Malay styles and titles

Okay kiddo, do you know how sometimes adults have fancy names or titles that they use to show respect or importance? Like how your teacher is called "Ms. Smith" instead of just "Smith"? Well, in Malay culture, they have their own special names and titles too.

First, let's talk about the names. In Malay culture, people have a first name and a last name, just like you do. But they also have something called a "patronymic name," which is kind of like a middle name. This name tells you who that person's father is. So if your friend's name was Ahmad bin Ali, that means his dad's name is Ali.

Now, let's talk about titles. These are special words that people use to show respect or importance. For example, in English we might call someone "Mr." or "Mrs." In Malay culture, there are lots of different titles, and which one you use depends on who you're talking to.

Some titles are fancy versions of regular words. For example, "encik" is a fancy way of saying "mister." "Puan" is a fancy way of saying "Mrs." There are also titles that are used for important people, like politicians or royalty. For example, "Yang Berbahagia" is a title that means "The Honorable." "Yang Amat Mulia" is a title that means "His/Her Highness."

Phew, that was a lot of information! But basically, in Malay culture, names and titles are really important for showing respect and understanding someone's background. And now you know a little bit more about it!