Merdeka Day and accents

A Merdeka Costume

I'm trying to think of something interesting to write about this week as all week I've been listening to mentors telling me all about their work plans and achievements over the past 8 months. It has been very interesting to me and not at all repetitive as I thought it might be but somehow I don't feel it would grab everyone else's attention on the blog. I ended up in Kudat at the Tip of Borneo yet again and spent Friday evening and Saturday there. As always I had an interesting time except that the weather was very wild and there was no time on the beach but I did meet a lady a little younger than me that had attended Methodist College Belfast - my old school. She asked me about the wi-fi and the remnants of my Northern Ireland accent were strong enough for her to pick up and before long we were chatting like old friends. She had been living in Australia for the past 30 years but her accent was instantly recogniseable too.

Why is that some people adopt other accents very quickly and others don't I wonder. Some of my children are in the category who change their accents according to who they are speaking to and even though they say they are trying not to, they just can't help it! A mentor who has only been here a few weeks, has been complimented on her English Malay accent and she feels herself also being sucked into the malay intonation. I wonder are some accents stronger than others and dominate the intonation pattern or is it that some people have a more adept ear to the musicality of a language. I feel I must do some more research on the matter...!

31 August 1957

    It was 31 August, 1957 when the British flag was lowered and the Malaysian Federation formed , although not including Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak until 6 years later. It was a momentous occasion in the history of Malaysia and the moment of merdeka (independence) is remembered every year with many flags being flown from cars, bikes, buildings and celebrations in all the schools. Happy Merdeka Day Malaysians everywhere.