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May 2010

BAHASA@LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU

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Subject:
From:
Jody Diamond <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Indonesian language list <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 13 May 2010 07:37:17 -0400
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I work (infrequently) as an on-call phone interpreter for a 
company called CanTalkCanada. When they need to talk to someone 
who speaks Indonesian (and that's what they call it) but not 
English (which is the language of the North American company or 
social service), I am called as a telephone interpreter.

Once I was called to help a young mother whose baby was ill. I 
was asked to give her information about a medical hot line she 
could call. After a few sentences, her mother chimed in, and 
eventually took over because --- she spoke English. I was asked 
to get up at two in the morning to talk to some offices in 
Malaysia. They all spoke English. I was asked to interpret for a 
legal deposition. I had to be sworn in, etc. When I began 
"Selamat siang, Bapak dan Ibu," I was interrupted---what 
language are you speaking? Indonesian, I said. The reply: But we 
asked for Croation! I have other times been of help to 
Indonesians in Canada dealing with the phone company, or in 
WalMart trying to replace a faulty X-box.

The language has at all times been referred to as "Indonesian."

jody diamond

(And the term "Bahasa Indonesian" bugs me too.)

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