Archive for January, 2007

Eavesdropping

Published on 24 January 2007 in Chinese language, language and learning. 2 Comments

I really like my new office. Apart from the fact that I get to start over in a new area and have all sorts of new things to learn (which alternately daunts me and inspires me) and the fact that I don’t have to sit in airconditioning if I don’t want to (the window opens, and being on the fifth floor means that there is a breeze even on a warm day - I haven’t used the airconditioner in the room yet), one of my neighbours is an academic from mainland China. This means I can occasionally hear him speaking in Mandarin through the open window/thin walls. His voice is just muffled enough so that I can’t usually hear what he is saying, apart from the odd word when he gets excited and raises his voice. And this is a good thing, you ask?

Well, I am one of those strange people who enjoys listening to programmes in languages I don’t necessarily understand, on SBS radio (which broadcasts in various community languages), just to let the sounds of the languages wash over me. And listening to Mandarin is strangely soothing, even if I can’t hear exactly what he’s saying, and even if it makes me realise that my verbal skills in Mandarin are quite rusty due to lack of use. This morning, reading this post on the Learning Cantonese blog, on language teachers and the reality of trying to master an ever-changing language, really makes me want to work on improving my Mandarin.It’s making me think I should organise a tutor in spoken Mandarin for myself. The only question is how I would fit this in.

Birthdays

Published on 23 January 2007 in birthday and Chinese culture. 2 Comments

This evening we’re going to a birthday party - in hospital. My 80-something year old grandmother has been in hospital for over two weeks now, and today is her birthday. She has heart failure and is very weak, and they’ve been monitoring her heart. She’s stable and has a healthy appetite, though. I think the plan is to get her into a nursing home when she’s well enough to be discharged.

I was just trying to work out how old she is, exactly, but I never remember because whenever the topic of her age comes up she confuses me by talking about her Chinese age and her Western age. “I’m 8X but really I’m 8X if you go by the Chinese way.” Yes, the Chinese reckon age differently - you are considered a year old when you’re born. (See Roger Darlington’s blog for a link to a site that calculates your age in Chinese terms. Although I don’t think you really need a reckoner for this - just add a year to your current age.)

I could just ask her what year she was born but then she will tell you she’s a Monkey “我属猴。” Which doesn’t necessarily help when you’re not completely clear on Chinese astrology. I think this means she’s 86 this year - 87 if you go by Chinese reckoning. I’ll ask her tonight.

From Jiwa Rasa

Published on 22 January 2007 in Malay, translation, reading and books. 4 Comments

I wanted to write my response to this post here, but because it is written in the Malay language, I first asked the author for permission to translate it, which he graciously granted. Terima kasih, saudara Jiwa Rasa!

Terjemahan/translation

How quickly time flies. Almost unawares we’ve now stepped in the new year, 2007 AD or 1428 Hijri.

Last year I think I spent a lot of money [on books], even if there are still many books I’ve yet to read. Sometimes, when you come across a book, as a book lover you just can’t think rationally about it, but have to buy the book for emotional reasons. Buying because you fear that you won’t come across this book again later. Sometimes buying a book because everyone else is talking about and reading it, even if we won’t necessarily enjoy that book.

Thus we reach the situation where the book purchase rate is faster than the reading rate!

I buy lots of books. Some are very good books, but are not read. Everyday I resolve to read, but in the end I don’t read them, or don’t finish reading them. There are many books that I have begun, but not finished for many reasons. On my bookshelf are a number of books which, if I am not mistaken I bought more than a year ago. The book Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun I think I bought more than two years ago. All of these books I’ve begun reading, but stopped for all sorts of reasons and excuses.

This is my Book Resolution for the year 1428 Hijri. I resolve to read these books:

1. Muqadimah Ibnu Khaldun
2. Guns, Germs & Steel - Jared Diamond
3. Orientalism - Edward Said
4. Love in The Time of Cholera- Gabriel Garcia Marquez
5. The General in His Labyrinth - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Below is a list of books I bought recently, many of which I have read.

Pustaka Antara, Kompleks Wilayah, KL 26 Disember 2006
1.Telegram - Putu Wijaya (RM5.00)
2.The Blind Owl - Sadeq Hedayat (RM18.00)
3.AKU Asrar-I Khuldi - Muhammad Iqbal (RM19.00)
4.Islam Liberal - Adian Husaini (RM29.50)
5.Khotbah Di Atas Bukit - Kuntowijaya (RM24.00)
6.Bumi Manusia - Pramoedya Ananta Toer (RM47.00)
7.Gami - Arenawati (RM15.00)

Dawama Bukit Mertajam 28 Disember, 2006
1.Dan Malam Apabila Ia Berlalu - Abdullah Husssain (RM42.50)
2.Merinci Ufuk - Darma Muhammad (RM1.00)
3.Penjelasan Budaya Ilmu - Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud(RM2.40)
4.Pura Bujangga - Affandi Hassan(RM1.00)

Fajar Ilmu Baru, Wisma Yakin, KL 4 Januari, 2007
1.Hermeunatika Tafsir - Hasan Hanafi
2.Buku Saku Filsafat Islam -Haider Bagir
3.Islamia

With the beginning of this year 1428 Hijri, I resolve to finish reading all those books which I’ve bought but not read.

This is my Book Resolution for 1428. What about you?

Any mistakes are mine; poor expression is probably due to my poor translation.

The challenge Jiwa Rasa has set himself is similar to the challenge I set myself earlier this year (although I think mine is longer and perhaps less realistic).

I really relate to the point Jiwa Rasa makes about the emotional reasons one has for buying a book!

When he emailed me, Jiwa Rasa suggested:

Mungkin sdr boleh tambah dengan memberi tips bagaimana kita boleh habiskan membaca buku-buku yg sudah lama dibeli :)

Maybe you can add a few tips on how we can finish reading all these books we’ve bought ages ago :)

The only tips I could come up with to equalise the rate of book buying with the rate of reading were all (to me) rather harsh:

  1. Don’t buy a book until you have read one you already own.
    Jangan membeli buku baru sebelum habis membaca sebuah buku yang sudah anda beli.
  2. To reduce the temptation to buy, don’t go to any bookshops for any reason.
    Untuk mengurangkan keinginan membeli, jangan singgah di kedai buku yang mana pun demi alasan yang apa pun.
  3. Stick to your resolution!
    Amalkan azam anda!

Given the emotional aspect behind my book buying (and reading), I don’t know if I could stick to any of these three tips. Have you any suggestions for us compulsive book buyers?

Jiwa Rasa’s blog is one of my favourite Malay language blogs. He writes mostly book reviews. Many of the books he’s read I don’t have access to, so I enjoy reading about them.