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May 26, 2015 edition

Jennifer Lindsay*
We native speakers of English are often baffled by the choices existing in other languages, including Indonesian, for the second person pronoun, 'you'. This is because English is rather strange in not having options. Whether we are addressing one person or many, a lover or a stranger, an old person or a baby, we use 'you'. The phrase, 'Would you like me to help?' for instance, will be identical, no matter who it is we are talking to.

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More Word Watch articles in other editions

April 21, 2015 edition

Jennifer Lindsay*
Personal names, like pronouns, are a minefield of sensitivity in written and spoken Indonesian. People usually put some kind of kinship term before a name, or use these terms instead of names. This poses quite a challenge when translating into English, as in a collection of stories by Leila Chudori that I have been translating and which makes extensive use of appellations.

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January 1, 1970 edition

Jennifer Lindsay*
Welcome to the year of the goat. Or the sheep.Which is it?

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