Bandar Seri Begawan - Highlighting language as the tool and provision for the development of national character, the Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports hosted a Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia Malay Language council (Mabbim) lecture yesterday morning.
The lecture titled "Language and National Character Development" was delivered by an invited Indonesian scholar, Prof Dr Multamia Retno Mayekfi Tawangsih, who specialises in linguistics at Universitas Indonesia.
Attending the lecture were DBP Officials, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) lecturers and students, Malay school teachers and other invited language enthusiasts.
Dr Yabit Alas, Director of the Language Centre at UBD and chairperson of the event told The Brunei Times that yesterday's talk marked the thirdtime the bureau has hosted.
He added that Brunei had hosted the first annual Mabbim lecture three years ago, whilst Malaysia organised the last one.
Asked of the main objective of the lectures, Dr Yabit explained that Mabbim aimed to "narrow the gap in the Malay language between the three member countries, to make a more similar standardised language that is shared by all three countries".
He touched on the difficulties of trying to formulate a shared language when it concerns so much difference between cultures and national histories.
-Dying to establish a standard language is difficult as different countries have different
backgrounds; Indonesia for example (differs from Malaysia and Brunei in that) their history is more to the Dutch, and that creates problems in (understanding) academic writings or standard communication."
He said, "Our language shapes the way we think and nation building is a reflection of that; if we loose our language, the way we think and develop (in many cases) will change".
"We counteract this by adhering to the values instilled within our language, such as respect."
DBP acting director Hjh Aminah Hj Momin said that apart from a strong economy, law, politics, science and technology, the development of a strong national character is inextricably linked to the language the nation practices.
"In this context, language as a communication vehicle between one society and another, highlights the transformations in thinking, values and cultural systems that determine the path that national character development follows," she said.
The Mabbim lecture is one of the many programmes or activities organised by the member countries to nurture and empower the Malay/Indonesian society outside the framework of the Mabbim conferences.
She added that, it was not the first time that the guest speaker, Prof Dr Multamia had graced forums, seminars, lectures or workshops organised by DBP with the aim to increase awareness and foster community spirit and love in the people of Brunei for the Malay language".-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times DATE_FORMAT_LC2
Source: http://www.brudirect.com
The lecture titled "Language and National Character Development" was delivered by an invited Indonesian scholar, Prof Dr Multamia Retno Mayekfi Tawangsih, who specialises in linguistics at Universitas Indonesia.
Attending the lecture were DBP Officials, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) lecturers and students, Malay school teachers and other invited language enthusiasts.
Dr Yabit Alas, Director of the Language Centre at UBD and chairperson of the event told The Brunei Times that yesterday's talk marked the thirdtime the bureau has hosted.
He added that Brunei had hosted the first annual Mabbim lecture three years ago, whilst Malaysia organised the last one.
Asked of the main objective of the lectures, Dr Yabit explained that Mabbim aimed to "narrow the gap in the Malay language between the three member countries, to make a more similar standardised language that is shared by all three countries".
He touched on the difficulties of trying to formulate a shared language when it concerns so much difference between cultures and national histories.
-Dying to establish a standard language is difficult as different countries have different
backgrounds; Indonesia for example (differs from Malaysia and Brunei in that) their history is more to the Dutch, and that creates problems in (understanding) academic writings or standard communication."
He said, "Our language shapes the way we think and nation building is a reflection of that; if we loose our language, the way we think and develop (in many cases) will change".
"We counteract this by adhering to the values instilled within our language, such as respect."
DBP acting director Hjh Aminah Hj Momin said that apart from a strong economy, law, politics, science and technology, the development of a strong national character is inextricably linked to the language the nation practices.
"In this context, language as a communication vehicle between one society and another, highlights the transformations in thinking, values and cultural systems that determine the path that national character development follows," she said.
The Mabbim lecture is one of the many programmes or activities organised by the member countries to nurture and empower the Malay/Indonesian society outside the framework of the Mabbim conferences.
She added that, it was not the first time that the guest speaker, Prof Dr Multamia had graced forums, seminars, lectures or workshops organised by DBP with the aim to increase awareness and foster community spirit and love in the people of Brunei for the Malay language".-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times DATE_FORMAT_LC2
Source: http://www.brudirect.com
