Probe, clarification or 'gombalization'?

JAKARTA (JP): An old cartoon that I happened to keep, shows Imelda facing a TV crew, clarifying her previous statement. The caption is very intriguing: "It shows how wrong the press can be! Certainly I had 3,000 pairs of shoes. But half of them belonged to Ferdinand. (Ferdinand is pictured standing beside her, wearing a pair of ladies shoes).

I took the cartoon, printed a decade ago, to my English class for the purpose of answering my students' question on what the word clarification means. "That is clarification," I said.

If you have considered becoming a language teacher, now is the time to decide against it. This kind of job nowadays is getting tough, what with the ever-changing situation that yields new vocabulary.

The current political situation, coming with a series of new words (or old words with a whole new meaning) has generated confusion amongst language users.

Just like recently, when A.A. Baramuli, chairman of the Supreme Advisory Board, said that the government would certainly investigate former president Soeharto's wealth, State Secretary Akbar Tandjung carefully amended the statement by saying that the government would ask for clarification on Pak Harto's statement that he does not have a red cent in any banks abroad.

"Now, class, can you tell the difference between to investigate and to ask for clarification?"

Aristo answered: "That depends on who the object is. If the object is one of the common people, there is a big difference between investigation and asking for clarification. But when dealing with a VIP, both are the same -- it is done in a kow tow style. You don't summon the object. You have to wait until the object gives the green light for you to pay a visit (or homage?) and use a very delicate vocabulary."

Avoiding further argument, I decided to end the conversation. "Enough of politics. Today we are going to discuss idiomatic expression."

"That reminds me," said Meidy. "How do you say 'habis manis sepah dibuang' in English?"

My stomach churned. That expression, quoted by Akbar from Habibie's statement, is a very old proverb irrelevant to current life. It's hard to explain to the younger generation.

In the old days, instead of taking a candy (which was then a luxury item), we chewed on sugar cane cut into small pieces. When the sweet taste was gone, we threw away the waste and started with a new piece. Hence the proverb, Habis manis sepah dibuang (When the taste is gone, the waste is thrown away). It denotes ungratefulness, the attitude of a person who is not thankful to the one whom he owes a lot.

By using the proverb, Habibie certainly wanted his people not to adopt an attitude of condemnation toward the previous president, to whom he thinks this nation owes a lot.

The trouble is, I could not briefly explain the origin of the proverb to the students, because most of them had never seen sugarcane. I had to draw pictures of sugarcane and tell them about my old habits.

"Sugarcane for my generation is bubble gum for yours. It's very juicy. Believe me."

"But, why isn't it recommended to throw away the waste? Are you supposed to keep it in your pocket when it is no longer useful?"

"It's only a proverb," I said.

"By the way," said Galih, "do you think it is relevant to compare the sweetness of sugarcane juice to what Pak Harto did to the nation? I mean, did he really give us the sweetness?"

Here we go again! They never have enough of political talk.

"Why don't you ask the man who said it? Now let's get back to the lesson."

"This is also part of our lesson, isn't it? We are practicing our vocabulary."

I gave in and let them continue the argument.

"Talking about the sweet juice," said Aminarso, "I think the meaning of the proverb is the other way around. Actually, the juice was sucked by those in power during the new order administration, and all we have now is the waste, or the remains, if you like. And the remains represent the poverty, scarcity of food and economic turmoil we have to endure."

"And talking about clarification, it's the people the government must ask. I mean, the government needs to ask for clarification from the people whether they have got the sweet juice or the waste from the new order government."

"And what if the government turn a deaf ear to what the people say?"

"We call it gombalization," I pitched in. To gombalize, is to say one thing when you mean another."

"Is it English?"

"No, it is Indonesian slang. I want to make it into English vocabulary the way we have been adopting English words in our daily vocabulary such as investasi, negosiasi, globalisasi, jambanisasi, etc."

The bell rang and I was saved! I didn't need to explain the meaning of the last expression. "Let's call it a day," I said, concluding the class without touching on the subject I had intended to discuss that day.

-- Carl Chairul