One of my pet peeves.

[Minuteman]

It really bugs me to hear expats here saying that their Bahasa is good. Lots of statements on this forum are that way. "When I went to Immigration, I used Bahasa..." and so on.

Just what the heck is that anyway???!!!

 

[Gratilla]

I don't care what anyone says.

My Bahasa is bagus!

 

[Minuteman]

I don't care what anyone says.

My Bahasa is bagus!

Your Bahasa what??? Bahasa means Language. You can speak Bahasa Belanda, Bahasa Perancis, Bahasa Inggris etc.

When people walk around saying that they speak language, it is just ignorant.

Here I speak Bahasa Inggris and Bahasa Indonesia.

 

[Puspawarna]

I know what you mean, Minuteman, but language changes. It seems that "Bahasa" is now gaining a new meaning: yes, it does mean "language" in general, but it also is coming to mean "the Indonesian/Malay language."

I used to gripe the same way you are, and think that people were ignorant if they used the word "Bahasa" as synonymous with "Bahasa Indonesia." But over time I have been disabused of my original notion.

Wikipedia agrees with you, though: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahasa

 

[Vanhelsing]

I'm calling my next pet, Peeve. (In Bahasa)

 

[Minuteman]

I'm calling my next pet, Peeve. (In Bahasa)

When I was earning my Instrument Rating in the UH-1 Huey helicopter, one of my instructor's favorite holding points was TARUS intersection. It was a very difficult place to hold and caused me lots of grief. When the training was over, I said I was going to get a dog and name him Tarus then kick his ass every day!!

Additionally, during the atrocities in Cambodia in the late 70's, I said I was going to get a dog and name him Rouge. So when ever I called him I'd say "C'mere Rouge"!

 

[Gratilla]

Bahasa is good

Let me get this straight.

When you use "Bahasa" we're supposed to understand; but when I use "Bahasa" you have a brain fart?

Let me perhaps remind you that English (as she is meant to be spoken) is bastardized west of the Atlantic. The colonial education system long having forgotten the use of the past and present perfect tenses and now telling their wards that even adverbs are too difficult for them to understand!

Here I speak Bahasa Inggris

If you're a typical dog-kicking American, you don't!

 

[El_Goretto]

I'm also mildly annoyed.

But the problem is that if you* correct someone who says "Bahasa" when they mean they speak "Indonesian", then you* look like an asshole for doing so.

There's no winning this, really. Which makes it even more frustrating.


*it's meant as a general "you"

 

[Minuteman]

Let me get this straight.

When you use "Bahasa" we're supposed to understand; but when I use "Bahasa" you have a brain fart?

Let me perhaps remind you that English (as she is meant to be spoken) is bastardized west of the Atlantic. The colonial education system long having forgotten the use of the past and present perfect tenses and now telling their wards that even adverbs are too difficult for them to understand!



If you're a typical dog-kicking American, you don't!

When in Cameroon in 2007, the feds required all pilots to sit an English (sorry, Bahasa Inggris) evaluation. This is an international requirement for aviation personnel these days. Another US type and I went first and found that the evaluators were from the UK. I asked them how they could properly evaluate us when they would take a work spelled W-A-T-E-R and pronounce it "Wo-ah". Good for a few laughs that.

Not a "brain fart" (a UK English term I imagine), it just bugs me when people talk out of their a$$ due to lack of knowledge.

Anyway, If one travels far enough "West of the Atlantic", they will find themselves in the UK. A small island nation that has so many variations of the English language usage that it becomes ridiculous.

 

[Minuteman]

I'm also mildly annoyed.

But the problem is that if you* correct someone who says "Bahasa" when they mean they speak "Indonesian", then you* look like an asshole for doing so.

There's no winning this, really. Which makes it even more frustrating.


*it's meant as a general "you"

I don't mind being considered an "asshole", I mean...heck it is stamped in my passport!! By the way, I don't "correct" people, just file it away as another person that is talking out of their ass.

 

[waarmstrong]

Indonesians are fond of abbreviating language phrases especially those used in everyday conversations; why should Bahasa, meaning Bahasa Indonesia, not be a worthy candidate for addition to common street vocabulary? I think it is. Go ahead and use Bahasa Indonesia in formal settings, but my feeling is that Bahasa, by itself, now rules the streets.

 

[El_Goretto]

The question is, do Indonesians use "Bahasa" as a short for "Indonesian language"? On top of my head, I don't think so.

Like everywhere, languages evolve and not always for the best. My wife, for one, balks at the liberal usage of "aku" and "kamu" regardless of formality environment or age...

 

[R Cameron]

The question is, do Indonesians use "Bahasa" as a short for "Indonesian language"? On top of my head, I don't think so.

Generally, no. The only time I've heard it from Indonesians is in a very touristy setting where it seems they're adopting the colloquialism from the foreigners.
I've revised my experience of usage below after reading Eric's post

 

[nd_eric_77]

The question is, do Indonesians use "Bahasa" as a short for "Indonesian language"? On top of my head, I don't think so.

I have heard multiple Indonesian citizens ask me the exact phrase, "Can you speak Bahasa?" Seems they don't mind using "Bahasa" to imply "Bahasa Indonesia".

Like everywhere, languages evolve and not always for the best. My wife, for one, balks at the liberal usage of "aku" and "kamu" regardless of formality environment or age...

If you want to be cheeky, just use "gue" and "lu" in place of "aku" and "kamu"!

 

[R Cameron]

I have heard multiple Indonesian citizens ask me the exact phrase, "Can you speak Bahasa?" Seems they don't mind using "Bahasa" to imply "Bahasa Indonesia".

That triggered my memory, I have heard a number of Indonesians use "Bahasa" for their language when they are speaking in English. I actually can't recall an Indonesian (person) saying "Indonesian" (language) by itself without saying "Indonesian language".

"Can you speak Bahasa?" I've heard that many times.
"Can you speak Indonesian language?" I've heard that many times.
"Can you speak Indonesian?" I've never heard that from an Indonesian person, although I think it's probably most natural/common for native English speakers.


So I think I must revise my previous statement. When speaking Bahasa Indonesia, native Bahasa Indonesia speakers do not use "bahasa" alone to define their language. However, when speaking English, native Bahasa Indonesia speakers do use "bahasa" alone to define their language.

So it seems the foreigner using "Bahasa" alone in an English sentence is an appropriate local colloquialism.

 

[Gratilla]

It really bugs me to ...

So easy to annoy.

... "Wo-ah". Good for a few laughs that.

So easy to amuse.

... it just bugs me when ...

So easy to bugger.

 

[Minuteman]

So easy to annoy.


So easy to amuse.


So easy to bugger.

I'm glad I don't know you personally.

 

[waarmstrong]

Is that bugger Indonesia or bugger UK or perhaps simply bugger regardless of the cultural context?

 

[Euc-]

The question is, do Indonesians use "Bahasa" as a short for "Indonesian language"? On top of my head, I don't think so.

Like everywhere, languages evolve and not always for the best. My wife, for one, balks at the liberal usage of "aku" and "kamu" regardless of formality environment or age...

I have many times been told "kok Bahasanya bagus", or "belajar bahasa dimana", I couldn't count the number of times "Bahasa" has been used by Indonesians, to refer to "Bahasa Indonesia".

Aku/Kamu? What would she have you use? Saya dan Anda to everyone? Dirimu?

 

[El_Goretto]

I have many times been told "kok Bahasanya bagus", or "belajar bahasa dimana", I couldn't count the number of times "Bahasa" has been used by Indonesians, to refer to "Bahasa Indonesia".

I think since you're a foreigner and you just spoke to them in Indonesian, it is implied that it's Indonesian. I'd attempt to translate it to "your command of the language is good".

Aku/Kamu? What would she have you use? Saya dan Anda to everyone? Dirimu?

Depends on the situation. If talking to my nephew and niece I would use kamu because they are so much younger.

When some middle aged man starts aku/kamu with me/her, it sounds weird. Especially in a professional or formal setting.

She only uses aku/kamu with very close people.

And for me, well, I should stick to saya/anda in most circumstances. I rarely use anda anyway, preferring to use mbak, mas, pak, ibu, Om, etc.

I have a group of friends who are a lot into the gue/loh thing but I still have a hard time with that. Sometimes a loh slips out unexpectedly though haha