Embedded System in Malay Language

For technical writers who works with translations of documentation and manuals in Bahasa Malaysia would already noticed that it is really hard to translate computer or IT related documentations from english to malay. As I have already involved in my own personal project in translation, I found that there is difficulties in translating computer related terms into Malay Language without falling into other meanings where the real means of that terms isn't achieved or else I will up to creating new terms in Malay language that wouldn't be agreed by other documents with the same terms, translated by other translator.

I've been searching around for any standard meaning of Embedded System or Embedded Hardware in Malay language. I found that Embed means 'tanam' which also means buried if translated back to English. Actually, there is a lot of other words with the same meaning in Malay and that adds more difficulties in finding the right word that exactly match the computer terms.

Other translation of Embed is 'benam'. While using my imagination on what will people read when I say 'Perkakasan Tertanam' (Embedded Hardware) where someone would imagine that there is a device that is buried under the sand or mud. I would laugh myself if someone would think like that. This is because the word 'tanam' itself is closely related to 'tanaman' (plantations) where it would quickly divert someones imagination onto that something is buried under the land.

So, I come out with another malay word that might be close to the meaning of Embed which is 'benam'. While trying to say 'Perkakasan Terbenam' or 'Sistem Terbenam' (Embedded System), I think this should be of the right meaning of it... I hope so . I also found that there is others who would be agreed with my terms even thou he translate this terms in Indonesian language. If you haven't heard any Malay or Indonesian Language, I can say that Malay and Indonesian Language is related in each other. The oldest and richest language may obviously Indonesian, but Malays also have our own way of translating terms. I will sometimes search and peep on how they translate IT terms from English to Indonesian in order to get the idea but I won't simply use their terms because sometimes they use words that will obviously sounds like Indonesian. Well, I don't want it to sound more like Indonesian translated documents either. Owh, I just found that Kukuh Prasetyo, an indonesian blogger is using the same terms 'Sistem Terbenam' for Embedded System like me too.

As the result, I chose the word 'benam' for Embed, 'Sistem Terbenam' for Embedded System and 'Perkakasan Terbenam' for Embedded Hardware. Or, if you have found any better or standard terms for that in Malay Language, please leave your comments below. Maybe someone like Malaysian National Laureate Datuk A. Samad Said who I can say 'wizards' in 'Kesusasteraan Melayu' may have his own terms that would likely match and catch the audience. I am his fan too.