dengan kata lain

In Other Words

Level 5

Dengan kata lain is a fixed phrase used to restate a complex or technical idea in simpler, equivalent terms. It functions exactly like the English phrase 'in other words'.

How It Works

In formal Malay writing and speech, dengan kata lain is an essential tool for clarity.

1. Syntactic Position:
It is most commonly found at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma. It can also appear mid-sentence after a semicolon or a comma, often paired with the conjunction atau (or) to form atau dengan kata lain.

2. Fixed Form:
Unlike many Malay words that take prefixes or suffixes, this is a fixed idiomatic phrase. You should never pluralize 'kata' (word) in this context, even though the English equivalent uses the plural 'words'.

3. Register:
This expression is primarily used in formal to semi-formal contexts, such as academic papers, news reports, and official speeches. In casual conversation, speakers are more likely to use maksudnya (it means) or senang cerita (to put it simply).

4. Distinction from Iaitu and Yakni:
While ialah or iaitu are used to define specific nouns or list items, dengan kata lain is used to reformulate entire propositions or complex ideas. In highly formal or religious discourse, you may also encounter yakni, which serves a similar function to dengan kata lain by providing a more precise explanation of a preceding statement.

Examples (4)

  1. Beliau tidak hadir ke mesyuarat tanpa alasan; dengan kata lain, beliau telah melanggar peraturan syarikat.

    He did not attend the meeting without an excuse; in other words, he has violated company regulations.

    Word by Word: He not present to meeting without excuse; with word other, he already violate regulation company.

    Here, the phrase is used to draw a logical conclusion from the first clause.

  2. Kadar faedah telah meningkat, atau dengan kata lain, kos pinjaman kini lebih mahal.

    Interest rates have increased, or in other words, the cost of borrowing is now more expensive.

    Word by Word: Rate interest already increase, or with word other, cost borrowing now more expensive.

    This shows the common variation 'atau dengan kata lain' used to link two synonymous ideas within one sentence.

  3. Bahasa Melayu ialah bahasa aglutinatif, dengan kata lain, perkataan dibentuk melalui proses pengimbuhan.

    Malay is an agglutinative language; in other words, words are formed through the process of affixation.

    Word by Word: Language Malay is language agglutinative, with word other, word formed through process affixation.

    In this technical context, the phrase simplifies a linguistic term for the reader.

  4. Projek itu kekurangan dana. Dengan kata lain, kita tidak boleh meneruskannya.

    The project lacks funds. In other words, we cannot continue it.

    Word by Word: Project that lack fund. With word other, we not can continue-it.

    This demonstrates the phrase starting a new sentence to provide a blunt summary of the situation.

Common Mistakes

  • Pluralizing 'kata' to match the English 'words'.

    Dengan kata-kata lain, dia tidak setuju.
    Dengan kata lain, dia tidak setuju.

    In Malay, the fixed idiom uses the singular 'kata'. Using 'kata-kata' (words) or 'perkataan-perkataan' is considered non-standard and incorrect in this specific phrase.

  • Omitting the comma after the phrase at the start of a sentence.

    Dengan kata lain kita harus pergi.
    Dengan kata lain, kita harus pergi.

    In formal writing, a comma is required after discourse markers like 'dengan kata lain' to separate the connector from the main clause.

How It Connects

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dengan kata lainLevel 5In Other Words

Learn This First

To understand 'dengan kata lain', a learner needs to be familiar with the preposition 'dengan' and the basic word order where adjectives (lain) follow the nouns they modify (kata).

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Words in This Pattern

kata