D

uring the 10th Bahasa Indonesia Congress, Education and Culture Minister Mohammad Nuh said that Bahasa Indonesia should become a world lingua franca.

He stated that in order to make it successful, Indonesians should speak Bahasa Indonesia properly. Regrettably, however, many educated people often insert English words even they are speaking in Bahasa Indonesia.

Just recently at the University of Indonesia, organizers have begun to introduce the theme of a seminar in English although the seminar is in Bahasa Indonesia. It is ridiculous especially if we want our language to be respected.

Indonesian Teenlit novels have also been flooded by English words and terms. In other books that are translated into Bahasa Indonesia, their titles are still in English.

My lecturer once said that using English words in books and other means is only a marketing strategy.

It is maybe right, but as Indonesians, who also need to promote our language, we need to try to use Indonesians in any promotional means, particularly if the related event use Bahasa Indonesia.

Greta Kharisma Ardiyanti
Jakarta