Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah.

That source is clear in the history book.

Breakdown of Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah.

• adalah: to be
• itu: that
• di: in
• buku: the book
• sejarah: history
• jelas: clear
• sumber: the source

Questions & Answers about Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah.

Where is the verb is in this sentence? Why doesn’t Malay use a word like is between sumber itu and jelas?

Malay often does not use a separate verb like is / am / are.

In Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah:

• sumber itu = the subject (that source / the source)
• jelas = the predicate (clear)

In Malay, an adjective can directly follow the noun to form a complete sentence:

• Sumber itu jelas = The source is clear.

You only use linking words like ialah or adalah in certain more formal structures, especially:

• when the predicate is a noun phrase:
  
  • Sumber itu ialah bukti utama. = That source is the main evidence.
• with some abstract predicates in formal writing.

But with a simple adjective like jelas, you normally omit any equivalent of is.

What exactly does itu mean here? Is it more like that or the?

Itu is basically a demonstrative meaning that (as opposed to ini = this).

However, in real usage:

• sumber itu can mean:
  • that source (a specific one already known), or
  • function a bit like the source (definite and known in context).

Malay does not have a dedicated word for the, so demonstratives (ini and itu) often cover that function when you need to be specific:

• sumber = a source / sources (general, not specific)
• sumber itu = that specific source / the particular source we’re talking about

Is sumber singular or plural here? How do I say sources?

On its own, sumber is number-neutral. Context decides whether it means:

• a source, the source, or
• sources, the sources.

In Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah, itu suggests a specific referent. It could be:

• that source is clear (singular), or
• those sources are clear (plural), depending on context.

To explicitly mark plural, Malay commonly uses reduplication:

• sumber-sumber = sources
• sumber-sumber itu = those sources / the sources

So:

• Sumber-sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah. = Those sources are clear in the history book.

Why is it di buku sejarah and not dalam buku sejarah? What’s the difference between di and dalam?

Both di and dalam can be translated as in / at, but there are nuances:

• di = at / in (general location)

  • di sekolah = at school
  • di buku sejarah = in the history book (location in a general sense)

• dalam = inside, within (more strongly inside something)

  • dalam kotak = inside the box
  • dalam buku sejarah = inside the history book (a bit more literal/physical)

With books, both di buku sejarah and dalam buku sejarah are used and both are acceptable. Many speakers might prefer:

• dalam buku sejarah or
• di dalam buku sejarah

when they want to emphasise that something appears inside the contents of the book.

So you can say:

• Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah.
• Sumber itu jelas dalam buku sejarah.
  Meaning is broadly similar; dalam just highlights the inside-ness a bit more.

What does buku sejarah literally mean? How does this kind of noun + noun combination work?

Literally:

• buku = book
• sejarah = history

Malay often forms noun phrases by putting the head noun first, then the modifier noun:

• buku sejarah = history book (book of history)
• guru sejarah = history teacher
• bilik mesyuarat = meeting room
• kad kredit = credit card

So:

• buku sejarah is not sejarah buku.
  Adjectives and modifying nouns almost always come after the head noun in Malay.

Is jelas an adjective or an adverb here? Can it mean obvious as well as clear?

In Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah, jelas is an adjective meaning clear / obvious.

Uses of jelas:

• As a predicate adjective:
  • Penjelasan itu jelas. = The explanation is clear.
• As a modifier of a noun:
  • jawapan yang jelas = a clear answer
• As part of an adverbial phrase with dengan:
  • diterangkan dengan jelas = explained clearly

Meaning range:

• jelas can mean:
  • clear (easy to understand / see)
  • obvious / evident

So the sentence can be understood as:

• The source is clear / clearly evident in the history book.

Could I say Sumber itu diterangkan dengan jelas di dalam buku sejarah instead? What’s the difference in nuance?

Yes, that is a natural alternative, with a slightly different focus.

• Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah.
  Focus: the state of the source in the book – it is clear / obvious there.

• Sumber itu diterangkan dengan jelas di dalam buku sejarah.

  • dijelaskan / diterangkan = is explained
  • dengan jelas = clearly
  • di dalam buku sejarah = in the history book
    Focus: the action of explanation – the book explains the source clearly.

So:

• Original: describes how clear the source is in that book.
• Alternative: describes how clearly the book explains the source.

Can I change the word order, like putting jelas or di buku sejarah at the front?

Basic, neutral word order is:

• Subject + Predicate + (Place/Time)

So:

• Sumber itu jelas di buku sejarah.
  Subject = Sumber itu
  Predicate = jelas
  Place phrase = di buku sejarah

You can move the place phrase for emphasis or style:

• Di buku sejarah, sumber itu jelas.
  = In the history book, that source is clear.

But you cannot freely scramble nouns and adjectives as in English. You would not say:

• *Buku sejarah itu jelas sumber. (ungrammatical as a version of your sentence)

Keep:

• noun before its adjective or modifying noun: buku sejarah, sumber itu
• subject before its predicate in simple statements.