for _brother_)
> began to be used some years ago in Malaysia as gender-specific term
> of address to a (male) friend. I noticed recently that it has also
> started to be used by some young Indonesians.

Likely from the influence of rap music, movies or other pop phenomena.
> 
> In view of the fact, that _bro_ in (American) English has a quite
> pronounced derogatory meaning (something like "white-trash male"),

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 :-).

> it seems very unlikely that the Malay word was a direct borrowing
> from English. I tentatively suspect, therefore, that the original
> precursor was _brother_ as term of address amongst Afro-Americans,
> and that Malay _bro_ was shortened from _brother_ in Malay itself,
> independently of the shortening to _bro_ in English. Does that
> sound likely?

I'd go with the pop music/movies/TV idea, or even the internet and cell-phone/texting usage......

 		 	   		  
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