Family Addressing System in Malay and Arab Languages: An Analysis of Sociolinguistic Clash

Abstract

This study is a first attempt to comparatively study the addressing system in Malay and Arabic societies, which is an important element in communicating and interacting. This analysis uses lexicological and sociolinguistic approaches. The study found that the family addressing system in Arabic is viewed as more complicated and complex than the address forms used within the Malay society. This will cause difficulty and confusion in determining the appropriate meaning match for the terms. As a result, translators and anyone else involved in the process of moving the meaning of a word between Malay and Arabic should be cautious and always refer to the term’s meaning before assigning a match so that the receiver or reader of the translation do not become confused.