Language choice in a Malaysian car-assembly plant

Abstract

The data for this study were drawn from three types of verbal interactions: conversations, meetings, and interviews. The analysis pointed to three different levels of communication. At the top level (administrative area) English was the main language; at the middle level both Malay and English were used with striking evidence of code-switching. At the bottom level (the shop floor) Malay was the dominant language. These findings confirm the position of Malay and English as primary languages in Malaysia used both for intragroup and intergroup communication. The varieties of Malay and English used by the participants at work may be viewed as indicators of their membership in different socioeconomic and ethnic networks. © Walter de Gruyter.