Cultural conceptualisations of nativised english lexemes in Malaysia English: a study among Malaysian third culture Kids

In the literature on New Englishes, research on Malaysian English (ME) lexis has often overlooked the use of nativised English lexemes among specific groups within the Malaysian speech community. This study addresses that gap by exploring the cultural conceptualisations encoded in nativised ME lexemes among Malaysian Third Culture Kids (MTCKs). Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are individuals who spent significant portions of their developmental years in foreign cultures and frequently face challenges in adapting due to their mobile upbringing. Given that ME functions as a unifying language in Malaysia, examining MTCKs’ interpretations of culturally embedded lexemes offers insights into their meta-cultural competence and lexical knowledge. This, in turn, reflects their ability to communicate effectively and integrate within the broader Malaysian speech community. Employing a Word Association-Interpretation method, ten participants were asked to elaborate on their cultural conceptualisations of 30 nativised ME lexemes through a semi-structured interview. The data were then analysed using a deductive thematic coding approach. Findings revealed all 30 stimulus words elicited culturally grounded responses, with 101 references categorized under cultural schemas and 123 under cultural categories. These findings suggest that MTCKs possess a high level of conceptual variation awareness in ME which is an essential component of cultural cognition, behaviour, and communication in the Malaysian context.