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Malaysian English is the variety of English used in Malaysia since the formation of the nation-state in 1963. Prior to independence from Britain the term Anglo-Malay was used, indicating the influence of the Malay language. From the earlier period come such general English words of Malay origin as amok, durian, kampong, mango, orang-utan, sago, and sarong. Malaysian English pronounces r in such words as art, door, and worker. There is a tendency toward full vowels in all syllables (e.g. seven pronounced "seh-ven," not "sevn"), and a reduction in consonant clusters at the ends of words ("muss" for must, "bes" for best, "liv" lived, "relac" relax). In grammar, reflexive pronouns are used for emphasis, often without the verb to be, as in "Himself sick," and certain general-purpose particles are used, such as lah, indicating informality and intimacy, as in "Can do it lah?" ("Can you do it?"). There is considerable hybridization between Malay and English, as in: "She wanted to beli some barang-barang" ("She wanted to buy some things").
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