Language Skills

[Daniel50]

I am sure there are some expats who have excellent language skills and then a whole range in between. My Bahasa is almost non-existent. It is somewhat isolating. I go out for a function tonight and everybody is basically nice. I sat at a table with someone who speaks English but overall it is isolating when meeting most people. I realize I am in Indonesia. There are some who have lived here for years and have little Bahasa. How do you guys deal with this?

 

[jstar]

Alcohol?

I have had my share of wedding parties, funerals (very similar) etc. And if you don't speak the language, it would be wise not to sit next to that lovely old lady, since the chances are she won't speak anything but some (formal) Dutch. And people here are very shy when they are with foreigners, on top of that they are not that extravert as Americans and Dutch can be (we talk to everyone). I am (still) very different from all people around me. (And I would like to keep it that way.)

No, if you plan to stay here longer, you have to be able to make yourself understood. Immersion (the forcing yourself method) is rather important if you want to be to communicate in the short term and if there are not many English speaking people around. If you can't have that, perhaps some formal training? Now don't forget that in itself it is a rather simple language. But I feel your pain; the older I get the more difficult it becomes to pick up other languages.

Need to walk the dogs now. And will chat with the satpam in the Pos Hansip when I walk by. Don't think I can do that in any form of Dunglish.

 

[waarmstrong]

Alcohol?

I have had my share of wedding parties, funerals (very similar) etc. And if you don't speak the language, it would be wise not to sit next to that lovely old lady, since the chances are she won't speak anything but some (formal) Dutch. And people here are very shy when they are with foreigners, on top of that they are not that extravert as Americans and Dutch can be (we talk to everyone). I am (still) very different from all people around me. (And I would like to keep it that way.)

No, if you plan to stay here longer, you have to be able to make yourself understood. Immersion (the forcing yourself method) is rather important if you want to be to communicate in the short term and if there are not many English speaking people around. If you can't have that, perhaps some formal training? Now don't forget that in itself it is a rather simple language. But I feel your pain; the older I get the more difficult it becomes to pick up other languages.

Need to walk the dogs now. And will chat with the satpam in the Pos Hansip when I walk by. Don't think I can do that in any form of Dunglish.

I had to smile when I read that highlighted sentence above. It's the perfect straight line, but I will refrain from picking this low hanging cherry.

 

[nosox]

I'm usually able to make myself understood but my comprehension level is still lacking unless folks talk slowly. I'm fine if I'm left alone at functions (prefer it if I'm honest). I spend a lot of time lately waiting for the wife so often end up in a chat with the various tukang parkir. Also I seem to have an affinity with farmers and kampung residents ...... guess as I'm "orang kampung" from Scotland, birds of a feather, one might say

 

[harryopal1]

Daniel, I am in the process of slowly learning. I know nothing about anything but as someone who hates formal lessons I use some of these approaches. Mnemonics. (Google it if the term is unfamiliar.) Make a list of key words each day and use the Mnemonic process to remember them and then as they click in make a new list.
I always carry a pocket dictionary with me and refer to it constantly... picking words from street signs, advertising signs etc.
Learn some of the "useful phrases." "How do I ...? "Is this the way to....?" "Thank you for.... ?" Of course when you use any of these people may immediately assume you speak the language and rattle away without you having any idea what they are talking about.
Enjoy being laughed at. Part of the process is to make appalling blunders and say stupid things but people do appreciate that you are making an effort and if you can join in with their laughter so much the better.
Listen to Indonesian songs... they are usually about loving, missing you... and all that stuff but they are often slow and you can gradually pick up words.
Google translation is very unreliable but useful. If you write a phrase in English ... copy and paste back the Indonesian for translation back to English you will get some idea as to just how strange this process is. I have a couple of very good dictionaries English- Indonesian / Indonesian - English but still find Google translation useful.
Watching news I just type in odd words and as they appear regularly in the news; these also start to stick... Banjir for example.
I buy a novel translated into English and then each day work my way through two pages. I type out a sentence at a time into Google translate which will give me a rough idea of the sentence. I then drop down each word that I don't know onto a separate line. Through repetition words are gradually falling into place and the novel maintains a bit of interest in the process.
Any qualified linguist will probably tell you these are the most stupid and useless suggestions every made.
I guess the important thing is perseverence, trial and error and enjoying the sound of people's laughter. At least the language isn't tonal. Living in Singapore I memorized the Mandarin for for tea with milk and no sugar. (I've long since forgotten it.) I tried about 12 different cafes and then someone actually understood. Wow.! Thai has a word that, depending on the tone, has five different meanings.
Good luck.

 

[Davita]

Harryopal...you memorized Mandarin...I'm impressed.

I once tried to catch the attention of a Taiwanese flight attendant with my very limited Mandarin...I said "jei jei wo ie nee" which I thought meant "Sister (a term of endearment like darling)...I think I love you". She answered.... but you don't even know my sister!
I crashed.
It appears I actually said "I think I love your sister."

I also spatter Indonesian/Javanese words with my English and one day told my wife's gal-pals, who all speak perfect English, I was going for a haircut...but I said Potong Jambut instead of Rambut. That got a laugh.

 

[harryopal1]

Hah. Davita. I just memorized that one phrase but have forgotten it.
I also learned another phrase, which I have forgotten, and that was in Japanese. Invited to a dinner with Radio Australia people and the hostess being Japanese, when I was asked would I like tea or coffee being a smart aleck or drongo or both, I used my Japanese phrase to say, "I would like tea with milk and no sugar."
The hostess burst into laughter and ran from the room. When she returned she explained I had asked for tea with mother's milk and no sugar.
Well, it wasn't my fault. It was the bloody little dictionary which offered the translation for milk.

 

[Daniel50]

Well I have set a modest goal for myself. There is a book 'Instant Indonesian' that I have had for about 8 or 9 years now and I plan to work at learning it. I am sure my wife can help in the day to day practice. I have said this several times but never get around to it or look at it for a few days and then quit (But I will start in the future.......hmmmmmmm what could that mean). I just need to get motivated and do it. Even if I am not in Indonesia this something I can do.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply.

 

[Davita]

I've seen an electronic gadget that 'speaks' short phrases in bahasa Indonesian. I watched some guy using it, at a party, and was impressed that he could hold a conversation by just touching a button to say selected phrases in conjunction with some body language.

On the way home I said to my wife that I should get one and she laughed...."Why? you're not deaf and dumb like that guy."...I didn't know.

 

[Daniel50]

I have met a couple of people who have lived in Indonesia about 9 to 20 years and don't really speak Bahasa. Both are married to Indonesians. I guess that is how most expats end up over here and of course some really enjoy living here. Again I have found I generally feel quite safe wherever I have gone and the people to be respectful. There is the religious fundamentalism growing but hopefully this is a very slow process.

 

[jstar]

Yeah, if I would be here for a one or two year work assignment, staying in Menteng, Kemang or PI, with the kids in JIS/AIS/BIS/NIS/SIS/...IS, no way I would do an effort to learn the language.

And being retired and staying on Bali during the winters, probably also does not require any knowledge of the language.

I assume the Anglophones probably will have the most issues with learning and speaking Bahasa Indonesia.

Everybody here says they understand Bahasa Malaysia (and vice versa) but I am convinced they don't. You can really hear one is more oriented towards English and the other has been tremendously influenced by Dutch (and somewhat Spanish and Portuguese).

 

[harryopal1]

And then there is this. https://www.clozemaster.com/languages
TinTin posted this elsewhere. I haven't yet explored it but it looks interesting

 

[jstar]

^
That one is rather complicated. Try the multiple choice BI/English for instance. And also it is somewhat open for interpretation; they make it much more difficult than it has to be. (As if = I wish? Come one) I also don't see how you can remember any of them, it's just a nice advanced test for almost fluent speakers (' ego).

 

[godmachine12]

I have met a couple of people who have lived in Indonesia about 9 to 20 years and don't really speak Bahasa. Both are married to Indonesians.

I'd be embarrassed if I couldn't speak Indonesian after nine years, much less twenty.

 

[Ucup supriadi]

Indonesian grammatical is easy. It's built permanently: Subject + Predicate (verb/adjective)+Object+Adverb. i.e : Saya suka nasi goreng (I like fried rice), Saya cantik, saya pintar (adjective, in Bahasa is not use 'to be').

For everyone (expats) who want learn Indonesian and Sundanese language. I can help you. Don't worry. It's free of charges. If you interest learn two language, please contact by my email ([email protected])