''Mat Salleh'' is a Malay term used as a

colloquial Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the style (sociolinguistics), linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom norm ...

expression to refer to

white people White is a racialized classification of people and a skin color specifier, generally used for people of European origin, although the definition can vary depending on context, nationality, and point of view. Description of populations as ...

. The exact origins of the expression are difficult to ascertain, due to there being several versions of the term's origin being passed down via

word of mouth Word of mouth, or ''viva voce'', is the passing of information from person to person using oral communication, which could be as simple as telling someone the time of day. Storytelling is a common form of word-of-mouth communication where one pe ...

, with little or no official documentation to support such oral claims. The term arose during the colonial period of

Malaysian history Malaysia is located on a strategic sea lane that exposes it to global trade and various cultures. The name "Malaysia" is a modern concept, created in the second half of the 20th century. However, contemporary Malaysia regards the entire history ...

and is still commonly used.

Etymology

One etymological story claims the word might have been derived from the

expression "mad sailor". The first encounter many

Malaysians Malaysians are nationals and citizens who are identified with the country of Malaysia. Although citizens make up the majority of Malaysians, non-citizen residents and overseas Malaysians may also claim a Malaysian identity. The country is h ...

had with

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

foreigners were dignified and

upper-class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper class is gen ...

colonial officials, leading the Malays to both admire these foreigners and assume all white people behaved as such. When

warship A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the armed forces of a state. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster ...

s began to put into Malaysian ports to collect supplies,

sailor A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...

s were given leave to disembark their ships and spend time in port. These were typically working-class men who enjoyed getting

drunk Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ...

and brawling amongst themselves. These behaviours shocked the Malays, who swiftly inquired to the colonial officials concerning the puzzling behaviour of the sailors. The colonial officials, not wishing the Malay image of them to dissipate, dismissed them as mere "mad sailors". Another etymological story claims the term derives from another term which was applied to shipwrecked sailors who became stranded on Malaysian shores. Upon encountering the native Malays, the story claims that many of these sailors ran away, assuming the Malays to be

cannibals Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is well documented, bo ...

, with their erratic actions being deemed as "mad sailors" by other Europeans the Malays encountered.

References

External links

Pusat Rujukan Persuratan MelayuKamus Bahasa Indonesia dalam jaringan
{{White people terms Pejorative terms for white people Ethno-cultural designations Malaysian culture Malay words and phrases Manglish Racism in Asia

Etymology

See also

References

External links