Toponyms of a Colonial City: Street Names of George Town, Malaysia

Authors

Wee-Chuen Pek, New Era University College, MalaysiaFollow

Abstract

This study investigates changes of street names of George Town, Penang, during the colonial and post-colonial periods. It is concerned with the notion of toponymic hegemony of the colonial authority and the reaction of the local community in the absence of a role in the naming of places. After independence, an issue of concern revolves around how the new authority constructs its own ideologies through the process of renaming places, and how the local community exerts its right to “normalise” street names according to daily usage especially after George Town was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

Recommended Citation

Pek, Wee-Chuen (2020) "Toponyms of a Colonial City: Street Names of George Town, Malaysia," Malaysian Journal of Chinese Studies: Vol. 9: No. 2, Article 2.
Available at: https://mjcs.newera.edu.my/journal/vol9/iss2/2