Soepomo paved way in language lessons<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Any discussion of language centers in
\nYogyakarta inevitably means reference to Soepomo Poedjosoedarmo,
\na linguistics professor who, even in his childhood, dreamed of
\nbecoming a teacher.<\/p>\n
Born in Wonosari, a rural area south of Yogyakarta, on Nov.
\n25, 1934, Soepomo started to realize his dream by going to a
\nteaching school in Yogyakarta. His ambition emerged when he
\npassed his exams there and started to teach at the school, before
\nhe left for the Sanata Dharma Teaching Institute (IKIP) to take a
\ndoctoral degree in English, which he duly completed in 1964.<\/p>\n
His path to teaching Indonesian to foreigners took a
\ncircuitous route.<\/p>\n
\"My life was just like a feather blowing in the wind,\" he
\nsays of his past.<\/p>\n
\"Before I completed my studies at Sanata Dharma, an American
\nprofessor named Cohen asked me to continue my studies
\nat Cornell University. The day after graduating at Sanata Dharma,
\nI flew to Cornell to take up a postgraduate degree in
\nlinguistics.\"<\/p>\n
There were many students from various nationalities and
\ncultural backgrounds in Cornell, located in Ithaca, New York
\nState. Those who were taking postgraduate programs were obliged
\nto study two foreign languages.<\/p>\n
\"Those taking Asian studies, especially those specializing in
\nSoutheast Asia, chose Bahasa Indonesia as a second language,
\narguing that Indonesian politics was pivotal to the region. Some
\nof the students also took Javanese.<\/p>\n
He also taught as a teaching assistant for three years and the
\nadditional income helped him to afford his tuition.<\/p>\n
\"I was awarded a full scholarship in 1967. But I was asked to
\nteach these two languages. \"<\/p>\n
Beginning in 1967, he taught Bahasa Indonesia and Javanese
\nat two universities: Cornell and Yale, the latter being one of
\nthe prestigious Ivy League schools, located in New Haven,
\nConnecticut.<\/p>\n
In 1970, he finished his doctoral degree with a thesis on
\nAustronesian language and flew back to Yogyakarta to start
\nhis job as a lecturer at Sanata Dharma.<\/p>\n
\"Sanata Dharma had financial problems at that time. To solve
\nthe problem, I proposed that they open an English
\ndepartment for locals and an Indonesian and Javanese
\ndepartment for foreigners,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The rector of Sanata Dharma welcomed his proposal and an
\nEnglish Department was duly established, though Indonesian and
\nJavanese languages were not given priority.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, Satya Wacana University in Salatiga, Central
\nJava, wished to open an Indonesian language department because of
\nthe interest from foreign students to study the language. The
\nrector asked Soepomo for advice.<\/p>\n
\"Many Australian students were asked by their professors to
\ngo to Indonesia to learn Bahasa Indonesia during their
\nvacation,\" said Soepomo. \"They went to Yogya, Bandung, Manado
\nand other cities to learn Bahasa Indonesia.\"<\/p>\n
Later the same year, Sanata Dharma introduced Indonesian
\nlanguage courses. Following his return to Yogyakarta in 1970,
\nmany foreign students studying in Yogyakarta had asked Soepomo to
\nteach Bahasa Indonesia. This led Soepomo, assisted by his
\nAmerican wife Gloria, to run private courses at his residence on
\nJl. Kaliurang.<\/p>\n
As he was busy with his position as the dean of the English
\nSchool at Sanata Dharma, Gloria managed the course and recruited
\nlocal teachers, including Erma Haryati (the owner of the Colorado
\nLanguage Institute). Unfortunately, the course closed in the
\nearly 1980s.<\/p>\n
Methods<\/p>\n
Soepomo, who was accorded his professorship in 1986, said he
\nused two methods when teaching Indonesian. The first is
\nthe traditional method, consisting of a focus on the
\nunderstanding of grammar and tenses, the second is audio-lingual,
\nor practicing the language in actual situations.<\/p>\n
\"The second method is also called the direct method,\" he
\nsaid, saying it was the method he used to teach his students
\nin Frankfurt, Germany, in 1981.<\/p>\n
\"The method often makes many students frustrated. But
\nwithin only one semester students are able to write in
\nBahasa Indonesia.\"<\/p>\n
The father of three (one of his children teaches at the
\nUniversity of California in Berkeley) left Germany in 1988,
\nand went to Brunei Darussalam to teach the Malay language for
\none year, before returning to Sanata Dharma in 1989.<\/p>\n
Soepomo has taught many important foreign
\nIndonesianists, such as Prof. Benedict Andersen, Prof.
\nMerle Rickleffs (author of Modern Indonesian History) and Prof.
\nRuth McVey from Cornell.<\/p>\n
\"I am still in touch with my students. As a teacher I feel
\nproud of my students when they do anything good and achieve
\nsuccess.\"<\/p>\n
Soepomo now lives peacefully in his Javanese-style home near
\nGadjah Mada University, along with five students lodgers.<\/p>\n
After having lived all over the world, Soepomo compares his
\nlife to a feather. He once said that he felt lost in this world,
\n\"I like mathematics, but I live with languages\". (
\nR. Kristiawan)<\/p>",
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