Be proud of one's language!

Be proud of one's language!

Pieter Van Der Vienhart's recent article on schooling (The
Jakarta Post, Dec. 18) discussed how English language skills are
being used as a criteria for employment in some schools above
other more essential factors like teaching skills. This is sadly
part of a wider trend where English is seen as the be all and end
all of education. The use of English is at times elevated to an
irrational level and seen as the most important skill to be
acquired, to the detriment of otherwise qualified people who do
not speak it.

It is also part of a trend, at least amongst certain sections
of society, to use English as a status symbol, to gain prestige
or to impress. On television, we see the shunning of the
Indonesian language by stations such as Metro TV who seem intent
on putting the titles of all their programs into English, even
when the program is in Indonesian and for an Indonesian audience.

This defies common sense. Why use "live" instead of
"langsung"? Why use unnecessary English words when perfectly good
Indonesian words exist? Language is a product of culture and
history and to neglect one's own language in favor of English is
to neglect one's heritage. English is no better than any other
language and should not be used as a status symbol. Pride in
one's own language is just as important as acquiring skills in
another.

DANIEL BAMPTON, Yogyakarta