Why Malaysian Children Quickly Pick Up Indonesian Language

The sudden emergence of Indonesian words like 'enak banget!', 'nggak', 'seru,' and 'gemas' from young Malaysian children often leaves parents bewildered. While these phrases are common on social media, their adoption by children raises questions about why Indonesian seems to resonate more easily than their native tongue. The explanation, according to clinical psychologist Putri Intan Dianah of Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur, lies not in the inherent appeal of Indonesian, but in a confluence of psychological factors.

Putri Intan Dianah explains that Indonesian possesses a distinct advantage due to its phonetic similarity to Malay, making it readily understandable. However, subtle differences in vocabulary, intonation, and conversational style render it novel enough to capture a child's interest without being entirely alien. "Children can still grasp the storyline or what the content creator is saying, while simultaneously being drawn to the words and pronunciations that differ from what they usually hear at home," she notes.

This phenomenon aligns with Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory, which posits that children learn not only through direct instruction but also via observation and imitation. When content creators repeatedly use certain words in humorous, entertaining, or engaging videos, children absorb not just the words but also their contextual application. This process can occur subconsciously. As a word is heard multiple times, it becomes familiar and easier to recall, eventually leading the child to incorporate it into daily conversations without formal teaching.

"The effect is amplified when the use of these words elicits a reaction from those around them. For instance, if a child uses an Indonesian word and parents laugh or give attention, this reaction can serve as reinforcement, encouraging the child to repeat it," Putri Intan Dianah states. "Therefore, it's not unusual for parents to suddenly hear their child using words never spoken at home. They are essentially integrating language acquired from viewing experiences into their real lives."

Furthermore, entertaining content plays a significant role. Humor, music, animation, surprises, challenges, and simple narratives are highly effective in holding a child's attention for extended periods. In observational learning, attention is a critical precursor to information processing. The more engaging the content, the more likely a child is to focus, observe, and subsequently imitate the language used, leading to the rapid acquisition of Indonesian phrases.