For The Love of The National Language
A few days ago, I was privy to a conversation that raised my hackles. Two people in a business meeting I was in struck up a conversation on the benefits of speaking Mandarin in the 21st century. I wholeheartedly agreed. Then one of them commented what a bloody waste of time and brainpower it is to be speak Bahasa Malaysia. I vehemently disagreed. Actually no, I lie. I was pissed.
I love this country. Yes, I do despite its stinky drains, queue-cutters, corruption, horrendous traffic, tail-gaters and whatever else you've got on your What-Pisses-Me-Off-About-Malaysia' list. I have no intention of charming a foreigner with my exotic Asian looks and skipping off merrily with him into a California/Malibu/Paris/Whathaveyou sunset. I may not know the names of our national football players or who owns which mall in KL but I'm as Malaysian as you get and I'm proud of it. Just as I am proud to speak the national language.
As a student, I was adamant not to spend my precious evenings in a BM tuition class so I turned to my Malay friends for help. Armed with books and cassettes of their favourite authors and singers, I began to teach myself the language. That's when I discovered how beautiful it is. I delved further and happily soaked myself in the delicate prose. By the time the SPM rolled around, I had fallen deeply in love with the language.
Since leaving school, I haven't been speaking BM as much as I used to and when I do, the words stumble rather than glide off my tongue. But each time I hear a famliar Malay song from the 90s, I get that funny feeling in my tummy. I still love the language and contrary to my acquaintances' opinion, it has served me very well. It has...
1. ...enabled me to befriend some very interesting characters who don't speak English.
2. ...bridged the divide between me and the folk in rural areas where I sometimes pass through on my travels.
3. ...helped me plead my way out of a traffic offence without involving money exchanging hands.
4. ...helped my travel buddy and I discuss bargaining strategies, escape routes or observations of a hot guy in a foreign country, as well as score major Brownie points and huge discounts in Indonesia.
6. ...made me feel special to be able to speak a language that isn't shared by the rest of the world.
On Monday, I'm heading to Bookstreet to borrow a couple of Malay novels!
I love this country. Yes, I do despite its stinky drains, queue-cutters, corruption, horrendous traffic, tail-gaters and whatever else you've got on your What-Pisses-Me-Off-About-Malaysia' list. I have no intention of charming a foreigner with my exotic Asian looks and skipping off merrily with him into a California/Malibu/Paris/Whathaveyou sunset. I may not know the names of our national football players or who owns which mall in KL but I'm as Malaysian as you get and I'm proud of it. Just as I am proud to speak the national language.
As a student, I was adamant not to spend my precious evenings in a BM tuition class so I turned to my Malay friends for help. Armed with books and cassettes of their favourite authors and singers, I began to teach myself the language. That's when I discovered how beautiful it is. I delved further and happily soaked myself in the delicate prose. By the time the SPM rolled around, I had fallen deeply in love with the language.
Since leaving school, I haven't been speaking BM as much as I used to and when I do, the words stumble rather than glide off my tongue. But each time I hear a famliar Malay song from the 90s, I get that funny feeling in my tummy. I still love the language and contrary to my acquaintances' opinion, it has served me very well. It has...
1. ...enabled me to befriend some very interesting characters who don't speak English.
2. ...bridged the divide between me and the folk in rural areas where I sometimes pass through on my travels.
3. ...helped me plead my way out of a traffic offence without involving money exchanging hands.
4. ...helped my travel buddy and I discuss bargaining strategies, escape routes or observations of a hot guy in a foreign country, as well as score major Brownie points and huge discounts in Indonesia.
6. ...made me feel special to be able to speak a language that isn't shared by the rest of the world.
On Monday, I'm heading to Bookstreet to borrow a couple of Malay novels!
posted by starlight at 10:59 PM
7 Comments:
Very good write-up - Malaysia boleh!
hiya fiona! thanks for dropping by and for the kind words!
i went to bookstreet, DETERMINED not to get anything but instead was seduced by The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Autumn Bridge by Takashi Matsuoka. and oh yeah, the latest In Style. :(
mentor, you should know better than to walk into bookstreet and emerge empty handed. shame on you for even attempting to do that!! i'm off to get The Bus Stopped by Tabish Kahir and The Colour Purple by Alice Walker. by the way, i finally finished Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston but it took a little effort. the novelty of the african-american slang wore off about quarter way through and 'deciphering' the rest got really cumbersome. but the story was good!
malay is a beautiful language ... i wish i spoke and wrote it more fluently and am even now considering hiring a tutor so i can improve my reading skills
where is bookstreet? don't tell me there is a bookshop i haven't heard of?
bookstreet is a book rental place in desa sri hartamas. near souled out cafe. pretty good selection of old titles and always has new stuff coming in. here's a link to an article on it:
http://allmalaysia.info/news/story.asp?file=/2004/10/14/shopping/9046325&sec=mi_shopping
thanks - something to check out!
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