Desiderata.English Reprised

OR is it Reprisal?

Go consult your teacher,or if your English teacher is half-past-six like one ex-MB who has not love for RPK, and vice versa, and who (the former-lah) did not respond to Desi's offer of English tution even after he was caught with his pants (down? or Down Under?) fooled of money, and his defence was he couldn'tundersatnd the blardy Aussie Ingeris immigerasi forma!

Today's Post is special in that I start from the nigh-end, with a Footnote, translated into BM as Notakaki.:) I am trying out my rusty so that RPK might intrude here to correct, correct, and crrect! my Bahasa Malaysia. Or my English which is so-so, which also looks like 50-50, which in mathematical terms, means borderline.

Why am I digressing so much? This Sundae' s Rumination allows this writHer that privilege, and a Blogger normally abuses his AP. Hence if thou art not a Blogger, nyet, come join the B.Bandwagon -- abuse the medium then, not thy neighbour. Holy cow, what do you think Desi's. My neighbour is not a "sad pipe" -- that one, if he enters my Abode, I will wring his/her neck. "Her" is added to be fair to all genders as Desi believes in sexual equality, or is it equality of the sexes? Never mind, English is very de complicated. Have you heard some Oz blokes speak Englaise? "You came hear to die?" their firendly Immigration officers greet Thee with a s-mile and so the double Muhammad thought he could get in RM2.4million to invest in Australia, and his Datukship granted him immunity from check-in,or check-up,or check-out. Whatever, Desi's all lost at sea after writing 1,300 words to show RPK I was on par with him in "bragging and bullshiting" in Form 1.

Thanks to the King of Bloggers for giving me blanket permit (not the AP of RM20k-gen kind!:( to reproduce his Posts, so here's something plucked about MCA running dogs of UMNO... You lazy-bummers, I ain't thy servant to give you the Real McCoy, just the Notakaki, go read malaysia-day.net to be educate in fool :


FOOTNOTE
By the way, today’s article is not as long as my normal pieces, which would run into five-seven pages. Many readers posted complaints in the blogs saying that my pieces are too long and touch on too many issues at the same time; so they find it very hard to comprehend what my message is.
Many blame the writer, meaning me, for not being able to transmit the ‘right’ message, although I would rather blame the Malaysian education system -- because we had to write pages upon pages of comprehension pieces when we were in lower secondary school. The English teacher would give us one incomplete sentence of one line and we would have to complete that sentence with 1,800 words. So I suppose, since the age of 13, we had been ‘trained’ to take just one word or one sentence and make a thesis out of it.
Anyway, for the sake of those who are not able to juggle many issues in their head at the same time, dissect all the many issues, deliberate the pros and cons of each issue, and then come their own conclusions based on the arguments presented, maybe they should stick to reading this column, THE CORRIDORS OF POWER.
Those who enjoy being provoked, love playing the Devil’s Advocate, and get a turn on with debating (I don’t mean insult, scold, rant or rave), then they can continue reading NO HOLDS BARRED, which will tear into issues, rip your brains apart, and result in you pulling your hair out.
I understand that there are many types of Malaysians and that MALAYSIA TODAY must cater to all levels of the population. We have the preset minds -- people who have already formed an opinion even before they start reading anything. Then there are the open minds -- people who are prepared to listen to all sides of the argument. We also have the ‘fence-sitters’ -- people who would rather wait-and-see and make a decision based on who can offer the best argument. Then we have the setuju group -- people who will agree to everything that a writer says even if the writer says one thing one day and the opposite another day (which I sometimes deviously do) because they do not have a mind of their own. We also have the tak setuju group -- people who will disagree with everything the writer says because they just love disagreeing or because they don’t like the writer so they will simply disagree regardless whether the writer is right or wrong.
I suppose this should be taken as positive and therefore a reflection that MALAYSIA TODAY has a very wide and diverse readership. But it can of course also be very difficult when preparing a ‘single item menu’ as some love certain things while others may not.Anyway, debate on readers.(See, even the footnote is almost a thesis).

____________ End of fruit plucked from MT:) __________________

Now here cometh some re-cycled stuff as Desi, as I told you -- Yesterday, when all my troubles seemed so far away! -- I am a fervent lover of the ENVIRONMENT, hence I re-cycle. Words, and words are all I have, to take your heart away... I don'tknow how these two song lines are relevant. What TH! This is my Blog,i f you don'tlike it, especially if thou be a sad pipe, go away back into that orifice where the sun don't shine. (Strictly speaking, the "sun", being singular noun/subject, should be followed by "doesn't", being singular verb. But What TH2! Ours is not to question why, ours is but to do and die. Actually I checked Lord Tennyson's last Sundae, the Ori says "reason", not 'question', but none of my ER caught on to my mis-quote. Maybe no one read my Post!more probable reason, What TH3!:(


desiderata.enlglish

Reprising an olde Post to compare wit' Yesterday's, keading off, from NST (print edition is from Page 8), but following is Cut&Paste from:
NST Online » Local News
2008/04/19

Courses for teachers may go English

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein says radical and bold steps must be adopted to enhance the mastery of the English language

PUTRAJAYA: Training programmes for teachers at colleges and universities may use the English language as the medium of instruction.
The Education Ministry is also considering revamping the school curriculum and introducing English Literature to enhance English proficiency among students and teachers.
Its minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said radical and bold steps needed to be adopted to enhance the mastery of the language, especially among primary schoolchildren.
He said it was agreed at a post-cabinet meeting that the curriculum should be revamped quickly."Changes to the curriculum must be consistent so that students have no restrictions or problems in improving their English.
"However, this needs to be studied by the experts but to me, personally, I want to see our primary schoolchildren have a fair command of the language. This is not impossible as even at the primary level, our children are able to understand Bahasa Malaysia, Tamil and Arabic well," he said after chairing his ministry's post-cabinet meeting yesterday.
Hishammuddin stressed that he would not compromise on the need to enhance proficiency of the language among students.
"At the post-cabinet meeting, we were unanimous that more radical approaches should be used."
Hishammuddin also said that the decision on whether to continue with the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English would be known by the end of the year.
"A decision will be made based on the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (Primary School Assessment Test) results." Hishammuddin said the decision would have to be in line with the national education policy.
"The decision must be based on facts and reality, not presumptions or emotions."Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said recently that an assessment would be carried out to determine whether teaching of the Science and Mathematics in English would be retained.

*******************************************
Ah, finally Desi's own thoughts, from my archives still with me because one moo_t has not managed to get a buyer off me at 20million:(

Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Some common sense on ENGLISH, finally!

I was gladdened by today's NST page one leap jumping at me as I sip my teh tarik and mee-soup:'We should not be shy to say English is a Malaysian language' -- Hishamuddin

If our Government ministers and officials play less politics and concentrate on the our national problems and issues, DESIDERATA may weep less over this channel, along with many of Desi's EsteemedReaders, and gladly surrender their tears to hopes and laughter.
EDUCATION Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein, his arms around students of Kuala Lumpur's SMK Taman Medan as they browse through the New Straits Times, urges them to regain mastery of the language.
This, Hishamuddin said, would be vital in assuring their future prospects. "Our children must understand that they should and can learn English. They have every right to excel in it." (Emphasis is mine.)

Desiderata salutes the honourable minister's visionary statement. It acknowledges the reality that language is just a tool, and the English language is an excellent tool as an international lingua franca in this Internet and Information Age as well as a Globalised World. (Read August 12's LANGUAGE, EXQUISITE AND PROFANE.)
Malaysia lost a "whole generation" of English-proficient citizens when the language was demoted to no-man's land in the hierarchy of things to replace the medium of instruction in schools and tertiary institutions with Bahasa Malaysia. At one time, Malaysians ranked among Indians, Singaporeans, and even the British, as speakers and participants at international forums and United Nations bodies.
Desiderata felt that in one fell swoop, the best heritage left us by the colonial masters became a near fossilised relic beginning in the early 1970s until wisdom came back lately into Malaysian leaders' minds. Well, better late than never, I guess.I was serving at a foreign diplomatic mission in Kuala Lumpur for some 12 years in the 1980s/90s and even during that time, the then Foreign Minister had lamented that Malaysian diplomats abroad were no more at the forefront of speaking up at international fora. The reason -- most of them felt inadequate communicating in English -- even at evening receptions on the diplomatic circuits, Malaysians lost their edge because of this language deficiency.
The then FM GHAZALI SHAFIE or "King Ghaz" as commonly called, held court at many international forums -- not only because of his intellect, but because his English language was exquisite, and superb. I might disagree with some of his politics, but I must give him credit where it's due in this Department. Well, our present Prime Minister too, but his is less dynamic, and his oratorical skills paled in comparision with that King!Maybe just mayhaps,in 20 years' time started three years ago when English was being given emphasis in schools again, Malaysia may catch up with its neighbour -- SINGAPORE -- in using English on the international stage again, with prominence and confidence -- whether promoting tarde, tourism or cultural exchange.
Whethe one likes it or not, the Intenet is dominated by the English language as the main medium of communication. Yes, reality sucks sometimes, and it is nothing to do with nationalism or patriotism, just in case some quarters may start throwing tantrums here and there. We need to master English to be competitive again on the world marketplace, as well as playing a more influential role in the diplomatic arena, Muslim, non-Muslim, Western, Eastern or Mid-Eastern, or even in Eskimo land.
Even China the awakened dragon has latched on! Well, as for India, it has already produced a few Nobel laureates writing in that language.Hishamuddin, I'm right there with you on being not shy about claiming English as "our own language."Bahasa Malaysia, as the national language, will always have its premium place in our hearts. Let no Malaysians use this yardstick to measure patriotism or hold it against any fellow Malaysian.
Patriotism is to advance Our Country -- "NEGARAKU, TANAH TUMPAHNYA DARAHKU..." -- it's not about flag-waving alone, though this has a role to play, or singing the National Anthem, at the right place, at the right time. It's winning the hearts and minds of ALL MALAYSIANS young and old, makcik, pakcik, across gender, colour and creed. And this cultivation of Love for Country must start from childhood, starting them young is the best, for that's the age when language learning and grasping is the most natural and flowing -- swimmingly? -- and for once, I see COMMON SENSE RULES.
There is hope yet for MY COUNTRY, YOUR COUNTRY, OUR COUNTRY. Desi is affected by National Day spirit just 15 days away.
PS: I still have three slots for that SERIES OF ESSAYS CHALLENGE on "THE MALAYSIAN DILEMMA" -- any takers? I plan for SEVEN, strating on August 25, with one each day examining an aspect or two of the Malaysian Dilemma. How about it, mGf and myGf-to-B?Update: Sabrina Tan has sent in two articles, Young kyels has one, and desi is hatching one, which makes it the FamousFour. Three teh tariks or more for another THREE, ANYONE?
Posted by desiderata at 3:30 AM