Secara

I was reading this stranger's blog I'd found earlier (from a long, long browse through links from various blogs). From what I read, this girl's writings were good. She also made a few poems, did some reviews, and she seemed to have many ideas in her head. I aasumed, from her daily activities, that she was also a writer. I mean, a professional one. In short, I kinda adored this stranger; I even almost left a comment there. But then, I found one single thing that really, really changed my mind.

She uses the word "secara".

Then there's this guy from high school whom I'm not really acquainted with. Somehow, for some inexplicable reasons, I don't really like him. I think he's too loud for a guy. Menurut gue, si oknum A ini suka terlalu heboh kalo ketemu orang. Therefore, everytime I meet him I only bother to give him a "hi-and-bye". Plus he's a pretty good friend of Bangun, jadi kan out of morality, I have to hold back my hurl and keep my eyes...friendly everytime I meet him.

Anyway, one night, we were stuck hanging out together (after some certain high-school-event which is also an unofficial reunion every year). I was okay 'cos well, I got my other friends. I didn't have to listen to his loud, gaul blabbers. Then to top it all, he said to Bangun (and I remember the words precisely), "...secara lo kuliah di Bandung.."

Right then and there, he had made his way to my least random favorite people (remember I tend to judge and not like people randomly?).

I've never liked all those bahasa gaul since the very beginning. And I consider myself lucky to be in a peer where no one uses those words. Well, we actually do, A LOT, for fun. Which is better. (And to my defense, Oom, it's okay to use the word "bo'" once in a while, sebagai jembatan komunikasi diantara teman!)

But of all those nasty words, one I hate with all my bones (and fats) inside me is that "secara" word. Why, people, why? Kenapa menggunakan kata yang bahkan gak pernah relevan dengan kata selanjutnya dalam setiap pemakaiannya itu? (Maksudnya disini, dalam konteks sebagai "bahasa gaul" itu ya). It just sounds so awful. I heard the word for the first time a long time ago in one of the most popular youth radio stations in Jakarta, and has been living with that word polluting my ears ever since.

Of course, we still can see from a positive point of view: the language is a form of creativity. Sangat kreatif orang yang pertama kali menciptakan dan menyebarluaskan kata-kata "gaul". I am not a big fan of Bahasa Indonesia (belagu memang, tapi kadang-kadang lebih enak--apalagi kalo menyangkut mengutarakan perasaan--ngomong dan nulis pake Bahasa Inggris), but still, I don't want my language to be ruined by some tacky words!

In the words of Arif Kamra: "Udah 60 taun kita merdeka, mau jadi apa bangsa kita ini?!"


[song of the day: mariah carey - all i want for christmas is you]