Preliminary observations on the stylistic change in direct speech encoding strategies in Malay and Indonesian

Abstract

Classical Malay (CM) narratives feature a style with highly schematized structures, with the direct speech (DS) encoding strategy as a key example; the pre-DS frame, comprising a root and speaker constituent (RF), is predominant. In contrast, modern Indonesian (MI) employs a more diverse range of strategies, including the post-DS RF, pre-DS speech verbs, and frameless DS (or free DS). This study investigates stylistic change by examining texts from the transitional period, specifically the late 19th to early 20th century. The rise of post-DS RF is traced back to atypical CM texts from the late 19th century. Concurrently, Low Malay novels, influenced by Western literature, embraced post-DS frames and frameless DS as novelistic techniques. In the early 20th century, Balai Pustaka established a new standard, adopting strategies that continues to be the norm today. This stylistic change can be connected to broader contexts, such as the transition from oral to written media or from aural to visual experiences.