The various significations of the Malay word sejok
This short note by Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad (1947) examines the range of meanings of the Malay word sejok, prompted by a request from Tuan Djek in the Straits Times (p. 41).
The article begins by acknowledging Wilkinson’s dictionary definition of sejok as “coolness” or “a pleasant lowering of temperature” and then extends the discussion to the word’s metaphorical and idiomatic uses in current Malay speech (p. 42). Abidin catalogues the primary literal sense (low temperature, applied to air, water, objects), its grammatical derivatives (sejokkan, menyejokkan, kesejokan, etc.), and secondary metaphorical extensions such as “stale” or “dull” applied to news (khabar itu sudah sejok) (p. 43). The note closes with an interpretation of the exclamation “Sejok, Ya Allah!” attributed to a District Officer, arguing that the phrase was an ironical remark expressing resentment at being associated with a bad fruit season rather than a genuine prayer (p. 44).