Probe, clarification or 'gombalization'?<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An old cartoon that I happened to keep, shows
\nImelda facing a TV crew, clarifying her previous statement. The
\ncaption is very intriguing: \"It shows how wrong the press can be!
\nCertainly I had 3,000 pairs of shoes. But half of them belonged
\nto Ferdinand. (Ferdinand is pictured standing beside her, wearing
\na pair of ladies shoes).<\/p>\n
I took the cartoon, printed a decade ago, to my English class
\nfor the purpose of answering my students' question on what the
\nword clarification means. \"That is clarification,\" I said.<\/p>\n
If you have considered becoming a language teacher, now is the
\ntime to decide against it. This kind of job nowadays is getting
\ntough, what with the ever-changing situation that yields new
\nvocabulary.<\/p>\n
The current political situation, coming with a series of new
\nwords (or old words with a whole new meaning) has generated
\nconfusion amongst language users.<\/p>\n
Just like recently, when A.A. Baramuli, chairman of the
\nSupreme Advisory Board, said that the government would certainly
\ninvestigate former president Soeharto's wealth, State Secretary
\nAkbar Tandjung carefully amended the statement by saying that the
\ngovernment would ask for clarification on Pak Harto's statement
\nthat he does not have a red cent in any banks abroad.<\/p>\n
\"Now, class, can you tell the difference between to
\ninvestigate and to ask for clarification?\"<\/p>\n
Aristo answered: \"That depends on who the object is. If the
\nobject is one of the common people, there is a big difference
\nbetween investigation and asking for clarification. But when
\ndealing with a VIP, both are the same -- it is done in a kow tow
\nstyle. You don't summon the object. You have to wait until the
\nobject gives the green light for you to pay a visit (or homage?)
\nand use a very delicate vocabulary.\"<\/p>\n
Avoiding further argument, I decided to end the conversation.
\n\"Enough of politics. Today we are going to discuss idiomatic
\nexpression.\"<\/p>\n
\"That reminds me,\" said Meidy. \"How do you say 'habis manis
\nsepah dibuang' in English?\"<\/p>\n
My stomach churned. That expression, quoted by Akbar from
\nHabibie's statement, is a very old proverb irrelevant to current
\nlife. It's hard to explain to the younger generation.<\/p>\n
In the old days, instead of taking a candy (which was then a
\nluxury item), we chewed on sugar cane cut into small pieces. When
\nthe sweet taste was gone, we threw away the waste and started
\nwith a new piece. Hence the proverb, Habis manis sepah dibuang
\n(When the taste is gone, the waste is thrown away). It denotes
\nungratefulness, the attitude of a person who is not thankful to
\nthe one whom he owes a lot.<\/p>\n
By using the proverb, Habibie certainly wanted his people not
\nto adopt an attitude of condemnation toward the previous
\npresident, to whom he thinks this nation owes a lot.<\/p>\n
The trouble is, I could not briefly explain the origin of the
\nproverb to the students, because most of them had never seen
\nsugarcane. I had to draw pictures of sugarcane and tell them
\nabout my old habits.<\/p>\n
\"Sugarcane for my generation is bubble gum for yours. It's
\nvery juicy. Believe me.\"<\/p>\n
\"But, why isn't it recommended to throw away the waste? Are
\nyou supposed to keep it in your pocket when it is no longer
\nuseful?\"<\/p>\n
\"It's only a proverb,\" I said.<\/p>\n
\"By the way,\" said Galih, \"do you think it is relevant to
\ncompare the sweetness of sugarcane juice to what Pak Harto did to
\nthe nation? I mean, did he really give us the sweetness?\"<\/p>\n
Here we go again! They never have enough of political talk.<\/p>\n
\"Why don't you ask the man who said it? Now let's get back to
\nthe lesson.\"<\/p>\n
\"This is also part of our lesson, isn't it? We are practicing
\nour vocabulary.\"<\/p>\n
I gave in and let them continue the argument.<\/p>\n
\"Talking about the sweet juice,\" said Aminarso, \"I think the
\nmeaning of the proverb is the other way around. Actually, the
\njuice was sucked by those in power during the new order
\nadministration, and all we have now is the waste, or the remains,
\nif you like. And the remains represent the poverty, scarcity of
\nfood and economic turmoil we have to endure.\"<\/p>\n
\"And talking about clarification, it's the people the
\ngovernment must ask. I mean, the government needs to ask for
\nclarification from the people whether they have got the sweet
\njuice or the waste from the new order government.\"<\/p>\n
\"And what if the government turn a deaf ear to what the people
\nsay?\"<\/p>\n
\"We call it gombalization,\" I pitched in. To gombalize, is to
\nsay one thing when you mean another.\"<\/p>\n
\"Is it English?\"<\/p>\n
\"No, it is Indonesian slang. I want to make it into English
\nvocabulary the way we have been adopting English words in our
\ndaily vocabulary such as investasi, negosiasi, globalisasi,
\njambanisasi, etc.\"<\/p>\n
The bell rang and I was saved! I didn't need to explain the
\nmeaning of the last expression. \"Let's call it a day,\" I said,
\nconcluding the class without touching on the subject I had
\nintended to discuss that day.<\/p>\n
-- Carl Chairul<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/probe-clarification-or-gombalization-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }