From: okidz@ccs.northeastern.edu (Oki D Zakaria)
Subject: Re: Indonesianized Computerese
Organization: Northeastern University, CCS Dept.
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 21:48:52 GMT

In article <lgp9ncINNna0@saltillo.cs.utexas.edu> andrean@cs.utexas.edu (Andre A. Nurwono) writes:
	[...]
>But 'signal to noise ratio' becoming 'nisbah isyarat-derau' is just
>downright unclear. 'bit-error rate' -> 'laju galat bit' ???
>
Well, let them floating around. If nobody uses any of them later, see the
death coming upon them.

>But yes, it does make it a lot easier to write texts in pure Indonesian.
>Up until now people who write computer science related material
>in Indonesian would have to create their own Indonesian terminology
>to keep the text all-Indonesian. It keeps the *writing* easy,
>but unfortunately it does not help the *understanding* of the material.
>
I think the main problem is the popularity of the new terms. If the writers
only write a few books, and each writer insists to use their own terms,
the outcome would not be more ordered than chaos.
 
>IMHO it wouldn't hurt to just take the English terms and adapt
>it to the Indonesian spelling. That way people who reads English
>texts could relate to the material in the Indonesian one, and
>vice versa. It also helps the spread of English understanding.
>
It wouldn't hurt, indeed. But some English words just cannot be 'adapted'
into Indonesian spelling. What about "depth first search?" Would it be
"det fist serc?" This is as 'strange' as your example of S/N ratio. If the
strange one is in Indonesian, why don't we just use the Indonesian?

>As far as I know, English is a required language in the curriculum.
>Unfortunately it is not as popular in Indonesia as it is in Singapore, for
>example. English would have to be more popular if we were to go
>anywhere from the present state of terminology confusion.
>
I don't think the problem is in the language itself. It's about the 
state of technology. Our country is just overwhelmed by all sorts of
technologies that we don't have. Unfortunately, most of the advanced countries
speak English. Later, if our country can manage to have an edge in 
technology, I believe that Indonesian terms would be used by others.

It's not only about technology though, it could be any 'advancements.'
For example, India is regarded to have 'spiritual life' higer than
the West, and we see "karma", "mantra", and "vedanta" got inserted into
the English dictionaries. 
	[...]
>In my opinion, the best place to start teaching a second language is
>as early as possible, from elementary school, or even pre-school if
>possible. It helps you to 'think' in English, eliminating the need
>of having to translate everything through our head every time we
>hear the language.

That's right. The sooner the better. But please remember that we still
have Bahasa Indonesia. Be able to speak/write/read in English doesn't mean
that we can use English everyday (openly) in Indonesia. And we have to feel
obliged to 'improve' our language.

>	[...]
>I agree here. But to science texts, I would prefer adapted
>terminology rather than translated ones. It's just not right
>to make the path to understanding English more difficult by
>creating new unclear terminology.
>
Clear or unclear, it's just a matter of popularity.

>-- 
>Andre Nurwono               | "Ho, haha, guard, turn, dodge, parry, spin, ha,
>andrean@cs.utexas.edu       |  thrust... (BOINNNG!)"  - Daffy Duck



Oki
okidz@dworkin.ccs.northeastern.edu


Newsgroups: alt.culture.indonesia