Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2018 August 27

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August 27

Melaik

Im working on background research for future entry when I came across the location term Melaik, used to describe an area somewhere between the old Leper Colony and the mental asylum in what is now present day Yio Chu Kang in Singapore. Melaik was used by the British Army to identify this area, but I cannot locate it on any army map of 1945, nor does it come up in a search through Malay names. Any ideas or thoughts appreciated Le Bijoux (talk) 08:06, 27 August 2018 (UTC)

In Singapore, "mel-lak-ka" refers to a rubber-tree farm. It can be spelled Mellacca, Melaka, Mellaika, Melecca, etc... So, if the word you have should actually have an "a" at the end, it could easily be a reference to an area that was, at some point, a rubber-tree farm. 216.59.42.36 (talk) 17:38, 28 August 2018 (UTC)

Thank you User talk:216.59.42.36 It makes sense. The British might have simply omitted the 'a'. Great help indeed :))   Le Bijoux (talk) 22:47, 28 August 2018 (UTC)

Yes, the name of the Malaysian state Malacca is derived from the name of a tree. 86.133.58.87 (talk) 13:05, 29 August 2018 (UTC)