International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation (IJLLT) ISSN: 2617-0299 www.ijllt.org Ethnic Variations in Malaysian SMS Condolences Kuang Ching Hei Consultant, Learning & Development, Universal Business Academy, Malaysia Corresponding Author: Kuang Ching Hei, E-mail: kuangchinghei@gmail.com ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Received: May 07, 2018 Accepted: May 22, 2018 Published: May 30, 2018 Volume: 1 Issue: 2 This paper aims to examine the ethnic variations of condolence messages written by Malaysians. Data comprise 36 authentic SMS condolence messages written in English by predominantly 47% Chinese, 33% Malays and 20% Indians. Data were retrieved from the recipient and then projected as a word document. They are then coded according to ethnicity, age and gender and the number of words were counted. The speech act theory is applied to determine the expressive functions and this is then followed by a linguistic analysis. Analysis suggests that the SMS condolences can be classified into 13 expressive functions. The condolences written by Chinese writers expressed more hope and sympathy; those written by Malay writers were more indirect and polite and they expressed more apologies while those written by Indian writers expressed more God-related statements. Since the findings are derived from a small set of data the outcome of this paper cannot be generalised. Nonetheless, they are authentic data which are difficult to access hence, these findings will serve as a window for other cultures to understand the ethnic differences of multicultural Malaysia. Indeed, the outcome of this paper can contribute to a better understanding of intercultural communication. KEYWORDS Malaysian; ethnic variations; sympathy; apologies, eulogy INTRODUCTION Culture is an interesting issue to focus on. It opens up one’s mind and provides one with a better view of the world at large. This is even more necessary today as more and more people are travelling across the globe and living and working in other parts of the world. In that regard, a country such as Malaysia that comprises diverse cultures with multiethnic communities speaking various languages and practicing different customs and traditions, is a good place to study cultural differences and similarities. Tan (2004), who looks at the assimilation of a diverse community like Malaysia, says that the respective ethnic groups had not only assimilated each other’s recipes to create unique dishes but also each other’s costumes and cultures to become more diverse yet unique. Tan (2004) suggests that the assimilation process, which is the result of the people living together for many years, had created a unique identity for the Malaysian people. Consequently, the Malaysian culture is one that is typically an exclusive one that had resulted from the borrowing of a little here and a little there from each other to form a distinctive culture for the entire nation. As a part of the Asian region, Malaysians are collectivists by nature. Most Malaysians aim to lead a life of harmony and togetherness with as little conflicts as possible. Nevertheless, sometimes this may seem impossible. The norm of the Malaysian society is hierarchical, people tend to practise showing a high regard for authority and elders and wherever possible, avoid conflicts (Asrul, 2003), practice politeness, (Asmah, 1995; Asma & Pedersen, 2003; David & Kuang, 1997, 2005), be indirect and show humility so as to avoid offending others (Asrul, 2003) and wherever possible, stay humble and not show off. Therefore, harmony and tolerance are important values for the people of this country. Although Asian in characteristic and collectivists in nature, the Malaysian identity has been described as unique because of its rich cultural environment. The uniqueness lies not only in its diverse languages and mixture of languages heard during interactions but also in its foods, costumes, artefacts and community interactions. Malaysians are not only collectivists in nature, they are also family oriented. Malaysians place a lot of emphasis on traditional or cultural events like Merdeka (Independence Day), the respective ethnic group’s festive events like New years (Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas), Thaipusam, Vesak but most of all weddings and funerals. The last two events are important for Malaysians because not attending them can create conflicts or misunderstandings among friends and relatives. Although Malaysians share several similarities in terms of values and practices, Malaysians also bear