From a script to a symbol: The paths of Jawi script and Malay ethnic identity

awi, based on Arabic script, is an orthography used for the Malay language. Although it is based on the Arabic writing system, there are six additional symbols to denote sounds in Malay that are not used in the Arabic language. Since the late 1960s the Jawi script has all but disappeared as a writing system for information and innovation. This M.A. thesis addresses the process of the Jawi script's change from a practical source of information to a principally symbolic use that pertains to Islam and Malay ethnic identity. This thesis demonstrates that Jawi script as an aspect of Malay ethnic identity must be understood in the context of the complex process of ethnic identity formation in Malaysia. I first acknowledge that Jawi is a symbol of Malay ethnic identity. Then, I show an example script change in a Malay newspaper. Last, I place Malay ethnic identity and the Jawi script into a larger context. The analysis provided for this inquiry is the result of intensive library research in the United States, surveying, and field research in Malaysia (2007–2010). The research questions that emerged from the library research and guided the direction of data collection were divided into three themes. First, I wanted to ascertain who was using the Jawi script and how, where, and why the script was being used. Second, I examined how the use of Jawi reflects the relationship between the script and Malay-Muslim ethnic identity. Third, the research looked at how do these sets of data reflect the change in the use of the Jawi script and the processes under which this change occurred