Friday, December 25, 2009

How do you say ‘What does he suggest?’ in Malay?

I was watching my favourite soap opera when an advertisement about a brand of toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Then the following question flashed across the screen:


Apakah yang beliau syorkan? [What does he suggest?]


The above question is grammatically wrong. Let me explain why it is incorrect.


The question ‘Apakah yang beliau syorkan?’ is in fact a ‘ayat pasif songsang ‘ (inverted sentence in the passive voice)


The sentence in the active voice is ‘Yang beliau syorkan itu apa?’ This sentence is wrong too. It should be ‘Yang disyorkan oleh beliau apa?’ Hence to convert this correct sentence to the inverted passive voice is ‘Apakah yang disyorkan oleh beliau?’


What should be flashed on the screen should be:


Apakah yang disyorkan oleh beliau?



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