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Tom G. Hoogervorst

Language Ungoverned: Indonesia's Chinese Print Entrepreneurs, 1911-1949

Language Ungoverned: Indonesia's Chinese Print Entrepreneurs, 1911-1949

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  • More about Language Ungoverned: Indonesia's Chinese Print Entrepreneurs, 1911-1949


Tom G. Hoogervorst's Language Ungoverned explores how the Malay of the Chinese-Indonesian community defied linguistic and political governance under Dutch colonial rule, highlighting the value of Sino-Malay print culture as a language of the people.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 15 August 2021
Publisher: Cornell University Press


Tom G. Hoogervorst's groundbreaking work Language Ungoverned delves into the fascinating realm of Malay language usage within the Chinese-Indonesian community during the Dutch colonial era. By examining a diverse range of Malay texts, including novels, newspapers, poems, and plays, Hoogervorst offers a unique perspective on how the Malay language defied linguistic and political governance under Dutch rule.

As a liminal colonial population, the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia sought solace in the press, utilizing it for various purposes such as education, legal and medical advice, conflict resolution, and entertainment. Hoogervorst skillfully portrays how the linguistic choices made by these print entrepreneurs propelled Chinese-inflected Malay to the forefront as the language of popular culture and everyday life, effectively subverting the official Malay favored by the Dutch authorities. Through his meticulous analysis of Sino-Malay print culture from the 1910s to 1940s, Hoogervorst underscores the inherent value of this vernacular Malay as a language that truly represents the people.

This study not only sheds light on the linguistic complexities of colonial power dynamics but also highlights the resilience and creativity of the Chinese-Indonesian community in adapting to and challenging the oppressive forces of colonialism. Hoogervorst's work contributes to our understanding of the complex interplay between language, culture, and power in the colonial world, and serves as a valuable reminder of the importance of preserving and celebrating diverse linguistic heritage.

Weight: 28g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501758225

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