Damaged Language
Damaged Language
There should be immense admiration and gratitude for those
farsighted people who in the 1920s, long before Indonesia's
independence, promoted that greatest or unifiers: a common
language. The simple and courageous step of denying Javanese
preeminence by choosing the Malay language as the basis was a
political masterstroke. An indication that the very old order had
its share of canny leaders too.
The Pancasila concept of unity in diversity is now reflected
in the language as a richness of vocabulary evolves at least
unofficially in the melting pot of Jakartan society. It is a
characteristic of a strong language that it freely accepts words
from other languages where those words better express a
particular feeling, concept or thing. Thus we encounter Javanese,
Batak and Balinese (among many others) words within Bahasa
Indonesian. The evolutionary process of essential communication
will see one or the other prevail.
The world's strongest languages are English, French and
Spanish (in terms of geographical spread). It is significant that
these countries have been invaded and have invaded others. The
diversity of influences on these languages is one of their major
strengths. For example, the Spanish learned about bullfighting
from Ernest Hemingway; the French cut their grass with Le
Lawnmower (pronounced Le Lon Moheur); and the English took a
missionary position on romance until the French taught them how
to "rendezvous".
Herein lies my problem. The word rendezvous with all its
romantic, even naughty, connotations has an important and
powerful usage. Thus, when the restaurant named "Rendezvous" was
obliged to change to "Pertemuan", I knew I was in trouble. For
three years I have been inviting young girls, women and even
gentlemen to pertemuan after pertemuan with me. What must those
poor people think. My motives were strictly business. But if
rendezvous is accurately translated into pertemuan, those people
were either shocked or disappointed that funny business didn't
ensue.
The other day in Kemang, when my son stood still for five
minutes, someone taped over the English words on his T-shirt.
To use four Indonesian words I'd be glad to have in English:
Awas! Hati-hati! (be careful) or a bad translation will leave you
with the language being damaged instead of enriched by new words.
GRAEME ST JOHN
Jakarta