The ada Verb of being in Bahasa Malaysia

Abstract

This paper examines the various syntactic and semantic functions of the ada verb of 'being' in Malay. The claim is made that there is an abstract uppermost ada in the underlying structure of Malay sentences, which asserts or denies the truth of the surface main clause. A further claim is made that the ada of the uppermost sentence is identical to the ada of location and possession, the difference in meaning arising from the distinction in sentence structures in which the ada verb appears. Informants for the study were Miss Noraini Aziz of Kuala Selangor (Selangor State) and Miss Latifah Abdol Latif, of Alor Gajah (Malacca State).