SEMANTIC DIFFERENCES IN KINSHIP TERMS IN ENGLISH AND MALAY

Kinship terminology reflects the way societies categorize family relationships and social structures. Different languages encode family ties through distinct semantic systems that reveal cultural values, social expectations, and patterns of interpersonal interaction. This study examines the semantic differences between kinship terms in English and Malay, focusing on the classification of relatives, generational distinctions, and the linguistic representation of age and social hierarchy. Through a qualitative comparative analysis, the research demonstrates that English kinship terminology tends to generalize family relations by using broad categories, while Malay kinship terminology provides more detailed distinctions based on age, lineage, and social respect.