English for sabahan?
I was reading my Sun Tzu War & Management book when suddenly a lady came and asking for a filter cartridge. She politely asked it in English and I looked at my friend, how would he reply. So, I was thinking a little bit, how would one reply if he/she doesn’t know how to speak in English. To receive is not much of a problem but to deliver is always a problem. I’m not saying that everyone is having that kinda trouble but half of us sabahan do. Yes, I’m not that good in it but a least I can deliver yet to learn more, of course it’s a must.
Here’s a story of mine regarding on this English subject. I was doing my industrial training at Sepilok Forest Centre in 2002. The only transportation to the centre was the bus henti-henti. So, one day when I was waiting for the bus at the junction, another miles from the main road to the centre, with me was this foreigner maybe Ameriacan or Australian. He was going for the Orang Utan in Sepilok and the fee was 70 cents. We boarded the same bus and paid but he was short another 20 cents. So what happened next was the funniest 20 cents I’ve heard. The bus conductor was asking for that 20 cents from the guy but eventually, he didn’t know how to ask for it in English so he gave a sign of 2 with his fingers and said,
“two puluh sen”
I laughed like hell and he gave me a shy look with that silly smile. The guy thought it was a 2 dollar bills but later we told him it was a 20 cents short. He laughed. That’s how you’ll end up when you don’t pay attention to you English class at school. Lol.
This is a good reason why you need to at least know a little bit how to speak in English. People around the world are coming to Sabah for vacation or study, and bare in mind that these kind of people don’t usually speak Malay, or most likely Sabahan. So, if you don’t know how to deliver information to them then it would be much of a trouble for both sides. It’s like a chicken talking to a duck with all the sign languages. It looks funny, though.
Here’s another reason why you need to know how to speak in English. Most people are using English as their primary language nowadays. Be it in the government or not, the usage of it is compulsory. Interviews, meetings, transactions, deals, etc. they are all done in English. So, don’t be left out.
English is very much important and to see the less awareness among Sabahan is a very sad thing. It’s not that late to learn rather than to not know anything. I learn only by reading books and magazines , watching TVs and movies, and I applied all my knowledge by talking and blogging, even though my mom was an English teacher, herself. That doesn’t mean I’ll be a good student 
What say you, fellow friends?
Well tot..I totally agreed with u on this.. When I was in primary and secondary..BI was the subject that I hated the most..but I still don’t get it because most BI teachers were nice to that days..probably because their expectation (my father guru besar ba..haha) so..no matter what..no matter how I tried to ignore this subject..I always ended up being the chosen among others to and must speak or respond to their queries by BI as well..I thought it was biased at that time..my father even bought this BI learning tool package..yg ada kaset tu ba..but again..I never really cared..now..I ended up working with UK based company. We have no client from Asia at or even Malaysia..this company has branch in Malaysia and Aus only..so..to cut the story short..BI is a must for me..its become my daily language..dalam ofis la..hehe..but my principle is..if I know or meet a new friend then we spoke in BI as intro…then it will be BI..due to my lackadaisical to BI..I was struggling during my early employment in this company..by the time goes..I learned a lot and improve a lot…well..the company invested much also sending the 1st batch staff in Malaysia to British Council classes (Business speaking)..I’m grateful and thought if really concentrate during those years kan..wah..hehe..ada salah grammar ka ni..hehe..
that reminds me of the time when we receive a phone call from overseas and i had to help the receptionist to answer @_@ omg~ yes, ppl need to know at least a bit of english. XD
funny story. sometimes i teach the cleaner lady at work coz she sells kuih at pasar XD
English memang crucial if wanna succeed in life. lebih2 lagi zaman skg ni. if dunno English, I can say it’s hard to get a job. or, it’s easier do well in an interview kalo pandai cakap bahasa inggeris kan heehe…
lol…
Actually, there are many orang putih, especially those from europe, speak poor english. many europe countries have them own regional languages so english is their 2nd language..
Wel, Messy & Arms: ahaha ya ba.
Murphy: lol. but still they don’t speak Malay or Sabahan like we do here kan hahaha. English is also my 2nd language yet to communicate with other people is a must. Be it the Europeans, Indians, Chinese, Ameriacan… because as simple as this, I don’t speak their mother’s tongue.
punya lintang pukang structure comment sia tot..ni la teda edit mau cepat sja mau p menambah pelaburan..hehe..well..it is true that most english people does not even speak their own language properly or in orderly..they too have grammar mistakes..same as us when we speak BM to others..when you’re malaysian, for sure BI is your 2nd language or perhaps BM is your 2nd language which could possibly because you’ve been staying overseas for quite a long period and never really got home to Malaysia to mix with malaysian people la..hehe..ada la suda..so anyway, i had this experience before..am not trying to criticize anybody but fact must be made clear…once I went home to sabah..my bro asked me to meet one of his acquaintance…as at that time he was trying to push me to work in sabah instead penang…so he gave my resume to this fella..I came for an interview..informal interview actually..as usual, i’d expect the fella would communicate in BI as a better way of judging someone’s credibility and communication skills…it was peculiar that we chatted in sabahan language..i’ve been to several informal interview….i never really communicated in BM to them..this actually showed me that..although…sabahan people is quite famous in Peninsular whom they say natural in learning BM..not all but mostly sabahan in peninsular are able to converse in a good or decent BI..hehe..the fact that Sabahan professionalism is still(…sana….ranau…)ada betul ka ni..ehe….