I am in Portugal and messing around translating words with my colleague, which I do sometimes and find immensely fun. Came across this link and found that if I spoke in Malay, I could be understood (albeit horrible grammar) in at least 10 different languages! See, I could:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Malay_loanwords
Be matter-of-fact in Tamil: "The lion ate the mango in the curry"
Be dramatic and suggestive in Sanskrit: "This pomegranate is a blessing from my angel, and I will eat it despite danger of punishment!"
Read the news in Portugese: "According to the firefighters, there was a pail and lace on the bench, and a flag and violin in the cupboard" (my colleague confirms this is right)
Feign modesty in Mandarin: "A teacup-full is enough, but I recommend you use the scales to weigh it"
Be modest in Hokkien: "Share my rice vermicelli and chives cake, we can sit by the drain and drink black tea"
Begin a geographically inclusive statement in Iban: "Our Continent..."
Suggest an ingredient in Hindi: "Lady-finger?"
Be boring in English: "Let's have a biscuit in the garage during computer class"
Be serious like the Dutch: "Ah, the book of Risk" (lights a cigarette)
Be in Arabic, either other-worldly and instructive "On Sunday and Thursday, there is a sermon on world philosophy, so come to the mosque and not the laboratory" or just right "O we are thankful for snow, giraffes and soap"
So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is why we learn Bahasa Malaysia. Not because it's a language that no one really uses out of Malaysia and Indonesia (you think anyone uses Dutch, even the Dutch?) but because it's fun, shows us where we are from and who passed through our lands and lives before us, and reminds us of the wonderful, quirky people we are.
Tamil: "Singa itu makan mangga dalam gulai"
Sanskrit: "Buah delima ini bagaikan anugerah dari bidadari saya, dan akan saya mencubanya sungguhpun ada bahaya dan denda!"
Portugese: "Menurut pasukan bomba, di atas bangku ada baldi dan renda, di dalam almari ada bendera dan biola"
Mandarin: "Satu cawan sudah cukup, tetapi saya syorkan anda menggunakan dacing untuk menimbangnya"
Hokkien: "Kongsi saya punya bihun dan kuih kucai, kita boleh duduk di tepi longkang minum Teh O"
Iban: “Benua kita...”
Hindi: “Bendi?”
English: “Mari makan biskut di garaj semasa kelas komputer”
Dutch: “Ah, buku Risiko” (sambil menyalakan rokok)
Arabic: "Pada hari Ahad dan Khamis, datang ke masjid dan bukan makmal untuk dakwah falsafah” dan “O, kita perlu bersyukur kerana adanya salji, zirafah dan sabun”
