Moving memorial service

On 15 December 2012, tragedy struck the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. 26 people died in the shooting spree orchestrated by a young man, Adam Lanza.   No motive for the shooting has been identified yet. 

A memorial service was initiated by the Inter-Faith of the Newtown community. It was really moving and touching to watch the memorial service. This emotional event for all - parents, relatives and friends of the perished people was telecasted live on CNN and other channels to remember the departed souls.

The religious bodies of the town - the Christians, Muslims, Jews and Bahá'is gathered in unity and concord to pray for the departed souls. Such is the forte among human beings. When tragedy strikes, people despite of different religious beliefs, come together as members of one family to express their support and oneness.  

The questions that lingers in our mind: What’s wrong with people today, like Adam Lanza, a 20 year old lad? Mentally ill? Hatred against society? Lost hope in life?  

Whatever it is, such tragic events should not recur in the future. Preventive measures should be taken as said tearfully by President Barrack Obama himself. Let us remember the lost souls in our prayers.

Nurturing children''s potential

I was relieved and happy with the recent statement by our  Deputy Prime Minster and Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at a ceremony to celebrate the success of the Malaysian contingent's performance at the Kuala Lumpur World Robotic Olympiad (KL WRO) 2012 recently. He said children's potential should be nurtured.

I have always believed that every child has a potential hidden within him or her. A child is potentially the light of the world. Every effort should be taken to make the light shine out.  Children need to be regarded as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Just look how the gems are excavated from the soil and polished to become a beautiful and lustrous ornament for man.

Likewise, we need to identify the potential of a child, nurture its potential so that the child can reveal its hidden talent and reach his or her apex.  It is the paramount duty of parents and teachers to identify and nurture the talents and potential of their children.  

As aptly said by our DPM, it would be a waste if the student’s interest is not cultivated and nurtured. A child can develop interest in any field, be it sports, computer, economics, journalism, language or even dancing. Whatever field is the choice of children; it should be encouraged and fostered so that the child achieves his or her choice.

Nowadays, we see a worrying trend among parents demanding their children to study a field of their choice, like medicine, law and the like. Some parents even indoctrinate the child from childhood to become a doctor, even though the child may not have the correct aptitude for medicine. In some families, becoming a doctor is a prestigious achievement. I do not deny the fact the career of a doctor is a truly rewarding one. But, is the child interested in medicine and has the passion to be a doctor? This is the crucial issue the parents need to ponder before encouraging the child to take up any career.

Let’s us bring the best of every child and make him or her happy for choosing the career. Do not deny them their right to make a choice. We should not force upon any career that is a dream of ours. After all what is happiness in life? Be happy with whatever you do and thus contribute our share for the betterment of our fellow being.

Be proud of Bahasa Malaysia

The National Language Month (Bulan Bahasa Kebangsaan) has commenced in October this year, as an annual event under the patronage of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the guardian of the Malay Language.

The Director General of DBP, Dr Hj Awang Sariyan in his recent speech at the official launching of the National Language Month (BBK) in Tangkak, Johor, said the government has agreed to extend the celebrations until the end of the year. This clearly shows the concern and commitment on the part of government to promote the good use of BM among its citizens.

Bahasa Melayu, the official language and national language of Malaysia since independence should be given due recognition as the sole national language in the usage by Malaysian society at large.

It is sad to notice although born and breed here, many Malaysian do not speak the language efficiently and well. The use of bahasa rojak or code switching when speaking bahasa Melayu is prevalent among speakers of Malay Language, especially the younger generations.

We, as Malaysian should be proud of our national language. Lackadaisical attitude prevalent among fellow Malaysian towards the BM should not be excused. The national language should be used extensively and widely in all the interactions among Malaysians, whether it a public or private occasions.

In that respect, we should respect the Indonesians for their patriotism in the use of Bahasa Indonesia widely. I remember last year when my wife and I checked into a hotel in Lake Toba, we were greeted with ‘Selamat Sore bapak (Good evening, Sir) not ‘Good evening, sir’ although we were tourists.

This hardly happens in Malaysia. In most encounters, we are greeted ‘Good Morning’ or ‘Good evening’ by the receptionist when we check-in at a local hotel in Malaysia despite the fact that we are Malaysian, who understand the language well. What’s wrong if the receptionist greet the hotel quests in Malay, like ‘Selamat datang’ or “Selamat petang’?

The BBK is annual reminder initiated by DBP to the fellow Malaysian to love the language and use it correctly and with pride in all occasions, in our interactions with fellow Malaysians.  Use of correct language should not be contemplated during the celebrations only, but rather  throughout time. As a Malaysian and a Malay linguist, I advocate to all Malaysians,  let’s love our own national language, the second mother-tongue.

Influx of Foreign words into Malay vocabulary

Of late, many are lamenting on the influx of foreign words into Malay vocabulary. As a Malay linguist, allow me to explain this linguistic phenomenon so that readers can understand the development occurring in the Malay Language.

First, we need to accept the fact that influx of foreign words into a language is a natural phenomenon. All languages, including English Language has borrowed voluminously from other languages. About 80% of the words found in the English Language are foreign words.

Words like antenna, bangle, cassette, guerrilla, nirvana, pizza, and schizophrenia are words from Latin, Hindi, French, Spanish, Sanskrit, Italian and Greek respectively. Languages need to accept foreign words or borrow words to survive. Likewise, the Malay Language has borrowed hundreds of words from foreign languages, like Sanskrit, Persian, Arab, Tamil, Chinese, and lately English words.

We have borrowed words like asrama, dewan, solat, katil and tongkang comfortably in the past and these words have assimilated into Malay vocabulary. Many users probably do not know that they are actually Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Tamil and Chinese words respectively.

In the process of modernization of Bahasa Malaysia, our national languages, new words have been coined or borrowed words to enable the language to become a modern and compatible language like any other languages of the world. Many new fields have developed in the Malay Language and we need words to describe the concept and new ideas in Malay. As we do not have the appropriate words, we either coin or borrow words from other language to enable to express the new ideas and concepts in Malay.

As Malaysians, we should learn to accept the influx of foreign words, especially English words. This is a healthy trend in the Malay Language, like what is happening in any other modern languages of the words. Accepting foreign words in not done in a haphazard or according to the whims and fancies of a Malay user. It is actually according to stipulated rules and regulations specified by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the guardian of the Malay Language.

Borrowed words need to adjusted to the Malay sound system and spelling of the Language. So, words like account, discussion, and productivity when borrowed in Malay need to be changed into akaun, diskusi, and produktiviti in line with rules of the phonological rules of the Malay Language.

On the question why we need akaun when we have already words in the language like kira-kira. In vocabulary, there are two types of words, common words and specific words or terms. The word kira-kira is a common word, but we use akaun as a term in a specific usage in the economic and accounting domain.  

Besides, in languages alternative words or synonymic words are always created or coined to enable the languages to express ideas and thoughts using different words, like aktiviti and kegiatan, kereta api and tren, and program and atur cara.

The influx of foreign words into Malay Language, do not mean we making it a rojak language. As explained earlier, foreign words are carefully assimilated into Malay according to language rules and regulations.  Let us see these trend a healthy linguistic phenomena, not an alarming one. 

Moral values and virtues essential

In the latest Reader’s Digest appraisal, Malaysians have been branded as a rude nation. It is really remorse to know such a grading by a leading magazine. Malaysians were always known for their excellent behaviours. But, now things have changed drastically. Not much consideration is given to good values and virtues by people nowadays.

We see in our midst, people - young and old, talking rudely to elders, not greeting when meeting others, interrupting conversations, laughing without moderation, not saying sorry and the like. Aren’t these values taught at home and at school? Or perhaps such training is lacking in schools and homes? 

People are now slowly losing their values and virtues, like courtesy, gratitude, consideration, moderation, politeness and so forth. These noble virtues need to be implanted in the minds of people, especially the young ones.  

What is the flaw in society which causes such a situation in Malaysia? Basically, our education system and home education is the cause of the deterioration of values among Malaysians. Perhaps parents are not emphasising the importance of inculcating the noble values at home. I believe proper education of children is vital importance to the progress of mankind, and the heart and essential of all education is spiritual and moral training.  

Parents and teachers have a crucial role in guiding children in acquiring these moral values and virtues. In moral training, mothers do play a crucial role. Mothers are the first educators of children, who establish virtues in the child’s inner nature. They encourage the child to acquire perfections and goodly manners, warn children against unbecoming qualities, and encourage them to show forth values like courtesy, compassion, kindness and trustworthiness.

As a developing nation, we cannot afford Malaysia to be branded as nation devoid of noble values and virtues. Such appraisals by magazines like Reader’s Digest surely and definitely affect tourism and name of the nation. So, please Malaysian please be more courteous, polite, helpful, hospitable, accommodating, and caring to all.

Canning is not the way to discpline children

The issue of canning children and students has surfaced again. It looks as if it is a no ending subject in the education circle and among parents too. First of all, we must agree that punishment is necessary to discipline our children and students. But is canning the way to discipline a child or a student? Do we think that by canning a child or a student, he or she can be disciplined? I am afraid we are not taking the right approach in this matter. 

In raising and disciplining children, I believe in the golden rule: reward and punishment. These are two pillars. These two noble principles will ensure stability and order in families and in the world at large. Good deeds should be appreciated and bad behaviour should not be condoned and dealt seriously. By upholding this principle, justice is endorsed in child-raising. In this context, parents play a crucial role in executing these two noble principles. 

For example, whenever a mother sees that her child has done well, let her praise and applaud him and cheer his heart. If the slightest undesirable trait should manifest itself, let the mother or father counsel the child and punish him, and use means based on reason, even a slight verbal chastisement should this be necessary. The child needs to be explained the wrong doing before punishment is carried out. 

However, it is not permissible to strike a child, or vilify him, for the child’s character will be totally perverted if he be subjected to blows or verbal abuse. Children receiving canning can be affected emotionally and psychologically. Children are not beasts to be canned. They are human beings with a soul. Even there are international organizations like the Blue Cross advocate that animals should be treated well, and not beaten. What more, children who are human beings? 

Sometime ago, I was interviewed by a local TV channel asking me to commend on this issue. I emphatically told that no canning of children, but emphasized the need for punishment in raising children. I strongly disagree canning as one form of punishment. We need to execute punishment in different ways and more in a more humane manner. Unfortunately, many parents today support the notion to cane children to ascertain discipline among children. 

It is not the physical pain a child should experience through canning as a form of punishment, but rather the pain of deprivation of things the child likes. This is what child experts and psychologists advocate to parents and educators. What are the ways and methods? 

This is the challenge we face now. It is suggested children should be denied and deprived the things they love most, like ice-cream, KFC outing, watching TV, playing with friends, playing computer games, using sophisticated gadgets like IPod, etc. etc. 

Deprivation of this nature will make the children feel the pain, too. This will make them regret their actions which results this deprivation. Next time, they will make sure; they will not get into mischievous acts and thereby punished.  

Therefore, parents and educators need to change their perspective with regards to canning children as a form of discipline. Proverbs like ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ should be discarded. In the current changes, such holding need to give way for modern thoughts and strategies in handling discipline among children.

Negative connotation of the word janda in Malay

I refer to the recent debate of the word janda for widow in Malay. There has been a proposal to use armalah, an Arabic term, instead of janda to refer to widows in Malay.

As a linguist, allow me to comment on this issue. In languages, there exists a concept called euphemism, which means word having derogatory or unpleasant connotation replaced by users with another word.

For example, word like jamban has been replaced with tandas, and now lately with bilik air in Malay. Although the word jamban and tandas exist in the Malay vocabulary now, but there seems preference for the compound word bilik air.

As to the word janda, it has been use since a long time, and of course a familiar word among users of Malay Language. Way back in 1812, there is an entry of the word janda which means ‘widow’ in the English and Malayan Dictionary, complied by William Marsden. So, the word janda is actually an equivalent to the concept widow in Malay.

Words cannot be replaced according to whims and fancies of users of a language. Words survive and thrive, and at times become extinct when the usage of a particular word becomes minimal or not preferred by users. If the word falls out of use, then slowly and gradually, the word fades out from the common vocabulary. It will then become a passive word in the vocabulary of the language.

So, we need not worry about the negative connotation of the word as claimed by certain quarters. It is just a word to denote a married women whose husband has passed away, or separated legally. Of course, the perception of a widow is different between a man and a woman.  That doesn’t mean there is a negative connotation for the word janda. Leave the word alone and time will tell us whether the word is a preferred word or not in time to come. All languages evolve and change all along the way, including vocabulary of language.

The word armalah is comparatively a new word to be introduced into the Malay language. It is not even listed in Kamus Dewan, 4th edition, the latest Malay dictionary produced by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in 2005. Perhaps, it will take a while to acclimatize the word by the Malay users.  

To accept a word or reject a word is all in the hands of the users of a language. Whether the word  janda stands or disappears, it depends on the users of the language. After all, not many people are unhappy about the word. It is always a matter of choice in language. So, if armalah is introduced, it will be just an alternative word for janda in Malay.