BAHASA Archives

May 2010

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Subject:
From:
Katrin Bandel <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Indonesian language list <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 12 May 2010 10:26:29 -0700
Content-Type:
text/plain
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I have lived in Indonesia (Jogja and Bali) for more that 10 years now, and I have never heard Indonesians refer to the Indonesian language as "bahasa", at least when talking to each other. Once in a while it happens that an Indonesian adopts that "white colonial nickname" when he/she talks to foreigners (usually in English).

Katrin


Dr. Katrin Bandel

www.katrinbandel.com

--- On Wed, 12/5/10, [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: BAHASA Digest - 10 May 2010 to 11 May 2010 (#2010-18)
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wednesday, 12 May, 2010, 6:45 PM

i think that in both directions it's a matter of gengsi or performance of worldliness. in english it also reflects a cultural impetus to illustrate a peculiar respect for an exotic other by using a word that is mistakenly thought to be authentically "native" -- an attempt to be politically aware ("correct"). pointing this out (with different words, perhaps) serves more purposes than the mere linguistic.

tim

________________________________________
From: Indonesian language list [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Goldsworthy [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, 12 May 2010 9:06 p.m.
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: BAHASA Digest - 10 May 2010 to 11 May 2010 (#2010-18)

Unfortunately, during my 3 year stint in Jakarta from 2006 to 2008, I heard Indonesians more and more referring to the national language as 'Bahasa'. I'd say most of the missionaries I know are actually far better informed.

Calling this mailing list 'Bahasa@....' doesn't help either.

What REALLY ticks me off however, is insisting that the national language of Indonesia be exclusively referred to as 'Bahasa Indonesia' when speaking English. Wrong. The English name for the national language of the Republic of Indonesia is 'Indonesian'.

DavidG





----- Original Message ----
From: chris henderson <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wed, 12 May, 2010 2:14:02 PM
Subject: Re: BAHASA Digest - 10 May 2010 to 11 May 2010 (#2010-18)

True, rarely do you hear Indonesians refer to their own language as "bahasa"
without also adding "Indonesia" (or Betawi, or Batak). The only people I
encounter who use "bahasa" to classify both Indonesian and Malay (and any
other language of the region) are missionaries and mis-informed travellers.

Chris Henderson,
NZ

On Wed, May 12, 2010 at 4:00 PM, BAHASA automatic digest system <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> There is 1 message totalling 16 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
>  1. Infant Language Acquisition of Bahasa (as first language)
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date:    Tue, 11 May 2010 20:21:50 +1200
> From:    "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Infant Language Acquisition of Bahasa (as first language)
>
> Are you using the white colonial nickname for Indonesian and Malay when
> you=
>  ask about "infant language acquisition of bahasa"? If not, one must ask
> wh=
> ich bahasa you are talking about.
>
> tim behrend
> auckland nz=
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of BAHASA Digest - 10 May 2010 to 11 May 2010 (#2010-18)
> ************************************************************
>



--
"Teaching is moment to moment, an endless series of negotiations that hang
on intangibles, on imagination, empathy and the struggle to stay centred"

David Edelstein, New York Times



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