yang mana
Avoiding Calqued Yang Mana
In standard Malay, yang mana is an interrogative meaning 'which one?'. However, it is frequently used as a relative pronoun (like 'which') in informal or translated texts. Prescriptive grammar considers this a mistake (calque) and recommends using yang or restructuring the sentence.
How It Works
The phrase yang mana has two distinct lives in the Malay language:
1. The Standard Interrogative: Its primary, correct function is to ask a question meaning 'which one?'. For example: Buku yang mana? (Which book?).
2. The Nonstandard Relative: Under the influence of English, many speakers use yang mana to translate the relative pronoun 'which' when it refers back to a whole clause or a specific noun. This is known as a calque or terjemahan langsung. A similar error occurs with di mana, which is often incorrectly used as a relative 'where' instead of a locative question word.
Standard Alternatives:
It is important to distinguish the error from the standard construction mana-mana yang or mana yang, which means 'whichever' (e.g., Ambil mana-mana yang kamu suka). This is perfectly acceptable Malay.
Why is the relative 'yang mana' discouraged?
- It violates natural Malay syntax, which does not traditionally use complex relative pronouns to link independent thoughts.
- It often creates 'run-on' sentences that are better served by full stops or coordinating conjunctions.
- National language authorities (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka) categorize it as a grammatical error (kesalahan bahasa).
How to fix it:
Examples (5)
- Buku yang mana kamu mahu beli?
Which book do you want to buy?
Word by Word: Book that which you want buy?
This is the standard, correct use of 'yang mana' as an interrogative (question) word.
- Dia memberikan alasan yang tidak dapat diterima oleh majikannya.
He gave an excuse that was not acceptable to his employer.
Word by Word: He give excuse that not can be-accept by employer-his.
Standard Malay: Use 'yang' instead of 'yang mana' to link a description to a noun.
- Kami memenangi perlawanan itu dan hal ini memeranjatkan penonton.
We won the match, and this surprised the spectators.
Word by Word: We win match that and matter this surprise spectators.
Standard Malay: Instead of saying '...yang mana memeranjatkan...', use 'dan hal ini' to refer to the previous event.
- Saya ada dua buah pen; yang mana satu milik kamu?
I have two pens; which one is yours?
Word by Word: I have two [classifier] pen; that which one property you?
Correct usage in a choice context, often paired with 'satu' (one).
- Dia sering lewat ke pejabat, yang mana menjejaskan prestasinya.
He is often late to the office, which affects his performance.
Word by Word: He often late to office, which affect performance-his.
NONSTANDARD: This is a typical English-style calque. In formal Malay, this should be rewritten.
Common Mistakes
Using 'yang mana' to translate the English non-restrictive 'which'.
Kereta itu rosak, yang mana menyebabkan kami lewat.Kereta itu rosak dan hal ini menyebabkan kami lewat.In Malay, you should not use 'yang mana' to refer back to the fact that the car broke down. Use 'dan hal ini' (and this matter) instead.
Using 'yang mana' when a simple 'yang' is sufficient.
Saya suka rumah yang mana besar itu.Saya suka rumah yang besar itu.When describing a noun directly, 'yang' is the only correct relative pronoun. 'Yang mana' makes the sentence sound like a clunky translation.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand why 'yang mana' is considered a nonstandard relative pronoun, learners must first be familiar with the standard Malay relative clause marker 'yang'. They also need to recognize 'mana' as a question word, as the nonstandard usage typically stems from a direct translation (calque) of English relative pronouns like 'which' or 'where'.
- yangRelative Clauses with Yang
Understanding the standard way to form relative clauses with 'yang' is essential before learning why 'yang mana' is considered a nonstandard alternative.
Level 2 - di manaWhere with Di Mana
The pattern 'yang mana' is a combination of the relative marker 'yang' and the question word 'mana' (where), which is often used incorrectly as a relative pronoun.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- di mana (bukan tempat)Avoiding Nonlocative Di Mana
Another common translation error where 'di mana' is used like the English 'where' in non-spatial contexts.
Level 5 - danCoordination with Dan
Often used to replace 'yang mana' by splitting the sentence into two coordinated clauses.
Level 1 - -nya (rujukan situasi)-Nya Referring to a Situation
The suffix -nya can sometimes be used to refer back to a previous clause, providing a standard alternative to 'yang mana'.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice yang mana in Bubblegum
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