A Lesson in Language by Ahyoni

By Ahyoni


Cross cultural awareness can be a decisive factor in the success of one’s mission abroad. For many newcomers to Indonesia, the first step to navigating the culture is gaining a command of the national language—both spoken and unspoken. While it sounds easy enough, there are some language lessons you simply can’t find in a dictionary.

One day an expatriate volunteer in my office asked me how to say “turn off the light” in Bahasa Indonesian. I said, “Matikan lampu.” The volunteer laughed. “Kill the lamp?” she asked. “Yes!” I responded. Then I added, “And to say ‘turn on the light’ we say ‘hidupkan lampu’” (literally meaning “make the lamp alive”). Unlike English, Bahasa Indonesian does not use different verbs for living beings and inanimate objects. As you can imagine, for the Bahasa Indonesian beginner this can lead to many cultural misunderstandings.

Even for those who are confident in Indonesian, sometimes words have hidden understandings behind them. In Indonesia, we commonly use the Islamic phrase, Insya Allah, literally meaning “God’s will.” This term is familiar to many expats who have previously worked in Muslim countries. But in Indonesia, the term Insya Allah may not mean what it does in other Muslim countries.

For instance, if you invite someone to do something and he/she says, “Insya Allah,” the likelihood that he or she will follow through is only 50%. As a result, an international colleague of mine who has worked in other Muslim countries has begun to respond with, “Insya Allah Indonesia or Insya Allah Afganistan?” While the true meaning of Insya Allah is religious, in Indonesia it has evolved into a polite way of saying “maybe.”

Sometimes, even if we’re speaking the same language there can be miscommunication. A simple “yes” and “no,” can cause a great deal of confusion between expatriates and nationals. In Indonesia, “yes” sometimes means “no” and “no” sometimes means “yes.” For example, if you offer a guest a drink, it is likely he/she will decline your offer with a “no.” But after two or three times of asking, it is likely he/she will say “yes.” If you only offer one time, however, and your guest declines with a “no” and you stop asking, one of two reactions is likely to emerge: one, your guest will regret saying “no” because he/she actually wanted what you offered or two, he/she will think you are not very hospitable for only offering once. My best advice to newcomers in Indonesia — always make an offer at least a couple of times.

The influence of English globally, has also influenced the Indonesian language. While added English words can often make life easier for expatriates, these additional words can also lead to confusing situations. When shopping for a CD, if you use the Indonesian term cakram padat, the clerk will probably give you a blank look. Instead, you simply have to say “CD.” This is also true for the words hardware and software. Although the Indonesian words are perangkat keras and perangkat lunak, most Indonesians have adopted the English terms into their regular vocabulary.

Even in the office, you may notice that several English words are used instead of Indonesian. For instance, an expat in my office asked a national staff, “Sudah beli papan putih?” (Have you bought a white board?) The Indonesian staff member was confused and responded with, “Maksud bapak?” (What do you mean?) The expat pointed to the white board and the Indonesian exclaimed, “Oh! In Indonesian we call it a ‘white board.’”

Learning a language and all its nuances can’t be done successfully via computer programs, a text book or even in a classroom. Instead, it can only happen through trial and error, asking lots of questions and the willingness to laugh—often at ourselves. This combination is the surest route to language acquisition and a genuine cross-cultural awareness.