Nervousness

This is a feeling that I strongly believe every single human, extant and extinct, has had.

Think about your last exam (IELTS maybe? Having to express your ideas in spoken English eloquently with a complete native-speaker stranger). Or the moment you had to show off your musical skills (by means of strumming your beloved accoustic guitar perhaps?) in front of 'millions' of eyes directed towards you and no-one else. And how about the last interview you went on for that highly desired job in a super tantalizing company?

I'm sure you just flashbacked to some point in time when your security was sort of 'threatened' and this annoying quality overwhelmed you in such a way that you didn't perform satisfactorily. Well, you are not alone; we've been in the same boat.

A few years ago, I decided to compete in a Chinese singing contest organized by my university. Of course, Jay Chou was the main motivation for that (seriously, I'm still wondering why such a prodigy could possibly exist in the world), and the awe-inspiring life-saving 2008 song 稻香 (Rice Fragrance) was what I selected to be the centerpiece of my show.

The time had come. I got on the stage in one of the classrooms to take an opportunity to do my portion of evanJaylization. There were 3 judges (in I'm not mistaken) in front of me and behind them were sitting around 40 people ready to watch me sing the heavenly king's song. However, things didn't go as I wanted them to. My voice was weak and I didn't produce sounds as impressively as I can in the relatively small bathroom of my simply designed house. In short, it was a flop.

Now let's turn our attention to the second last sentence of the previous paragraph. I CAN sing the song well while taking a shower! (although you really can't compared it to those flawless jaw-dropping performances of Jay) I am ABLE to do that. The problem that led to my disappointing performance was my sheer tense (not to mention the fact that the KTV version of the song didn't meet my expectations), and it markedly affected my action in a negative way, resulting in me not qualifying for the next round. Isn't it a pity that one cannot display their maximum ability only due to some irritating psychological state? How do we overcome it?

First things first, we need to really understand what being nervous exactly is. It is an occurrence when we are afraid that what we are doing (or will do) will turn out badly. Ironically, this particular feeling encourages that nightmarish outcome. Therefore, what we need to do is to change our mindset; in other words, we need to keep our attention on giving the best to the audience or whoever else/whatever. I realize it would appear to be easier said than done, but there it is.

It is vital to do anything not in such a degrading condition. Possessing a considerable (but not excessive) degree of confidence, which is indispensable for success, certainly brings out the best in you.

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McGraw-Hill's Conversational American English – Book Review

McGraw-Hill's Conversational American English

by Richard A. Spears, Betty Birner, Steven Kleinedler, and Luc Nisset

Okay, I want to be honest here. Everyone has their own weak areas when it comes to English proficiency and my lexical resource is one of those things I need to work on.

That's why I bought this not-so-thick book called McGraw-Hill's Conversational American English by Richard A. Spears, Betty Birner, Steven Kleinedler, and Luc Nisset. Before purchasing this book, I could speak English well to the extent that everybody would understand what I said; however, I needed more, yeah, more! It is monotonous to use the same expressions over and over, so you need to add variety to your speech to make it more interesting. On top of that, native speakers use a broad range of expressions when having conversations and discussions. This book has done a good job in preparing me for better English communication in that regard.

What makes McGraw-Hill's Conversational American English worth paying a small chunk of your income for?

Although it is not comparable to a big dictionary like Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's English Dictionary, McGraw-Hill's Conversational American English contains almost 5,000 conversational expressions that are put into 464 groups. These expression groups are arranged under topics which are grouped into 11 headings of social interaction: Basic Social Encounters, Polite Encounters, Family Matters, Food and Drink, Shopping, and so on. I also find it easy to find the right expressions as it is well organized. In short, this book is a comprehensive reference that you will surely return to again and again.

Additionally, it really does its best to help learners understand the meaning of the expressions and the circumstance in which you can use them properly or you are likely to encounter them, For example, on page 26, under the Launching the Conversation topic and the Requesting that the speaker get to the point group, there is one entry as follows:

Cut to the chase. (idiomatic)
     = Switch to the focal point of something.

The label in the brackets, idiomatic, tells us that it is an idiomatic expression. Such labels are present in this book and include formal, informal, jocular, cliché and vulgar among many others. They are important because they give us information which we need to know to be able to use them appropriately – you wouldn't want to use a formal expression in an informal situation, for instance. In addition, there is an explanation of the expression below it (in this case it shows the meaning of the expression). Explanations like this definitely assist readers in working out the meaning of the phrases.

Reading text without pictures can be dull and not fun. This book addresses this issue by displaying cute images made by Luc Nisset (ah yeah! The subtitle says "Illustrated"!) which aid learners in visualizing the situation where the expressions might be used. However, bear in mind that the number of images in this book is minute compared to the number of expressions presented.

One thing that you need to take into account before deciding whether or not to buy this book is that, as the title clearly shows, the phrases included in this book are used in American English. Then, if you are aiming to improve your British English conversational vocabulary, this might not be the best choice for you, although many of the expressions surely can be used in British English as well.

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GO-JEK, GrabBike, and Our Indonesian Mentality

The occurrence the other day has motivated me to compose this piece of writing.

I am a repeat customer of Grab – sometimes I utilize the GrabCar and GrabFood services; however, GrabBike is what I use most often. That day I set out from my itsy-bitsy home with a GrabBike. The journey was smooth until we came to a point which is not far from where I dwell as a Jakartan; the GrabBiker chose to take the wrong way, driving against the flow of traffic. With my eyes open, I could also see a GO-JEK heading in the same direction whose driver didn't seem to feel guilty of what he was doing at that moment. (for those who don't know GO-JEK, it is an Indonesian (local) company which provides transportation services, competing with Grab, which is based in Malaysia)

I often give 1-star ratings to GrabBike riders (don't believe it? Check with Grab itself, or contact me and I'll forward to you the plethora of complaint response e-mails from Grab). The reason is nothing but such dangerously frivolous behavior, which could bring their passengers' lives to an end.

Indonesia is a fantastic country. We are endowed with huge amounts of exquisite scenery, vast biodiversity which is probably the greatest on the planet, and abundant natural resources. With these advantages, along with other strong points which include a gigantic population of some 250 million people, Indonesia surely has the potential to be one of the most powerful countries in the world. However, compared with two neighboring countries Singapore and Vietnam both of which gained independence much later than Indonesia, I'd say Indonesia's progress has been 'pretty' disappointing.

It seems to be an irony since we have bountiful treasures which other nations, I believe, are drooling over. Are the Indonesians stupider than those of other nationalities? Nope. We boast a significant figure of doctors and professors, don't we? So, what makes this country far less developed than it should be?

The mentality is what I think the culprit of this big issue. The attitude that everything should be done in an instant and not being concerned about the consequences of what one's acts might carry is the key factor of why we are still building an MRT system in the 2010s. This is, of course, what leads to corruption, which is one of the major problems of this highly diverse nation.

That's our challenge. Fixing this might take quite a lot of time since older generations tend to resist change; later ones might be easier to shape into humans of excellent quality. Nevertheless, it is of extreme importance to work together fervently to make up for what we have wasted and, ultimately, for a much better Indonesia that we can take pride in. Continue reading

The Best Things in Life

What are the best things in life? I realize that the answer to this question is not simply a matter of "correct or incorrect" since it depends on those concerned.

To some, brand-new sports cars or enormous castle-like houses are what makes them energetic throughout the day. Some others would like to travel all over the world and pursue that ambition in a rigorous and tireless fashion. Still, others crave for a partner, that is, a boyfriend/girlfriend or a spouse! (well, it's just my judgment since in my country it seems that being single is the 'most horrid curse a person can be put on').

As for myself, I see 'simple' things as those qualifying as the best. Friendship, peace (partly characterized by pure smiles on people's faces), and moments of love are, some of the greatest things in life. Perusing my lover's morning greeting on the screen of my Sony Xperia M2, listening to Jay Chou's enchanting art pieces countlessly (I am doing it now!) and singing them exuberantly, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of dinosaurs (and life, in general) are several other examples of what can make my day.

All in all, I am content with my life right now. However, still, I think I need to contribute more to society with all the good qualities I possess. Today I taught a class and there was this phrase coming into focus: give back to the community. This is exactly something that I wish to achieve and I would say it is part of my self-actualization desire. I really hope to fulfill it as soon as possible by bringing out the best in myself.

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Our Own Parts

I am known as an 'innocent' man among those who have been my companions for long. Obeying traffic laws, being strongly opposed to smoking, and throwing garbage in the proper place are some traits that cling to me and would probably be the first things that come across their minds when they are asked to picture my behavior.

Flashing back to some point in the past, I recall someone, who is probably a very close relative of mine, told me that it is no use doing some good deed (most likely that action of keeping the environment clean and visibly satisfying) while there are tons of others are doing exactly the opposite of what I do.

This apparently nice idea – which is actually pernicious – is, as I see it, simply is the root of the great deals of cases of development inhibition occuring in our society. This way of thinking appears to be mildly damaging. However, it would generate continuous actions that, if you think about it, certainly cause terrible harm. In addition, when an enormous number of people take it as a life guide, the result will unavoidably be ghastly. If everyone keeps ignoring this and doesn't take action to resolve it, it will eventually lead to the demise of our own taxon.

We must adopt the view that what we do is worth the value of what we do: nothing more and nothing less. The result of our actions, in a sense, is actually free from any influence from the outside. This means we shouldn't try to alter people, some (or most) of them perhaps being stubborn and incorrigible. What we need to do is direct our energy, thoughts, and so forth toward what we can do to improve life quality.

It is true that we are just a minuscule part of the gargantuan community of humans; we have too many limitations to do the huge task of changing the world at the drop of a hat. However, when we do our own parts in the best way possible, it is actually enough to achieve our ultimate goal.

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Longman Language Activator – Book Review

Longman Language Activator

by Pearson Education

A ubiquitous, classical question that lingers in many people's minds is "How can I improve my English?" In certain cases, one of the areas that they really need to improve on – but that they might not realize they have to – is vocabulary. Our world is a vast entity where a massive number of things exist and occur. Thus, we need to be able to express an idea or thought as clearly as possible. For this reason, expanding your English vocabulary bank would surely turn you into a more effective communicator.

And congratulations, folks! The Longman Language Activator has been 'born' to serve that function. In the preface (p. vii), it is mentioned that Lord Randolph Quirk called the Longman Activator, which includes the Longman Essential Activator (intended for lower-level students), 'the dictionary the world has been waiting for', and in my view, it definitely is.

How will this dictionary help you enrich your vocabulary? The Longman Language Activator will take you on a journey to words and/or phrases in generally the same meaning area, so that you know their differences, if any, and express what you want to say or write more exactly and/or accurately. For instance, under the "to eat" section (p. 345), there are "eat", "have", "chew", "swallow", "lick", "consume", "dig in/tuck in", and "chow down". In addition to clear, easy-to-understand definitions, this dictionary contains plenty of examples in case you need help in understanding. It also features pronunciations to make sure you pronounce the words and phrases correctly (British/American) as well as labels to ensure you use them appropriately (British/American, formal/informal, etc.). Grammar and collocation information, which I find extremely important, adds to the appeal of this book, and the alphabetical order organization as well as a useful index at the back of the book make it convenient for readers to use.

One thing that could be improved is its coloration, as this book is printed in black and white except for the cover and the "Using the Activator" section. Its 'sister' (the Longman Essential Activator) is more pleasing to the eyes as it is beautified with color. What is more, the second edition of the book was published in 2002; it has been 14 years since then, so it might need to be revised/updated.

Without a doubt, the Longman Language Activator – along with the Longman Essential Activator, I believe – is absolutely a must-have for English learners and teachers who would like to take their English to the next level. This book is definitely worth every cent/penny you spend.

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Indonesian or English Expressions?

It is no surprise that a humongous amount of Indonesian language has entered my ears and my eyes--and my brain--considering the fact that I have spent most of my life in this wide-stretching, equator-passed country. Surprisingly, there are a huge number of Indonesian expressions that are strikingly similar to or even exactly the same as English ones if translated, sometimes with the help of thinking figuratively. I have compiled a 'mini' list of these expressions and hopefully it will quench your language thirst, expand your linguistic knowledge, or even just kill your time in a nice fashion. Cheers!

Note:
• The Indonesian expressions display a range of formality levels.
• I believe there are many, many more of such expressions out there. So if you know any, please poke me, and I will add yours to the list. Huge thanks to those who have contributed to helping me build up the expression bank!

1. backstab – menusuk dari belakang
• Several days ago I found out that Lousia had backstabbed me. I thought she was a good friend!
• Beberapa hari lalu saya menemukan bahwa Louisa menusuk saya dari belakang. Saya pikir dia seorang teman yang baik!
2. bitter pill to swallow – menelan pil pahit
• For Chelsea, losing to Manchester United was a bitter pill to swallow.
• Chelsea menelan pil pahit dengan kalah dari Manchester United.
3. black and white – hitam dan putih
• It is very difficult to make a decision since it is not a black and white issue.
• Sangat sulit untuk mengambil keputusan karena ini bukan isu hitam dan putih.
4. crocodile tears – air mata buaya
• Don't believe Martin. He is a playboy. Those are just crocodile tears.
• Jangan percaya Martin. Dia itu playboy. Itu cuma air mata buaya.
5. empty vessels make the most noise – tong kosong nyaring bunyinya
• That gubernatorial candidate speaks the most but actually he is the least skilled of all. Empty vessels make the most noise.
• Calon gubernur itu paling banyak berbicara tetapi sebenarnya dia yang paling tidak mampu dari semuanya. Tong kosong nyaring bunyinya.
6. experience is the best teacher – pengalaman adalah guru terbaik
• The internship at that oil and gas company has been very meaningful to me. I really believe experience is the best teacher.
• Magang di perusahaan minyak dan gas itu sangat berarti bagiku. Aku sungguh percaya pengalaman adalah guru terbaik.
7. get out of bed on the wrong side/get out of the wrong side of bed – salah bangun tidur
• Clark must have gotten out of the wrong side of bed. He has been grumbling all day.
• Clark pasti salah bangun tidur. Dia ngomel-ngomel seharian.
8. give someone an inch (and they'll take a mile/yard) – dikasih hati minta jantung
• I don't want to help Frederick anymore. Give him an inch and he'll take a mile.
• Saya tidak mau membantu Frederick lagi. Dikasih hati minta jantung.
9. golden opportunity – kesempatan emas
• It is a golden opportunity to become a famous person. You must accept the job offer.
• Ini adalah sebuah kesempatan emas untuk menjadi orang terkenal. Kamu harus menerima tawaran pekerjaan itu.
10. guinea pig/lab rat – kelinci percobaan
• No, I don't want to be a guinea pig! What if I die after taking those pills?
• Tidak, saya tidak mau menjadi seekor kelinci percobaan!. Bagaimana jika saya mati setelah mengonsumsi pil-pil itu?
11. green – hijau
• Are you sure you will assign this huge task to Britney? She is still green.
• Apakah Anda yakin Anda akan memberikan tugas besar ini ke Britney? Dia masih hijau.
12. half-heartedly – (dengan) setengah hati
• Eric's work results are always bad because he does his job half-heartedly.
• Hasi kerja Eric selalu buruk karena dia melakukan pekerjaannya setengah hati.
13. have a sense of humor – punya selera humor
• My uncle has a great sense of humor. It is always fun to talk with him!
• Paman saya mempunyai selera humor yang tinggi. Berbicara dengan dia selalu menyenangkan!
14. have the last laugh – ketawa terakhir
• I accept the defeat, but I will have the last laugh.
• Gua terima kekalahan ini, tapi gua yang akanketawa terakhir.
15. hidden agenda – agenda terselubung/tersembunyi
• Tracy is visiting her house too? Hm... He must have a hidden agenda.
• Tracy mengunjungi rumahnya juga? Hm... Dia pasti ada sebuah agenda terselubung/tersembunyi.
16. in black and white – hitam di atas putih
• You must insist this agreement be in black and white.
• Kamu harus bersikukuh perjanjian ini harus hitam di atas putih.
17. lightning fast – secepat kilat
• Maria can run 8 meters per second. She is really lightning fast.
• Maria bisa berlari 8 meter per detik. Dia benar-benar secepat kilat.
18. like a broken record – kayak tip pecah
• Your brother sounds like a broken record. He is always talking about the same things.
• Kakak laki-lakimu kayak tip pecah. Dia selalu ngomong hal yang sama.
19. like talking to a brick wall – kayak ngomong sama tembok
• I've asked her to go to school many times, but it's like talking to a brick wall. Basically she won't do that.
• Gua udah berkali-kali minta dia pergi ke sekolah, tapi itu kayak ngomong sama tembok. Pada dasarnya dia ga mau.
20. lose face – kehilangan muka
• The sex scandal made the singer lose face.
• Skandal sex tersebut membuat sang penyanyi kehilangan muka.
21. make yourself at home – anggap saja rumah sendiri
• Please sit down and enjoy the snacks. Make yourself at home.
• Silakan duduk dan nikmati makanan ringannya. Anggap saja rumah sendiri.
22. money laundering – pencucian uang
• Those men in white are accused of money laundering.
• Pria berpakaian putih itu dituduh melakukan pencucian uang.
23. oil and water don't mix – bagai air dengan minyak
• Stephanie and Aldo always have quarrels when they are together. Oil and water don't mix.
• Stephanie dan Aldo selalu berseteru jika sedang bersama-sama. Mereka bagai air dengan minyak.
24. opportunity only knocks once – kesempatan cuma datang sekali
• You should accept that job offer. Opportunity only knocks once.
• Kamu harus mengambil tawaran pekerjaan itu. Kesempatan cuma datang sekali.
25. over my dead body – langkahin dulu mayat gue
• You want to use my car? Over my dead body!
• Loe mau make mobil gue? Langkahin dulu mayat gue!
26. pig in a poke – kucing dalam karung
• Martin just bought a pig in a poke. The new smartphone he ordered online turned out to be defective!
• Martin baru saja membeli kucing dalam karung. Ponsel pintar baru yang dia pesan secara daring ternyata cacat!
27. play with fire – bermain dengan api
• You want to sell drugs? Don't play with fire!
• Kamu mau jual narkoba? Jangan bermain dengan api deh!
28. save face – menyelamatkan muka
• He tried to save face by making a public apology.
• Dia berusaha menyelamatkan muka dengan meminta maaf kepada publik.
29. silence is golden – diam adalah emas
• Taylor was punched by Annie because he gave her criticisms. Silence is golden.
• Taylor dipukul oleh Annie karena dia memberi kritikan. Diam adalah emas.
30. sleep with – tidur dengan
• The mayor was arrested because he had slept with his mistress.
• Walikota itu ditangkap karena ia telah tidur dengan selingkuhannya.
31. someone’s eyes are bigger than their stomach/belly – seseorang lapar mata
• Timmy gave most of his huge meal to his mom. His eyes are bigger than his belly.
• Timmy memberikan sebagian besar makanannya yang sangat banyak kepada ibunya. Dia lapar mata.
32. spoon-feed – cekokin
• Let him work by himself. Don't spoon-feed him.
• Biarin dia kerja sendirian. Jangan cekokin dia.
33. still water runs deep – air beriak tanda tak dalam (Note: Most of the elements of these two expressions are antithetical, but the whole phrases convey exactly the same meaning.)
• Don't judge a person by how loud they are. Still water runs deep.
• Jangan menilai orang dari berapa banyak mereka berbicara. Air beriak tanda tak dalam.
34. take my hat off (to) – angkat topi (untuk)
• Our sales have increased by 25% in the last three months. I take my hat off to you!
• Penjualan kita telah meningkat sebesar 25% dalam waktu tiga bulan terakhir. Saya angkat topi untuk kamu!
35. take part (in) – ambil bagian (dalam)
• My neighbor is taking part in a charity event next Sunday.
• Tetangga saya akan ambil bagian dalam acara amal Minggu depan.
36. the apple doesn't fall far from its tree – buah jatuh tidak jauh dari pohonnya
• Like his father, Andrew is enthusiastic about table tennis. The apple doesn't fall far from its tree.
• Seperti ayahnnya, Andrew antusias terhadap ping-pong. Buah jatuh tidak jauh dari pohonnya.
37. the grass is always greener on the other side – rumput tetangga selalu lebih hijau
• My little sister always thinks other girls are a lot luckier than her. The grass is always greener on the other side.
• Adik perempuan saya selalu berpikir gadis-gadis lain jauh lebih beruntung daripada dia. Rumput tetangga selalu lebih hijau.
38. there's no smoke without fire – tak ada asap tanpa api
• He said he is not guilty, but there's no smoke without fire.
• Dia bilang dia tidak bersalah, tetapi tak ada asap tanpa api.
39. throw in the towel – lempar handuk
• The badminton players thought they couldn't' win the match, so they threw in the towel.
• Pemain-pemain bulutangkis itu berpikir mereka tidak dapat memenangkan pertandingan tersebut, jadi mereka melempar handuk.
40. turn over a new leaf – membuka lembaran baru
• Sonya has turned over a new leaf; she has stopped being a drug abuser.
• Sonya telah membuka lembaran baru; dia telah berhenti menjadi penyalahguna obat.
41. two-faced – bermuka dua
• Never believe Vanness. He is a two-faced liar.
• Jangan pernah percaya Vanness. Dia pembohong bermuka dua.
42. when in Rome, do as the Romans do – di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung (Note: the English expression uses a specific example, while the Indonesian one uses generalization.)
• You can't wear that kind of clothes in this country. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
• Kamu tidak boleh memakai pakaian seperti itu di negara ini. Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung.
43. wholeheartedly – (dengan) sepenuh hati
• One of the keys to success is working wholeheartedly.
• Salah satu kunci kesuksesan adalah bekerja dengan sepenuh hati.
44. with a heavy heart – dengan hati yang berat/dengan berberat hati
• With a heavy heart, George said goodbye to all of us.
• Dengan hati yang berat, George mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepada kita semua. 
45. with all your heart – dengan sepenuh hati(mu)
• Klinsman sang Ge Qian with all his heart.
• Klinsman menyanyikan Ge Qian dengan sepenuh hatinya.

Last updated: December 30, 2024

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