More Indonesian Words

Time for an update of my new Indonesian vocabulary. Let's start with a printed sign that was affixed to the backrest of a sofa in a coffee shop that I visited today.

NYENDER

I was initially confused by the splitting of dilarang into the two words di larang. I don't know why this was done. Google Translate rendered this as it is forbidden to lean. This was a surprise because there are signs in all malls asking mall rats not to lean against the glass. These are rendered as dilarang bersandar pada kaca and this translates as it is forbidden to lean against the glass. So where does nyender come from?

A question posed on this site asks what does nyender mean and the answer returned is that nyender comes from the root word sandar and nyender (bersandar) means to lean on. I gather this word is an example of bahasa Indonesia gaul or colloquial Indonesian. The word is listed on a site https://celotehbahasa.com/ (celoteh means babble) that has 104 learning modules, the last one being created only 14 hours ago. 

It looks like a useful resource. The word is listed as meaning to lean but there is a confusing example of its usage attached, namely Itu ikan paling lagi nyender! Capek berenang!. Google Translate renders this as That's the most tender fish ever! Tired of swimming!". Make of that what you will. I think the first sentence is mistranslated and probably means that the fish is leaning (against the glass of the fishtank again) because it's tired of swimming.

ChatGPT has the following response to the query: 

Can you explain what the word "nyender" means in the Indonesian language and give an example of usage?

I'm sorry, but as an AI language model, I cannot find a definition or any reference to the word "nyender" in the Indonesian language. It is possible that this word is a regional or colloquial term, or perhaps a misspelling or a slang term. If you could provide more context or information about the word, I would be happy to try to help you further.

However, it's response to this query was quite different:

Can you explain what the word "bersandar" means in the Indonesian language and give an example of usage?

Yes, "bersandar" is a verb in Indonesian that means "to lean on" or "to rest against". It is often used to describe the physical action of supporting oneself or an object by leaning on something else.

Here's an example of usage in a sentence:

Saya lelah, jadi saya bersandar pada tembok sejenak. (I'm tired, so I leaned against the wall for a moment.)

Another example:

Dia bersandar pada kursi sambil membaca buku. (He leaned on the chair while reading a book.)

In both examples, the verb "bersandar" is used to describe the action of leaning on something for support or comfort.

WARAS

This is an important word meaning sane and is the lawan kata of gila meaning crazy. The kata benda that derives from it is kewarasan meaning sanity. In a broader sense it can mean healthy in mind and body as in this example:

Saya tidak masuk kerja karena badanku kurang WARAS.

I didn't go to work because my body was not HEALTHY.

In this example we see a common occurrence in Indonesian with the use of kurang meaning less to suggest something like I didn't go to work because my body was (feeling) less than healthy. This sort of euphemism is common in English as well when we say I'm less than happy with your performance and mean I'm not happy with your performance. 

KETIAK

This word means armpit but the word ketek is also used in Jakarta but ketiak is the more widespread term. This got me thinking about revising the words for body parts, starting with the head. Most of them I know but I'll list them all here for completeness.

• head - kepala
• forehead - dahi
• face - wajah
• eyes - mata
• eyelids - kelopak mata (kelopak means petals)
• eyelashes - bulu mata
• eyebrows - alis
• nose - hidung
• nostrils - lubang hidung
• mouth - mulut
• lips - bibir
• teeth - gigi
• tongue - lidah
• chin - dagu
• cheeks - pipi
• ears - telinga 
• ear lobes - daun telinga (daun means leaf)
• hair - rambut
• neck - leher

In the Body Parts graphic, we find the additional words:

• shoulder - bahu
• arm - lengan
• chest - dada
• stomach - perut
• hand - tangan
• fingers - jari tangan
• waist - pinggang
• hips - pinggul
• thigh - paha
• knee - lutut
• foot - kaki
• toes - jari kaki

I thought that I'd put ChatGPT to the test again and ask it the following (throwing in the Sanskrit because ... why not?):

Can you provide a list of names for various parts of the body in both English and Indonesian and Sanskrit?

Sure, here's a list of names for various parts of the body in English, Indonesian, and Sanskrit:

1. Head - Kepala - Shiras
2. Hair - Rambut - Kesh
3. Forehead - Dahi - Bhru
4. Eyebrow - Alis - Bhrukuti
5. Eye - Mata - Chakshu
6. Ear - Telinga - Karn
7. Nose - Hidung - Nasa
8. Mouth - Mulut - Mukha
9. Lips - Bibir - Oshta
10. Teeth - Gigi - Danta
11. Tongue - Lidah - Jihva
12. Throat - Tenggorokan - Kantha
13. Neck - Leher - Griva
14. Shoulder - Bahu - Skandha
15. Arm - Lengan - Bahu
16. Elbow - Siku - Koorpara
17. Wrist - Pergelangan tangan - Manibandha
18. Hand - Tangan - Hasta
19. Finger - Jari - Angushtha
20. Chest - Dada - Uras
21. Stomach - Perut - Udara
22. Back - Punggung - Pristha
23. Hip - Pinggul - Kati
24. Buttocks - Pantat - Uru
25. Leg - Kaki - Pada
26. Thigh - Paha - Janu
27. Knee - Lutut - Janu
28. Calf - Betis - Jangha
29. Foot - Kaki - Pada
30. Toe - Jari kaki - Angushtha.

Note: The Sanskrit terms listed are transliterated from the Devanagari script and may vary slightly depending on the system of transliteration used.

Actually the Sankrit words above prompted me to ask the following of ChatGPT: 

Can you provide a list of ten words that the Indonesian language has inherited from Sanskrit, listing the original Sankrit word and the (possibly) modified Indonesian form of the word?

Yes, here are ten words that the Indonesian language has inherited from Sanskrit, along with the original Sanskrit word and the modified Indonesian form:

1. Agama - Agama: refers to religion; in Indonesian it refers to a particular religion or belief system, and the term "agama Hindu" is used to refer to Hinduism.
2. Asana - Asana: refers to a yoga posture; in Indonesian, it refers to a physical exercise posture.
3. Guru - Guru: refers to a teacher or master; in Indonesian, it refers to a teacher or instructor.
4. Dewa - Deva: refers to a deity or god; in Indonesian, it refers to a divine being or spirit.
5. Ratna - Ratna: refers to a precious stone or gem; in Indonesian, it refers to a precious or valuable object.
6. Karya - Karya: refers to a work or creation; in Indonesian, it refers to a work of art or literature.
7. Sari - Sari: refers to essence or extract; in Indonesian, it refers to a type of fabric or a condensed liquid.
8. Mantra - Mantra: refers to a sacred utterance or chant; in Indonesian, it refers to a magical spell or incantation.
9. Marga - Marga: refers to a family or clan name; in Indonesian, it refers to a surname or family name.
10. Widyaiswara - Vidya-isvara: refers to a teacher or master of knowledge; in Indonesian, it refers to a teacher or trainer in a particular field of expertise.

Note: The Indonesian forms of these words may vary in spelling or pronunciation depending on their usage and context.

Indonesian Language Skills

 I made a post at the start of 2022 titled The Usual Suspects in which I wrote:

With the start of a new year, I usually try to kick start some projects that have languished over the previous year. One of those is my Indonesian language skills. Just as in Mathematics where I examine the number associated with my diurnal age, I thought I might be able to examine, on a daily basis, at least one Indonesian word or phrase that I was unfamiliar or uncertain about. 

I don't think my Indonesian language skills have improved much over the past year unfortunately and I failed to an Indonesian word or phrase on a daily basis. Let's look back at my posts over the years relating to the language:

• Indonesian Language on Saturday, 26th December 2020
  
  
• Translating Figurative Language on Sunday, 30th October 2022
  
  
• The Usual Suspects on Tuesday, 4th January 2022
  
  
• New Year Resolutions on Thursday, 31st December 2020
  
  
• More Word Game Adventures on Saturday, 5th February 2022
  
  
• Indonesian Vocabulary: Present for the Missus on Sunday, 3rd January 2021 
  
  
• INDONESIAN: The 101-200 Most Frequently Used English Words Translated on Wednesday, 6th December 2017
  
  
• INDONESIAN: The 201-300 Most Frequently Used English Words Translated on Friday, 25th December 2020
  
  
• Indonesian Vocabulary: Pisah on Saturday, 29th May 2021
  
  
• Word Visualisation on Wednesday, 14th April 2021
  
  
• INDONESIAN: The 100 Most Frequently Used English Words Translated on Friday, 1st December 2017
  
  
• Google Translate on Saturday, 22nd August 2020
  
  
• Pointing the Finger: Indonesian Style on Wednesday, 3rd March 2021

There's enough material here for some useful revision. The problem with my posts is that I tend not to look back at them once I've made them. I need to keep looking for innovative ways to improve my language skills. 

Let's try chess. What are the Indonesian names for the various pieces and moves? Here are some taken from this website.

• King - Raja
• Queen - Menteri
• Rook - Benteng
• Bishop - Gaja
• Knight - Kuda
• Pawn - Pion/Bidak
• Check - Skak
• Checkmate - Skak Mati
• Chess - Catur
• Chess Pieces - Bidak Catur
• Chess Board - Papan Catur
• Chess Game - Percaturan

Just in conclusion, this tweet caught my eye and I decided to play the game.

I came up with FREEDOM, RELAXATION and PROGRESS. So this could define my year: feel that I have the freedom to experiment in whatever way I choose, enjoy the relaxation that comes from this sense of freedom and sit back and watch as I make awesome progress in Indonesian language skills, guitar playing, mathematics, gardening, chess, meditation or whatever else I find of interest.

It occurred to me that I should make more use of Pinterest. I've had an account for a long while now but haven't made much use of. To this end I've created a board called Indonesian Language and Figure 2 shows my first addition to it. Most of these words I already knew but it's important to be reminded of them and see them in print so that they embed themselves more deeply in my memory.

Figure 1

I've also started playing KATLA again. See Figure 2. It turns out that "kanal" is just the phonetic spelling of the English word "canal".

Figure 2

Pointing the Finger: Indonesian Style

Pointing is usually achieved with the index finger and there are two words for this finger in Indonesia, one is tunjuk and the other is tuding. The odd thing is that neither of these two words is used to actually refer to this finger. Instead, the term used is jari telunjuk. Figure 1 shows a graphic with the names of all the fingers:

Figure 1

I'm familiar with tunjuk but not tuding. As well as meaning index finger, tunjuk by extension can mean to point at something. Here are some examples of its use (source):

• Saya tidak tahu mengapa orang itu MENUNJUK saya.
  I don't know why that person POINTED TO me. 
  
  
• Bisakah anda MENUNJUKKAN kepada saya di mana kampung Melayu berada?
  Can you POINT OUT to me where the Malay village is located? 
  
  
• Nanti malam ada PERTUNJUKAN wayang di desaku.
  Later tonight there is a shadow puppet PERFORMANCE in my village.
   
• Jangan kau rubah PENUNJUK jalan ini.
  Don't change this ROAD SIGN.

The word tuding can also be used in the sense of pointing as in this example:

• Andi MENUDING lubang tikus di dapur.
  Andi POINTED AT a mouse hole in the kitchen.

The passive form DITUDING can be used to mean be accused of (be pointed at) e.g.

• Pria itu DITUDING mencuri.
  The man is ACCUSED of stealing.

However, there is another word that can be used for pointing at and accusing and that is tuduh. Here are some examples of its use:

• Tetanggaku MENUDUHku mencuri ayamnya.
  My neighbor ACCUSES me of stealing his chicken.
  
  
• Ini baru TUDUHAN pembunuhan tingkat kedua.
  This is just an ACCUSATION of second degree murder. 
  
  
• PENUDUHnya menghadapinya di gedung pengadilan.
  His ACCUSER confronted him in the courthouse.

Once again, the passive form DITUDUH means to be accused of e.g.

• Politisi itu DITUDUH menerima suap.
  The politician is ACCUSED of taking bribes.

That's enough for this post.

New Year Resolutions

While New Year resolutions are a tired old tradition, there is still sometime exciting and motivational about the start of a new year. Looking back over what was for many a traumatic 2020, I can count myself as being very lucky to be largely unaffected. In the coming year, I'd like to focus on improving:

• my guitar skills
• my Indonesian language competency
• my exercise regime

In all three desired areas of improvement, the key factor is to make practice a daily habit. I already have some well established habits such as walking the dog at around 6am and 4pm. I never miss doing this and the same level of discipline needs to be applied to those activities in which I desire improvement.

In guitar playing, I play most days but mostly I'm just playing songs that I already know how to play using techniques that I've already mastered. I don't progress and remain plateaued for long periods. What stimulates progress most is watching YouTube tutorials and practising what's shown in them. This is key. I already have some guitar playing channels that I've subscribed to and that I watch in a rather desultory fashion. Given how many YouTube videos that I watch on any given day, it's not unreasonable to include a single video on guitar technique. My guitar time that day will then be spent on practising what is described in the video. 

My Indonesian language skills have also tended to plateau because I have no practice regime at all. Any activities are desultory and disorganised. I especially lack the competency is understanding Indonesian when it's spoken to me. There are plenty of videos involving spoken Indonesian on YouTube and once again I should aim to listen to one video a day and writing down any words that I'm not familiar with. It may take a little while to settle on favourite channels because I will have to test several out. 

My exercise regime has some regularity to it. Lately I've taken to walking at a brisk pace for about 3 kilometres at least every second day. As always I need to careful because I tend to get overly enthusiastic and push myself too hard, resulting in fatigue and cessation of any activity. I practise a limited range of exercises and once again it's always useful to watch instructional videos but not necessarily on a daily basis as this would be too confusing. 

INDONESIAN: The 101-200 Most Frequently Used English Words Translated

The words were taken from this site. The first 100 words can be found here.

Over - You need to flip the book over --> Anda perlu membalik buku itu (membalik = flip over)

New - She bought a new car --> Dia membeli mobil baru

Sound - The sound from the house is loud --> Suara dari rumah itu nyaring

Take - I will take my bag with me --> Saya akan membawa tas saya bersamaku

Only - She is the only person here --> Dia satu-satunya orang di sini

Little - That is a little dog --> Itu adalah anjing kecil

Work - They work every day --> Mereka bekerja setiap hari

Know - We know how to make an omelette --> Kita tahu bagaimana membuat omelet

Place - The place is right around the corner --> Tempatnya tepat di tikungan (tikungan = bend)

Year - We had a great year --> Kami mengalami tahun yang indah

Live - We live near the ocean --> Kita tinggal di dekat laut

Me - She told me to hurry --> Dia menyuruhku buru-buru (suruh = tell)

Back - We need to go back --> Kita harus kembali (kembali = go back)

Give - They give money to the church --> Mereka memberi uang ke gereja

Most - Most people like to sing on their birthday --> Kebanyakan orang suka bernyanyi di hari ulang tahun mereka

Very - We liked the meal very much --> Kami menyukai makanannya sangat banyak

After - They came after we did --> Mereka datang setelah kita melakukannya

Thing - That thing is over there --> Benda itu ada di sana (benda = object)

Our - That is our house --> Itu adalah rumah kami (the non-inclusive our is required here)

Just - You came just in time --> Anda datang tepat pada waktunya

Name - My name is David --> Nama saya David

Good - That is a good dog --> Itu adalah anjing yang baik

Sentence - She wrote a long sentence --> Dia menulis sebuah kalimat panjang

Man - That man is very big --> Orang itu sangat besar

Think - I think I will eat tofu tonight --> Kupikir aku akan makan tahu malam ini

Say - They say we should read more --> Mereka bilang kita harus membaca lebih banyak

Great - You have a great car --> Anda memiliki mobil yang bagus

Much - How much does that cost? --> Berapa harganya?

Before - You should eat a good breakfast before school --> Anda harus makan sarapan yang enak sebelum sekolah

Mean - She has a mean cat --> Dia memiliki kucing jahat

Old - I am an old man --> Saya orang tua

Boy - The boy is happy in school --> Anak itu senang di sekolah

Follow - I need to follow them --> Aku harus mengikutinya

Also - She is also learning English --> Dia juga belajar bahasa Inggris

Around - She drove around the building --> Dia berkeliling gedung

Where - Where are you from? --> Dari mana kamu berasal?

Help - They help people all of the time --> Mereka membantu orang sepanjang waktu

Through - I walked through the door --> Aku berjalan melewati pintu

Line - We must stand in line for a while --> Kita harus antre untuk sementara waktu (antre = stand in line or line up)

Right - We need to turn right at the next light --> Kita harus berbelok ke kanan pada cahaya berikutnya

Too - That watch costs too much --> Jam tangan itu harganya terlalu mahal

Any - You can come any time that you want --> Anda bisa datang kapan saja yang Anda inginkan

Same - We have the same shirt --> Kami memiliki kemeja yang sama

Tell - They will tell them to come here --> Mereka akan menyuruh mereka datang kesini

Came - She came to our party --> She came to our party

Want - I want a Pepsi --> Saya ingin sebuah Pepsi

Show - She will show them her house --> Dia akan menunjukkan rumahnya padanya

Form - That form is difficult to fill out --> Formulir itu sulit untuk diisi

Three - We have three pencils --> Kami memiliki tiga pensil

Small - That is a small computer --> Itu komputer kecil

Set - They need to set the plate down --> Mereka perlu meletakkan piringnya

Put - She put her foot down --> Dia menurunkan kakinya (menurunkan = put down)

End - The end is coming --> Akhir akan datang

Does - She does not like spinach --> Dia tidak suka bayam (does is implied)

Another - We had another friend come by --> Kami punya teman lain yang datang

Well - He did very well --> Dia melakukannya dengan sangat baik

Large - She drank a large Coke --> Dia minum Coke besar

Must - We must watch that game --> Kita harus menonton pertandingan itu

Big - We have a big house --> Kami punya rumah besar

Even - Two is an even number --> Dua adalah angka genap

Such - We had such a good time --> Kami menikmati saat yang sangat baik

Because - We ate a sandwich because we were hungry --> Kami makan sandwich karena kami lapar

Turn - We will turn the wheel --> Kami akan memutar roda

Here - We are here right now --> Kami di sini sekarang

Why - Why did they come? --> Mengapa mereka datang?

Ask - I will ask them again --> Saya akan bertanya lagi

Went - She went home --> Dia pulang ke rumah

Men - There are five men inside --> Ada lima pria di dalamnya

Read - I read every day --> Saya membaca setiap hari

Need - I need to eat --> Aku butuh makan

Land - The land is expensive --> Tanahnya mahal

Different - They have a different opinion --> Mereka memiliki pendapat yang berbeda

Home - I will go home --> Aku akan pulang (pulang = go home)

Us - She bought us dinner --> Dia membelikan makan malam untuk kami

Move - They will move home --> Mereka akan pindah rumah

Try - I will try again --> Aku akan mencoba lagi

Kind - She is a kind person --> Dia adalah orang baik

Hand - Her hand is big --> Tangannya besar

Picture - I took a picture --> Aku berfoto

Again - They came again --> Mereka datang lagi

Change - We will change cars --> Kami akan mengganti mobil

Off - Please turn the lights off --> Matikan lampu (matikan = turn ... off)

Play - I will play with my friends --> Saya akan bermain dengan teman-teman saya

Spell - I need to spell that word --> Saya perlu mengeja kata itu

Air - The air is nice --> Udara bagus

Away - I will go away --> Aku akan pergi (pergi = go away)

Animal - A cat is an animal --> Seekor kucing adalah binatang

House - We have a nice house --> Kami memiliki rumah yang bagus

Point - She made a good point --> Dia membuat titik yang bagus

Page - Please write on the page --> Silahkan tulis di halaman

Letter - She wrote a nice letter --> Dia menulis surat yang bagus

Mother - My mother is here --> Ibuku ada disini

Answer - She gave a good answer --> Dia memberikan jawaban yang bagus

Found - I found my keys --> Saya menemukan kunci saya

Study - I study every day --> Saya belajar setiap hari

Still - She is still at home --> Dia masih di rumah

Learn - I will learn about a new book --> Saya akan belajar tentang sebuah buku baru

Should - We should go home --> Kita harus pulang

American - She is an American --> Dia orang Amerika

World - The world is small --> Dunia ini kecil