It is a very very long story (Languages in general)

Member Name: djohan

Product:	Languages in general
Date:	07/01/02 (259 review reads)
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The less sophisticated of my forbears avoided foreigners at all costs, for the very good reason that, in their circles, speaking in tongues was commonly a prelude to snake handling. The more tolerant among us regarded foreign languages as a kind of speech impediment that could be overcome by willpower.

[Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941), U.S. author, columnist. The Worst Years of Our Lives,’Language Barrier’ (1991; first published 1989).]


A LONG DILLEMA

Do parents need to teach or ask their children to learn a foreign language? It has been a dilemma in parent’s forums formally and informally. Some agree that it is an excellent moment for a child to learn a foreign language and some disagree with the concept.

I have seen the pro and contra of these for a long time. Many parents tend to bring their preschool-children to informal school to learn English as a foreign (+ one of international) language. They hope, once their children must be able to communicate in English. A dream is a dream. Not all dreams come true.

Both sides have their own reasons to claim their ‘truth’. I am not going to be a judge and jury here, but just to be one of 'witnesses'. Every reader of this opinion can be a judge or jury. Take your role now, okay?


MY WITNESS

First of all I need to introduce my self. Well, I am a Cantonese and was born in Indonesia about 33 years ago. I can speak several languages with 'different qualities', as the following:

Indonesian or Bahasa Indonesia is my national language. I can communicate in the language very well. I think that I do not have to tell you any longer why I can communicate in the language.
Ratings of my Skills : writing (97%), speaking (99%), listening (99%), reading (99%)

Hokkian is a lingua franca to me with most Chinese. I use it most of the time when I meet my Chinese friends. I do not learn it formally, just learn it a
ccidentally.
Ratings of my Skills : writing (0%), speaking (99%), listening (99%), reading (0%)

Malayan or Bahasa Melayu is the language used widely in Malaysia. The dialect of the language is almost the same with Bahasa Indonesia as linguistically it is said that the original of Bahasa Indonesia comes from Malayan. I do not use the language, but I can understand it. I see the most outstanding difference in the both languages is at the vocabulary, but just for some terms. By the way, I know the language as I love watching their television programs.
Ratings of my Skills: writing (80%), speaking (80%), listening (95%), reading (95%).

Mandarin is one of Chinese languages. I know the language because every Chinese (Hong Kong) film uses the language with Indonesian text as the translation of the dialogue. When I was a child, I found my parents usually used the language, especially while they were talking about 'something' and did not allow me to know (their top secret language) as they realized that I did not understand it even a word!
Ratings of my Skills: writing(0%), speaking (70%), listening (80%), reading (0%)

English is a real foreign language for me. I find it difficult to learn. But realising this is one of international languages, I must learn it. I tried to love the language. How? I happened to love corresponding; I wrote with foreigners who knew English. Well, I feel that corresponding help me much as I have to write English in the corresponding. Day by day I find it amusing. You see, now I am writing at DOOYOO and CIAO. It is my effort to learn English from you all, my friends.

German is introduced to me when I was attending the first year of my senior high school. I learned it for three years. I see that the concept of the language is almost the same with English. I think it is difficult for me to learn. The only sentence I know is 'Ich liebe die' and no more at all! That is why I do not have to give t
he ratings of my skills in mastering this language.

Cantonese should be my mother tongue. You must think that I must master this language very well. It is wrong! My parents do not use this language to communicate with me. They use Hokkian as most Chinese in my hometown use Hokkian to communicate with each other. It sounds strange, but it is the fact. My grandparents use Cantonese to communicate with my parents and me. I seldom meet my grandparents. Do you want to know the ratings?
Ratings of my Skills: writing (0%), speaking (30%), listening (80%), reading (0%)

I also can communicate in several local languages as I have a lot of friends with different tribes in my daily living.

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Well friends, just a foot note from me; the ratings of my skills are just based on my own 'objective' feeling in order to give you a general illustration in comparing. I have not got any tests of each language.


DID MY PARENTS TEACH ME THE LANGUAGES?

I think you have known how someone can get in touch with a foreign language. Language can be learned by situation. It is the best way. I have to learn German for 3 years at school, but I just remember one 'romantic' sentence as the result. Why? The most extreme one and should be broadcast in 'DO YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT' ? or the definition of 'MOTHER TONGUE' should be redefine by the lexicologists.

The fact of my very poor Cantonese make me to be ashamed. There are a lot of tribes for Chinese; If a Chinese meets a new Chinese friend, they usually ask about of which tribe he or she comes from. Supposing they come from the same tribe, then their conversation uses their tribe's language. Can you imagine if I meet a Cantonese or someone can speak Cantonese? I can only speak fluently in Hokkian; should I be a 'traitor' to my ancestors by telling a lie (admitting I am a Hokkian)? No, I do not want to be a traitor.



IN WHAT LANGUAGE D
O I COMMUNICATE TO MY SON IN THIS 'MISSING LINK'?

Instead of judging my parents ? 'Guilty or Not' for not teaching me Cantonese as my mother tongue, it is better for me to tell you what language I use to my son.

Before telling you, I need to tell you how I feel and what I imagine in this situation. I am sure that another 'Charles Robert Darwin' in the coming time, must get confused to see my generations. They say to the Darwin, 'We are Cantonese, but we do not speak Cantonese.' After thinking for a while and looking at his notes, the Darwin will say, 'You, you and your grandfather must be mistaken! You are not Cantonese. You should come from Hokkian by seeing your mother tongue,' while pointing at them.

That is why I write this and hope at least one of my next generations can find this opinion and show this to the Darwin in order to prove that they belong to Cantonese tribe. They can say, 'My ancestors happened to be the poor ones as they did not learn the Cantonese!' The MISSING LINK has been found!

I pray, one day they must learn Cantonese and can use the language well. I am optimised that they will have the chance. Why not? It is very easy. I will send them to live in Hong Kong for study or business. Most Chinese speak Cantonese in Hong Kong, don't they?

Well, return to the sub-topic, my wife and I use Mandarin to communicate with our three-year-old son. It is the 'official' language at home. To my surprise, now he can speak Hokkian to his Chinese friends, and speak Indonesian to his Indonesian friends, though we have never taught him a word of the languages! Is it miracle? I am sure he is going to love English as I have a lot of English books at home.



DON’T BE BORING, PLEASE

I realize that it is hard for you to read this opinion because my English is very poor. When I read your opinions, sometimes I do my reading by 'gesture' (guessing the meaning of a word by seeing the topic
s, some known words and the other sentences). Once again, you must see what I write to express my idea, may be 'strange' for you and force you to read by gesture, too (LOL). I should apologize for this inconvenience by this chance.

The essence of the paragraph above is that I need your good understanding to accept me as I am learning and I want to improve my English in this community interactively. This is only one example for me (may be for others) in learning a foreign language, especially for practicing reading and writing skills. If you love to learn Indonesian in the situation here (for practicing reading and writing skills), please feel free to visit www.pintunet.com = a new consumer-site in Indonesia.



CONCLUSION

Although people can communicate by using their languages, conflicts and wars are hard to be avoided. It is not because of the quality of the language they use, but they do not know how to communicate well or there is no good communication between them.

Actually I do not make any conclusion of the importance of a child to be taught a foreign language or not. But through this opinion, I just want to say that a normal human-being need communication with the same language in the community he or she belongs to. 'How many and what kind of communities are you involved in,' is the answer to the question. However, to be good parents, you should teach your children to communicate in their mother tongue in order to keep their identity and can be accepted in the main community he should belong to. Supposing you are British and live in Holland; in this case it is advisable for you to communicate with your children in English as they can communicate in Dutch by themselves supported by their friends. Once, when you or they return to England, they do not have to take a short-course of English before meeting their grandparents or other relatives.

A language is an art. It is hard to learn without any willingne
ss and talent. Personally, I would say that just learning a foreign language itself is not enough to communicate well in the language; we also need to understand its people’s culture and its people's ways of thinking. E.g. British, using the word 'you' to their parents is not a taboo, but in Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) using the pronoun (: KAU, KAMU, ANDA) is a taboo or very impolite (This case is related to a specific culture). Another example, the phrase 'second floor' may cause a little misunderstanding between an American and a British, is that right? (This case is related to the ways of thinking).

The environment will teach you how to communicate well. You see, plants also communicate using their 'own languages'.

And finally I owe much to a lot of friends at both communities - CIAO & DOOYOO - who accept me and give the chance for me to learn and practice my English.

Especially for this material, I thank to MALU and ANDREWSWJK who inform me that I have made some mistakes in typing some marks, and now I have revised them.

-dj.

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