An esteemed language researcher from Universiti Malaya (UM) has been recognised with the UM Academic Figure Award at the 14th UM Excellence Awards (ACUM). Professor Dr Stefanie Shamila Pillai from the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Department of English Language, received the award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the study of Malaysian English varieties and the preservation of heritage and endangered languages.

The award was presented by UM Chancellor, His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, the Sultan of Perak. Prof Dr Stefanie is notably the first Malaysian scholar to document and archive endangered languages in the country. Her pioneering work includes the preservation of the Malaccan Portuguese Creole (Papia Kristang) language through the Endangered Languages Archive, under the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (ELDP).






Beyond academic research, her efforts extend into the community. Through the development of mobile dictionaries and knowledge-sharing initiatives, she actively collaborates with local language communities, ensuring these linguistic heritages are passed on to future generations.

“Languages are not just a means of communication, they embody our culture, our practices, and the way we think,” said Prof Dr Stefanie. “Malaysia has over 130 languages, of which more than 70% are indigenous, and a significant majority are under threat.”

Her work not only contributes to academia through publications and intellectual property but also plays a vital role in safeguarding Malaysia's rich linguistic diversity, a national treasure that is rapidly disappearing.

Source / Image Credit : The Star , NST