Why Should be Proud of Using Bahasa Indonesia?
Indonesia-formerly known as Nusantara-was the ruler of most parts of the world. Bear it in mind, folks!:)
Indonesians should be proud of their Bahasa. Why? I presuppose we are all familiar with this famous utterance, “Bahasa menunjukkan Bangsa (language shows the nation).”
It is absolutely true. People will easily recognize you from your language. It’s a simple way to know one’s particularity. Due to its far-reaching role as a marker of uniqueness, there should be some essential elements act as reminders or supporting data for this claim, such as total users of the language around the globe, its image and influence in global politics, its bargaining position, and perhaps its past glory.
Speaking of its user, according to Kompas.com, it is estimated that Bahasa Indonesia is being used by 259 million speakers all over the world, and it's listed as the top ten lingua Franca, ranked in 7th position throughout the world. Besides that, since 2007 it has been proclaimed as the second indispensable language in Vietnam.
In Thailand, more people study Bahasa Indonesia day by day, and it has approximately 900.000 users who can speak it fluently, proving that it has become a dominant language in the region. In Asia, the language ranks in the third position after the Japanese language and Mandarin, resulting in 26th place in the cyber world as printed in Wikipedia and Word press.
Additionally, Bahasa Indonesia is also projected as a Southeast Asian prime language. Hence, a large number of people from distinctive countries study it to gain advantages from Indonesia for it has now been transformed as one of the world’s gigantic-open markets for investment, product selling, health and education services, fashion, culinary, property, and even job opportunities.
Countless expatriates, singers, businessmen, students, and other professionals are coming and coming to Indonesia for one specific goal, i.e. to make a profit from this prosperous land. Therefore, the first thing first to do is by studying Bahasa Indonesia and the culture to guarantee their interests or businesses run well.
All at once, in connection with its worldwide image and significance in an international scope, Indonesia, at this current time, is a member of G-20, a group of the ultimate influential country in the world, and either directly or indirectly, this strategic membership entrusts Indonesia extra benefits internationally.
Accordingly, as a promising country, Indonesia has also been successfully attracting plenty of scientists to research this archipelago country. One of the noticeable findings of the research claimed that Indonesia is hypothesized as “the Lost Atlantis” as published in a book entitled Atlantis, the Lost Continent Finally Found written by Prof Arysio Santos, a prominent Brazilian scientist.
Believe it or not, it might be true as Indonesia is having rich human and natural resources in the way that it is described by the professor. In this regard, Indonesia should be able to impose on foreigners to study and use Bahasa Indonesia for the sake of means of communication regarding their purposes. The aim is to increase the bargaining power of the language and Indonesia in an enormous sense of belonging.
Aside from the current locus and conditions, Indonesia---noted as Nusantara in the past--- had a glorious and victorious moment. It was in the periodization of Sriwijaya (7th century) and Majapahit (14th century) kingdom. In their own time, both Sriwijaya and Majapahit were the rulers of the largest part of Asia.
As a result, their official communication was also used by the colonies. Therefore--- having mentioned all the advantages--- using appropriate Bahasa Indonesia should appear to be a valiant habit for Indonesian. It becomes compulsory to show our pride in using our national language.
Unless it is for English consumption, for example, why don’t we use a formal form of Bahasa Indonesia in advertising (iklan), job vacancy (lowongan pekerjaan), speech (pidato), daily language (bahasa sehari-hari), classroom language (bahasa kelas), etc. Since there is abundant equivalence in Bahasa Indonesia for the English, no need to worry about it.
Take a look at these sentences: Holiday nanti mau ke mana,” “Aku gak confident-lah,” or “ Be careful ya.” Those are common, familiar sayings to listen to in our society. For those mixed languages, we can simply say, “Mau pergi ke mana liburan nanti?” “Aku tidak percaya dirilah,” and “Hati-hati ya.” Those are sufficient words. Never feel embarrassed or say, having no confidence in using Bahasa.
There is no guarantee which says that when you have no idea how to use the English, you are considered not competent. On the contrary, while you experience English you are acknowledging smart. I’m not saying that learning any foreign languages, for example, English is not valuable. Indeed, it holds a very substantial percentage as tons of information and knowledge displayed in English.
Moreover, English has placed as one of the leading languages in the world. Knowing and mastering exceptional English stands as the indicator that we obtain open-minded thinking, and ready for globalization.
However, as an Indonesian, being unable or incompetent in your national language is also humiliating, pathetic and showing no respect, nationalism, and heroism. To succeed this breakthrough--- as a patriarchal country--- Indonesian leaders, media, entertainers, professionals, and other public figures, like or dislike, should commit to contributing satisfactory examples of the right and correct usage of Bahasa Indonesia by all means in no time.
Otherwise, it will be a useless, and aimless effort and struggle. Why this sound so urgent to do? It senses that Indonesia is facing a self-identified problem now. Numerous Indonesians tend to “blend” Bahasa Indonesia with other languages, including slang words.
There is a tendency among Indonesian if they don’t use any foreign languages, slang or mix Bahasa Indonesia with any of them in their social life, they take into account as a low-level class. Tragically, they assume that if they use none of them, they are treated as excluded part of a globalized world.
For this reason, we ought to learn from China and Japan as models. They learn loads from the West without forgetting their true selfhood. They constantly use their languages properly while, at the same time, studying any foreign languages. Not only having strong confidence, but they also have enormous heroism and nationalism toward their languages. Those Chinese and Japanese are stupendous stereotypes of hard-working, discipline, heroic and patriotic people toward their identity wherever they go and they are by using and promoting their languages.
How about us, Indonesian? Can we? One thing for sure: There have been always adequate time and hope for the better one.