「地方」是社會地理學的常用語彙，指涉「社會群系」；在1990年後崛起「新區域地理」中則被理解為深具歷史深度與社會文化淵源的區域。馬來西亞「檳榔嶼地方」的研究，也就是馬來西亞檳城的社會文化與歷史地理的綜合探究。本文藉助「開闢者」萊特的日記以及相關文書，以歷史詮釋法，分五大段落探討18世紀末大英帝國殖民勢力東擴，占領檳榔嶼(1786)作為前進東亞的橋頭堡，所引發的時空環境變遷。藉以突顯地處馬六甲海峽航路要衝的檳榔嶼，作為英殖民帝國東進的橋頭堡之脈絡意義。
The term "locale" in social geography is referred to "social formation". In new regional geography since 1990s, it can also be known as a region with historical and socio-cultural depths. The research of "Penang locale" in Malaysia, in other words, is the integration of social, cultural, historical, and geographical spheres of Penang. In this article, writer intends to highlight the contextual meaning of Penang in the Straits of Malacca, had been taken an important role as a bridgehead of British Empire to enter East Asia. Since the East India Company occupied Penang Island in 1786, the empire's colonial force had been expanded progressively; and this act had been invoked a series, dynamic changes. Via historical hermeneutic approach, this paper will enquiry the time-space changes in end of 18th centuries through Captain Francis Light's diary and associated papers.
