The evolution of 'kita-kita': A diachronic discourse analysis of pronominal reduplication in Standard Malay

Abstract

This study investigates the sociolinguistic trajectory of the reduplicated pronoun ‘kita-kita’ in Malay language. While traditional prescriptive grammar often considers ‘kita-kita’ as a redundancy or error, its persistent usage in informal social contexts suggest a specialized pragmatic function. By adopting a diachronic discourse perspective, this research reconciles the apparent contradiction between the decline of ‘kita-kita’ following the national standardization post-independence and its contemporary resurgence in digital and vernacular registers. Drawing on a selected corpus of historical texts and modern social media interactions, the analysis reveals that ‘kita-kita’ has transitioned from a standard plural marker to a micro-level social tool used to negotiate “in-group” identity and exclusivity. The findings suggest that the survival intrinsically linked to the multifunctional nature of Malay reduplication, facilitates language sustainability through its adaptability to changing socio-political landscapes. This study contributes to the broader understanding of how non-standard morphological forms persist as markers of social meaning despite formal linguistic pressures.