What's cooking, doc?

In English, (1) somebody who's got a PhD and (2) somebody who's licensed to treat injured or sick people are both called doctor. Bahasa Indonesia distinguishes them: doktor for the former and dokter for the latter. And the abbreviations are different, too: Dr. (capital D) means doktor and dr. means dokter.

So if your name is Philo Sophia and you're a medical doctor who happens to earn a doctorate degree, your name with the titles would be written: Dr. dr. Philo Sophia.

Harry Potter and the Catholic Orders

If Franciscans belong to Hufflepuff,
and Dominicans to Ravenclaw,
Jesuits would go to ... ? I can't decide between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Salah jurusan (?)

Aku lulusan SMA jurusan IPA. Tetapi, sebenarnya di hari pertama masuk kelas 2, aku mendapat kelas IPS--beberapa bulan sebelumnya aku memang mendaftar ke jurusan IPS. Sayang, itu cuma bertahan sampai bel istirahat. Karena setelah itu, guru BP masuk ke kelas dan memanggilku. Sambil membawaku ke kelas IPA, dia bilang, "Ini kesalahan. Kamu harus IPA. HARUS."

How they call me

Here we're used to addressing older men with a title. But things sometimes get complicated.

• Some call me kak (kakak) because I'm Indonesian.
• Some call me bang (abang) because I've grown up in Greater Jakarta area.
• Some call me kang (akang) because in SSEAYP I represent West Java province.
• Some call me ko (koko) because I'm Chinese by blood.
• Some call me mas because most Jakartans are Javanese.

Untranslatable: Jablay

The word jablay has gained popularity from the soundtrack of the film Mendadak Dangdut and since then has become part of everyday vocabulary. Originally meaning a person who desires for attention because rarely meeting their spouse or lover, the word has also now meant a prostitute.

Untranslatable: Sungkan

Sungkan means feeling hesitant or shy to talk with or request somebody; this particular feeling should result either from respect for that person or from the good deeds they have done to you. Therefore, sungkan is not identical with mere 'shy', the problem of which is found in yourself. Neither can it be translated as mere 'reluctant', which focuses on the activity itself (i.e. the act of holding a conversation). Sungkan is directed towards the person you are going to deal with.

Untranslatable: Jaim

Jaim means to behave insincerely in the public so that you won't damage you reputation; that's why you avoid socially embarrassing remarks and stupid stunts. Somebody jaim especially when they are a public figure under the spotlight or simply an ordinary person attending a formal social occasion. The clichéd 'be yourself' just doesn't apply here; in fact, nobody can truly be themselves in all social occasions (what is 'yourself' anyway?). When somebody says to you, 'Don't jaim', that means they think you are reluctant to do dirty, dangerous, demeaning tasks--and by that they disapprove of your attitude.

Untranslatable: Melayat

Melayat means to visit the family of a dead person and offer condolences. Like kondangan, melayat has a specific usage; it cannot mean simply to visit.

Untranslatable: Kondangan

Kondangan means to attend a wedding ceremony or reception. It's a handy single word to describe this activity. In daily conversation, if a friend of yours notices that you dress up, they may ask, 'Are you gonna kondangan?' This question has a double meaning, though. It may be that your friend just wants to clarify, judging by your look, whether you are really attending a wedding ceremony or reception. Otherwise, they might imply that you are wearing a wrong dress for an occasion that actually just requires casual attire.

Untranslatable: Ngabuburit

Ngabuburit means to seek amusements outdoors or in public buildings just an hour or two before breaking the fast. It is a Sundanese-derived word that always comes up in conversations during Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Untranslatable: Tubin

Tubin means the fourth day after today.

Untranslatable: Tulat

Tulat means the third day after today. It is synonymous with langkat.

Untranslatable: Jayus

Jayus is used to describe a joke; it means so poorly told and so unfunny that you can't help but laugh.

Untranslatable: Besuk

Besuk means to visit a person in hospital, especially your relative or friend.

Untranslatable: Besan

Besan is the parent of your son-in-law or daughter-in-law.

Untranslatable Bahasa Indonesia: Introduction

Inspired by a blog post on maptia.com, I'm currently doing a personal project called 'Untranslatable Bahasa Indonesia', since so far I can hardly find one on the Internet. I'm collecting Indonesian words that may have no exact equivalents in English (or, perhaps, in another language). The list is not exhaustive, of course, and some words may, upon later research, turn out to be translatable into another language--which is good.

The purpose is manifold:

• To me, this is to motivate me to browse through Indonesian dictionaries and thesauri.
• To Indonesian speakers, this is to encourage us to discuss the wealth of Bahasa Indonesia beyond oft-repeated spelling and grammatical mistakes (e.g. dimana v di mana, merubah v mengubah, etc.) 
• To non-Indonesian speakers, this is to celebrate linguistic diversity and to encourage you to find untranslatable words or expressions in your native languages.

As you read the blog posts, here's what I want you to do:

• Help me find more untranslatable Indonesian words
• Help me find the equivalents of these untranslatable Indonesian words

It should be noted that the term 'Bahasa Indonesia' is not exclusive of Malay, which is in most cases mutually intelligible.

Siapa yang layak dipilih umat Katolik Indonesia?

Infografis ini menampilkan sebagian isi Surat Gembala Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia (KWI) Menyambut Pemilihan Presiden 9 Juli 2014. Untuk saya, sifatnya sebagai pedoman moral bagi umat Katolik Indonesia yang hendak menggunakan hak pilihnya. Yang ditekankan adalah kepribadian dan komitmen para calon presiden/wakil presiden dalam integritas moral dan nilai-nilai yang sesuai dengan Ajaran Sosial Gereja.

Happy Songkran New Year 2014

Now, this isn't really an infographic. It's a message to our friends in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, who are celebrating New Year this weekend. Enjoy the festivities, folks!

What you need to know about SSEAYP

I love doing this! Perhaps it's because I've got some emotional attachment. Perhaps it's because I'm eager to let more and more people know about the programme. The Ship for Southeast Asian (and Japanese) Youth Programme, or SSEAYP, has been around for 40 years, and I've become part of its unique history. I hope this infographic will help people out there understand about the nature of the programme and thus become interested in trying to join.

Nyepi, Hindu Day of Silence

Long before the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiated the Earth Hour, Balinese Hindus had been observing a religious ritual that is extremely friendly to the environment, namely Nyepi, the Day of Silence. It is estimated that a 24-hour period with almost no human activity in Bali contributes to a 30,000-tonne reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. One can only imagine if more countries were participating in this day of silence. This infographic introduces you to the sacred day of Hindus, especially on Bali Island, which is celebrated this year on 31 March.

Road to Indonesian Legislative Election

2014 is the year of politics in Indonesia as we have two (or three) general elections: one to elect legislators and the other to elect the president. The first election will be held on 9 April. We know from the media that political parties are infamous for their ineffectiveness and corrupt practices, leading to voter abstention in Indonesia. However, the only way for us ordinary citizens to get rid of bad-performing legislators is through not voting for them in the very election.

Kematianku

Andai bisa kembali ke masa silam, ke sepuluh tahun pertama sejak kelahiran, ketika ide kematian belum datang dan menghantui. Ketika garis hidup seakan terbentang tanpa batas dan aku masih di pangkal.

Kematian momen yang sangat nyata dan personal, yang tak bisa disuplai doktrin apa pun. Kematian pengalaman yang datang terakhir dan tak bisa kuceritakan ulang pada yang lain. Memikirkannya membuat yang lain-lain tiba-tiba tidak esensial. Memikirkannya membuatku berhenti dan bertanya ulang: apa yang sungguh penting?

Hanya tiga perempat abad sudah terbilang kuat. Siapa pula yang sanggup dan mau hidup hingga sembilan puluh atau seratus tahun? Dan kini aku sudah seperempat jalan; tinggal dua atau tiga perempat lagi. Itu pun jika tiada musibah atau perang di tengah jalan, yang tidak bertanya apakah aku sudah siap. Tanah tiba-tiba longsor, lalu aku mati. Pesawat jatuh, lalu aku mati. Penjahat menembakkan peluru, lalu aku mati.

Akan ada misteri semesta yang belum sempat terjawab sampai kematianku. Akan ada kreasi manusia yang belum sempat kusaksikan. Akan ada tempat-tempat terindah di bumi yang belum sempat kukunjungi. Akan ada bahasa yang belum sempat kupelajari.

Dan ketika aku musnah, terserah pada mereka yang bertahan untuk mengenang atau melupakan. Orang-orang besar tetap dikenal karena karyanya atau kekejiannya. Orang-orang biasa musnah dalam sejarah dunia, bergabung dengan miliaran orang biasa lainnya.

How to express the existence of something

English
'There is a book.'
The existence of a book is shown by the fact that it occupies a certain place.

Français
« Il y a un livre. »
Literally, it there has a book. The existence of a book is possessed by the impersonal « il ».

Deutsch
„Es gibt ein Buch.“
Literally, it gives a book. The existence of a book is given by the impersonal „es“.

Our particular, historical milieux

We have always come from a particular background. We have always lived in a particular age. Consequently,

• We can't always judge human practices of the antiquity by today's moral standards. 
• We can't fault today's entire nation on the sins committed by the older generation.
• We can't impose our beliefs on other local communities as if ours were absolutely universal.

How to identify an object in German and French

In German:

• Was ist das?

In French:

• Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
• Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça ?
• C'est quoi ?
• C'est quoi, ça ?
• Ça c'est quoi ?
• Qu'est-ce ?

A sentence using obsolete English words

Responding to this post, I made my sentence:

Our mate the jollux was frecking in a yemeles way through the tourist-packed pathways, trying to deliciate by the seashore at twitter-light. We couldn't help but kench; he was just so ludibrious.

7-Eleven nicknames in Southeast Asia

How people call 7-Eleven convenience store (based on personal experience):

• Thailand: Seven (though the name Eleven is more obvious in its logo)
• Malaysia: Seven ee (too long to mention Eleven)
• Indonesia: Sevel (acronym lovers: Seven+Eleven=Sevel!)
• Philippines: Seven eleven (the most faithful one, despite five syllables in its name)

The British man who travelled to all countries

I'm responding to this news. He's claimed one world record. Yes, that's amazing. But there are two records waiting to be claimed, which, I think, are more amazing:

1. 'Most countries visited by a woman using ground transport'. Experience might be totally different if the traveller is a woman--think of safety concerns and menstruation period.
2. 'Most countries visited by a person from a visa-restricted country using ground transport'. As a UK citizen, he's got the edge on most residents of the world who don't really have freedom of international travel. The British in 2013 rank 1st with 173 countries that can be visited without a visa--compared to Afghans who can only enter 28 countries freely. Just imagine if you've got to apply for a visa at least one month or two prior to your arrival in each country with the chance of your application being denied--you will definitely take more than 4 years to complete this grand voyage, won't you?

Phrasebook

I believe the word 'phrasebook' is only understood by two different communities: (1) language learners and (2) programmers.

Perempuan Indonesia di televisi

Di acara bincang-bincang di televisi, perempuan pembawa acara berpakaian seksi, sementara perempuan penonton berjilbab dengan jaket alma mater. Kentara sekali bedanya.

Labelling philosophers of the modern and contemporary ages

The 3H philosophers

• B.W.F. Hegel
• Edmund Husserl
• Martin Heidegger

The masters of suspicion (maîtres du soupçon)

• Sigmund Freud
• Karl Marx
• Friedrich Nietzsche

The Big Four in phenomenology

• Edmund Husserl
• Martin Heidegger
• Jean-Paul Sartre
• Maurice Merleau-Ponty

The Big Four in hermeneutics

• Friedrich D.E. Schleiermacher
• Wilhelm Dilthey
• Martin Heidegger
• Hans-Georg Gadamer

Hey, Heidegger is almost everywhere!

Indonesian provinces I have visited

This particular infographic takes a different size and shape. I'm trying to make it more compact, hence the square shape. As for the content, the message is simple: I want to encourage more Indonesians (and foreigners as well) to have the mission of visiting all provinces in Indonesia, so that they can know better their compatriots and appreciate cultures that may be different from their own. These days, middle-class Indonesians are increasingly taking a flight to other countries. Even some are already too familiar with European countries or the US. Of course, there is nothing wrong with travelling abroad. What is important here, however, is that as Indonesian citizens, are we not supposed to acquire good knowledge and extensive experience of our own country as well? Travelling broadens horizons and no human interaction can be more influential than people-to-people communication. So, let's travel Indonesia!

National Symbols of Indonesia

Pretty much like other countries in the world, Indonesia has created some objects as its national symbols. Among these symbols are the national emblem, motto, flag, anthem, and language. In addition to these man-made symbols, Indonesia has also designated a number of plants and animals as its national flora and fauna. Unlike most countries, however, Indonesia has got not only one species of plant and animal to represent the country--it's got three under the titles 'national' (satwa nasional), 'of charm' (satwa pesona), and 'rare' (satwa langka) respectively. In fact, each province in Indonesia has designated one plant and one animal as its provincial identities (here and here). Hopefully, this symbolic expression would bring an effective preservation of the said species. 

PS: This infographic was made using images gathered from the Internet.

How diverse is Indonesia?

To talk about Indonesia is to talk about diversity. It is of little wonder that the idea of diversity is the first topic an Indonesian points out when presenting their country before the public. Indonesia is diverse, both naturally and culturally. And that's why I decided to make this infographic.

Along the process, I realised that the cultural diversity of Indonesia implies something wonderful: these different groups of people living on scattered islands for generations, who have developed their own distinct cultural identities, customs, and languages, can be united in a single political entity called Indonesia. Similarly, the extremely high biodiversity of Indonesia is something one can't help but be grateful for. The flora and fauna, both on land and under water, make up an immense ecosystem that these people have been trying to learn and live in harmony with.

And yet such diversity is now put in danger. A number of languages are predicted to be extinct in the future, and so are some species of animals. Human activities are to blame for the loss of Indonesia's rainforest and for the damaged fluvial and marine life. I am wondering if the best service an Indonesian can do for their country is to preserve natural and cultural diversity; since diversity is the identity of the country.

PS: This infographic was made using images gathered from the Internet.

How large is Indonesia?

I often take for granted the extent of Indonesian archipelago, partly because of its maritime feature, which makes Indonesia look dominated by water, rather than land. And map projection does create some distortion so that Indonesia, which is located along the equator, seems tinier than countries far to the north or to the south, such as China or the US.

However, upon Internet research, I found that the flight distance from the westernmost to easternmost towns of the country (popularly called 'dari Sabang sampai Merauke', from Sabang to Merauke) is longer than that in China, the US, or even the whole Europe. Travelling by flight from Banda Aceh in Aceh to Jayapura in Papua takes a longer time than from Lisbon to Moscow, or from San Fransisco to New York city.

I created this infographics as a light reminder and, hopefully, an eye-opener that our homeland is indeed large. And such vast territory consequently brings a demand for an effective government. We should be reminded that Indonesia is unlike China or the US, the territory of which is mostly land area. Indonesia is a huge maritime nation, which poses a challenge of maintaining security over the archipelago, especially in the areas close to the borders.

PS: I gathered the images from various websites since I don't know yet how to work with Photoshop, Corel Draw, and the like. Many thanks to the creators.

'To be One' rendered into French

'To be One' is one of the most recognisable songs used during the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Programme (SSEAYP) since 2000s. Performed by Indonesian singer Gita Gutawa, the lyrics tell about friendship and willingness to be one despite differences. The original rendition is in English, and I've rendered it into French. Enjoy.

Je vois un arc-en-ciel

Couleurs qui brillent dans ma vie

J’entends des oiseaux-mouches

chantant une belle chanson

Chanson d’amour et de joie

Chanson de paix, d’espoir

Je veux pas que ça s’achève

Je veux que ça dure sans cesse

Bien qu’on ne soit pas pareil

Alors même qu’on prend des chemins divers

dans ma vie, dans ta vie

Tenons-nous par la main

ensemble dans ce monde

Unissons-nous

Le monde sera une maison pour nous tous

qui nous donne l’esprit tranquille

plein d’amour, sans larme

où toi et moi, on peut rire

sans pleurer, tout sourire

L’endroit pour nous, nous unir

Unissons-nous

2013 in review

Reviewing the 2013's resolution I made in the beginning of this year, I am hardly surprised that I've not achieved them at all; unlike that of the previous year. The planned activities I'm loving most have been in conflict with my responsibilities as a college student, organisation member, part-time teacher, freelance editor, which are all time consuming.

The first semester was marked by weekly mobility between Jakarta and Bandung, which affected other schedules of teaching and college exams. Similarly, the second semester of this year turned out to be supertight: managing training for the newly selected PYs in Jakarta while taking 23 credit points of 24 at college. In terms of the academe, this semester has been the worst, I suppose, where philosophy reading was done with little understanding, classes were skipped, papers were made with little reflection, and exams were passed in a hurry--and I swear I'm not sure about the results.

Much personal sacrifice has been given as well: I wasn't really able to attend all the film festivals, public lectures, book discussions, and cultural exhibitions I had bookmarked much earlier. And I should say all this stuff has put me away from the church intermittently for many weeks. They say it's all about time management, but I'd ask if they have tried reading one chapter of Merleau-Ponty's "Philosophy of Perception" within only 2 hours a week and understand all he wrote, before you take a two-hour motorcycle ride to the PDT venue and spend most of the week with PYs and committee members? Surely 24 hours ain't enough?

So I compensated these not-so-appealing life records with other activities that belong to my true penchant and I did everything to get them done. I managed to clinch victories in three varsity competitions of English. I flew for a weekend getaway to Singapore and Batam to meet friends who matter in my life. I sat the TOEIC exam and cast an-ear-to-ear smile after getting the result. I went to theatre performances and music concerts by cancelling any teaching schedules on that day. I've been subscribing to National Geographic Indonesia and French Philosophie magazine  just to get more humane inspiration amid the banality of urban life.

I predict that 2014 will take a similar path. But I am sure it's going to be much easier because I have almost no classes to attend. So, here comes the opportunity for the "I-want-to-do" list, instead of the "to-do" list. I want to learn German and Filipino, take Dalf C1/C2 French exams, take CAE/CPE English exams, get a driving licence, get my articles published, and so on.

When learning languages

When learning European languages, it's mostly about declension and conjugation, which Indonesian lacks because it simply uses affixes to make a sentence and reduplication to make a singular noun plural. No genders, no numerals, and (practically) no tenses.

When learning Asian languages, it's mostly about different scripts and tone, which Indonesian lacks because it uses entirely Latin alphabet and tone in Indonesian doesn't change a word's meaning at all.

If you were born and raised in Austronesian realm, you'll know just how difficult it is for an adult learner to get used to those concepts not existing in our mother tongue.

So, kudos to all multilingual Indonesians. At least, we can trill our R's, rrr....

Posted on Facebook on 27 December 2013.