ENGLISH DOES MATTER

All people must agree that English can’t be found in many aspects. All people from all walks of life find it importatnt to study English. Unfortunately, the diferent patterns make Indonesian people find it hard to study. More thatn 6-years-studying English at school sometimes ESL learners fluent in producing the language. Yet, some of them still use Indonesian pattern in constructing English sentences. Dictionary is the one they always turn to. Dictionary becomes their Bible to communicate in English. Whereas, they put structure elsewhere. The following sutuation was taken from a milis joke. I found it interesting to discuss in my Higher Intermediate 4 class since the second lesson of the book is about English, Englsih Does Matter. After laughing their heads off, my students had to correct the sentences with their sjill as a Higher Intermediate 4 student.

This is the original version I took from milis

BALADA WAKIDJAN
Wakidjan begitu terpesonanya dengan permainan piano Nadine.
Sambil bertepuk tangan, ia berteriak, "Not a play! Not a play!" Nadine bengong. "Not a play?"

"Yes. Not a play. Bukan main."
Tukidjo yang menemani Wakidjan terperangah.
"Bukan main itu bukan not a play, Djan." "Your granny (Mbahmu). Humanly I have check my dictionary kok.(Orang saya sudah periksa di kamus kok)"
Lalu berpaling ke Nadine. "Lady, let's corner (Mojok yuk).
But don't think that are nots (Jangan berpikir yang bukan-bukan). I just want a meal together."
"Ngaco kamu, Djan," Tukidjo tambah gemes.
"Don't be surplus (Jangan berlebihan), Djo. Be wrong a little is OK toch.?"
Nadine cuman senyum kecil. "I would love to, but ..."
"Sorry if my friend make you not delicious (Maaf kalau teman saya bikin kamu jadi nggak enak)" sambut Wakidjan ramah.

"Different river, maybe (Lain kali barangkali). I will not be various kok (Saya nggak akan macam-macam kok)."

Setelah Nadine pergi, Wakidjan menatap Tukidjo dengan sebal. "Disturbing aja sih, Djo. Does the language belong to your ancestor (Emang itu bahasa punya moyang lu)?"

Tukidjo cari kalimat penutup. "Just itchy Djan, because you speak English as delicious as your belly button." (Gatel aja, Djan, soalnya kamu ngomong Inggris seenak udelmu dewe).

Wakidjan cuman bisa merutuk dalam hati, "His name is also effort." (Namanya juga usaha)

dari milis ... J

The revised version (i only asked them to translate the disastrous sentences)

BALADA WAKIDJAN
Wakidjan begitu terpesonanya dengan permainan piano Nadine.
Sambil bertepuk tangan, ia berteriak, "Marvelleous!" Nadine bengong. "Amazing?"

"Yes. Not a play. Bukan main."
Tukidjo yang menemani Wakidjan terperangah.
"It’s not not a play, Djan!." "You’re impossible. Well, actually I have checked my dictionary. Lalu berpaling ke Nadine.

"Lady, Let’s have a date (dinner)
But, please don't jump to a conclusion I just want to have a dinner together"
"Ngaco kamu, Djan," Tukidjo tambah gemes.
"Don’t exaggerate (don’t be too much), Djo. Make a little mistake is fine, right?"
Nadine cuman senyum kecil. "I would love to, but ..."
"Sorry if my friend makes you feel uncomfortable " sambut Wakidjan ramah.

"Maybe next time. I will not do anything wrong."

Setelah Nadine pergi, Wakidjan menatap Tukidjo dengan sebal. "Why do you keep annoying me? Does the language belong to your ancestor?" (All students agree that this sentences doesn’t contain any mistakes. It’s grammatically correct. Therefore, they didn’t make any correction)

Tukidjo cari kalimat penutup. "I just feel uncomfortable, because you speak English whatever you want to say."

Wakidjan cuman bisa merutuk dalam hati, "Well, i’m only trying my best."

Mmmmm.... do you think Higher Intermediate 4 students still need more years to correct Javanese-English pattern? so there won't be other Wakidjans.

Higher Intermediate 4
Term 1/2010