IKHTISAR: Kajian ini merangkumi disiplin psikolinguistik dan sosiolinguistik yang berfokus kepada masalah penggunaan serta penguasaan Bahasa Melayu dalam kalangan pelajar etnik Cina di sekolah kebangsaan. Berbeza dengan pelajar Melayu, golongan ini berbahasa Cina dan dibesarkan dalam keluarga yang tidak bertutur dengan Bahasa Melayu. Pendedahan mereka kepada Bahasa Melayu biasanya bermula di sekolah. Kajian ini meneliti jenis-jenis masalah yang dihadapi oleh mereka dalam penggunaan Bahasa Melayu dan juga langkah-langkah pemulihan yang diambil. Tinjauan turut dibuat ke atas sebab ibu bapa Cina menghantar anak mereka ke sekolah kebangsaan. Kajian ini menggunakan borang soal selidik, temu ramah, dan pemerhatian di sekolah bagi memperolehi maklumat dan data-data yang diperlukan. Seramai 91 orang pelajar dari tiga buah sekolah di negeri Selangor, Malaysia telah terlibat dalam kajian ini. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa pelajar Cina menghadapi masalah dalam aspek pemahaman, pertuturan, dan penulisan. Tahap penguasaan Bahasa Melayu mereka adalah sederhana pada umumnya. Usaha positif seperti menghadiri kelas tuisyen telah diambil oleh kebanyakan pelajar untuk mengurangkan masalah tersebut.

KATA KUNCI: Masalah penggunaan Bahasa Melayu, pelajar etnik Cina, penguasaan bahasa, perpaduan bangsa, dan negara Malaysia.

ABSTRACT: This study incorporates two disciplines, namely psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics. It looks into the usage problem and learning of Malay language among Chinese students in national schools. Unlike Malay students, this group of students speak Chinese language and is brought up in non-Malay speaking families. Their exposure to Malay language starts only at school. This study investigates the types of problem faced in Malay language usage and remedies taken. It also discusses the reasons of parents sending their children to national schools. To obtain data, questionnaires, interview, and observation at schools have been carried out. Respondents in this study are 91 Chinese students from 3 different national schools in Selangor, Malaysia. The result confirms that the Chinese students have problems in understanding, speaking, and writing Malay language. Their language proficiency level is rather average. To uplift their language ablity, the positive action taken by majority is by attending tuition classes after school.

KEY WORD: Malay language learning problems, Chinese students, language competence, national unity, and nation-state of Malaysia.

About the Authors: Dr. Ang Lay Hoon dan Dr. Che Radiah Mezah, kedua-dua ialah Pensyarah Kanan di Fakulti Bahasa Moden dan Komunikasi UPM (Universiti Putra Malaysia), Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Bagi urusan sebarang akademik, para penulis dapat dihubungi dengan alamat emel: layhoon@fbmk.upm.edu.my dan cradiah@fbmk.upm.edu.my

How to cite this article? Hoon, Ang Lay & Che Radiah Mezah. (2012). “Masalah Penggunaan Bahasa Melayu dalam Kalangan Pelajar Etnik Cina di Malaysia” in SOSIOHUMANIKA: Jurnal Pendidikan Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Vol.5, No.2 [November], pp.215-226. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press owned by ASPENSI, ISSN 1979-0112.

Chronicle of article: Accepted (September 29, 2012); Revised (October 30, 2012); and Published (November 20, 2012).

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