chronicles of young

Watched this Mexican film yesterday and the different layers enfolded made for much musing (which is why usually after films like these I will be quiet for awhile to let thoughts form and settle; after which I can scoop them up again or let something stir them up). Today at the hospital with 奶奶 (except that I call her nai3 nai3, and not nai3 nai as in proper Mandarin), I caught her at a rare alert moment where she was in the present. It was bittersweet to be able to tell 奶奶 that it was dark because it rained, and be understood; yet also parroting the phrases spoken in Hainanese back at her because I really couldn't figure what she was saying.  Was reminded of Zikril in the film again- how the language represented a kind of power and alternate worldview, reflecting a beauty of human connection that the dominant lingua franca does not. I wonder how the Hainanese worldview is like- from my rudimentary vocabulary of phrases and watching nostalgic videos of Hainan, it appears to ...

Since I have been trying to be fluent in the three languages of English, Chinese and Malay in the past few months, I realised that the way I think and perceive things might have changed. It is very interesting because it is in light of another language that I see the idiosyncrasies of a particular one. Haha I am also trying to revise Bahasa Melayu while distracting myself from thesis for awhile. Language does shape thinking, even one's identity. It breaks my heart everytime I remember that in Japanese, there is no word for that unconditional, agape love. Can one appreciate fully what he cannot put a word to? Reminded of the book 1984, where Newspeak was used to suppress individualism, and also the movie The Giver where 'precise language' was demanded and emotional language suppressed. Have been learning more about Malay culture ( budaya Melayu ) through pantun (Malay poetry) and peribahasa. But it is the words that amaze me sometimes: merendah diri - literal translat...

I'm not even offended, just th ink that Dr Chiu is so cute Aku betul-betul tak suka membincang hubungan dengan lelaki aye. Tapi mesti menghadapi di musim ini aku menyedari. Aku betul-betul menikmati bercakap dengan senior aku tapi tak mahu give the wrong idea. Aye, kenapa sangat rumit? Aku rasa mahu memberitahunya yang jelas tapi tak tahu bagaimana.  "Pepper conversations with 'friend' liberally" (Hahahah this is almost-sad funny) Aku masih percaya semua perkara untuk baik kami yang kekasih Tuhannya. Menggunakan ini untuk keagungannya, Abba. You hold all things together.  Tambahan, aku menyedari aku betul-betul suka Pi. Tak tahu rasanya tapi aku tak bimbang. Kerana dia yang berlari bangsa ini dengan aku. It will come to pass if it will  Sekarang, aku berlari rasa gembira. (used dictionary too many times sighpie I'm gonna have a hard time in class next semester) Perubahan: Aku sangat tak suka ignore kawan aku, tapi seperti mesti, to draw ...