Phenomena of Malaysian, and Japanese Languages from an Intercultural Communication Perspective

SHS Web of Conferences 202, 04011 (2024) ICEnSE 2024 https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202420204011 Phenomena of Malaysian, and Japanese Languages from an Intercultural Communication Perspective Arsyl Elensyah Rhema Machawan1*, Sonda Sanjaya2**, Nadiah Binti Zubbir 3*** 1 2 Japanese Language Education Department, Faculty of Language Education, 55183 Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia Japanese Language Education Department, Faculty of Language Education, 55183 Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia 3 Akademi Pengajaran Bahasa, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Shah Alam, Malaysia, 40450 Email: *; **, *** Abstract. This research focuses on field findings related to the phenomena of Malaysian, and Japanese languages from an intercultural communication perspective, encompassing language phenomena in written and spoken forms. Additionally, the research aims to understand the dynamics of interpersonal communication interactions across cultures as experienced firsthand. Employing a qualitative method, supplemented with an ethnographic approach tailored to how researchers gather data, this study examined Japanese language phenomena and language phenomena used in the Malayan Peninsula region (Singapore and Malaysia) over five days. The research findings, which have practical implications, indicate that while Indonesian and Malaysian languages share the same Latin-based writing system, there are vocabulary differences that can confuse users of both languages. In oral contexts, misunderstandings of certain expressions that can lead to miscommunication occur, despite the shared characteristics between Indonesians and Malaysians. On the other hand, the Japanese written language reflects the population of Japanese residing in regions using the Japanese script. Japanese language phenomena in spoken form reveal the use of mixed English and Japanese, informal language when meeting new people, and discussions related to privacy during initial introductions. Keywords: Languages Phenomena, Malay, Japanese, Intercultural Communication © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). SHS Web of Conferences 202, 04011 (2024) ICEnSE 2024 https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202420204011 INTRODUCTION A borderless world is a condition where the geographical, political, economic, and social boundaries between countries become increasingly blurred or disappear altogether. This phenomenon is closely tied to the outcomes of globalization, where advancements in technology and increased human mobility have made interactions highly dynamic (Setyawati et al., 2021). The positive side is that aspects such as social interaction, information, education, language, and culture that once had barriers are now easily accessible (Nasionalita, 2014). However, globalization also has a negative side, for example, in the context of language and culture, where there is a tendency to lose local cultural identity and replace it with global language and culture (Islam et al., 2019), It requires a wise approach to respond to both the positive and negative aspects so that they can lead to positive change. Therefore, intercultural communication is crucial in today's dynamic global world. (Brunner, 2021). Intercultural communication is the sharing of information, ideas, and meanings between individuals or groups with different cultural backgrounds. This process involves understanding and adapting to differences in language, norms, values, beliefs, and practices across various cultures. (Alkharusi & Segumpan, 2024). Intercultural communication is the sharing of information, ideas, and meanings between individuals or groups with different cultural backgrounds. This process involves understanding and adapting to differences in language, norms, values, beliefs, and practices across various cultures. Intercultural understanding enables us to appreciate and respect differences in communication styles, lifestyles, and values. (Al-Delawi et al., 2023). Intercultural understanding creates a more inclusive and friendly environment. Furthermore, understanding intercultural communication helps us communicate more effectively with people from different cultures. One example is the intercultural communication interactions among users of Indonesian, Malay, and Japanese languages. Japanese and Indonesians exhibit striking differences in writing, especially in their writing systems. Japanese employs four types of writing: kanji, hiragana, katakana, and romaji. Kanji originates from Chinese characters and is used to write specific words, with each kanji having its meaning and pronunciation, amounting to thousands in total. Hiragana is a phonetic alphabet used for native Japanese words, particles, etc. Katakana is another phonetic alphabet used for loanwords from foreign languages, scientific names, and for emphasis. On the other hand, romaji is the Latin alphabet used to write Japanese words, primarily to facilitate learning Japanese for foreigners (Tanaka, 1977). On the contrary, Indonesians only use the Latin alphabet in their writing system. Similarly, Malay utilizes the same writing system as Indonesians, eliminating communication barriers regarding letters.. Indonesian and Malay languages share many similarities (Yong, 2001) Due to their shared linguistic roots, however, there are differences, particularly in spoken language usage. In addition to variations in vocabulary, Indonesian pronunciation tends to be flat with minimal significant changes in intonation (Athanasopoulou et al., 2021), Except in some regions of Indonesia, such as when people from Jakarta speak Indonesian, there are differences in intonation compared to those from Sundanese, Papua, or Sumatra. Conversely, Malay is often pronounced with a melodious intonation and has variations in pitch (Gut & Pillai, 2014) more pronounced compared to Indonesian. When comparing Indonesian and Malay 2 SHS Web of Conferences 202, 04011 (2024) ICEnSE 2024 https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202420204011 languages with Japanese in spoken language, they exhibit many differences across various aspects due to not sharing the same linguistic roots. In terms of characteristics, although they are both Asian countries, there are striking differences between these nations. The Japanese are known for their high regard for privacy (Miyashita, 2011), Where they tend to separate private and public life strictly. For example, they rarely share personal issues at work or in broader social settings. They also respect others' privacy by not interfering too much or asking many questions about someone's personal life. Discussing or inquiring about private matters with someone you have just met is inappropriate in Japan. This condition slightly differs from the character of Indonesians or Malays, who are more open (Alfarabi et al., 2019). Sp (...truncated)