Problem
Why Study Languages?
I was doing my daily Indonesian-Malay language practice lesson on Duolingo. Malay is useful in Singapore where I spend part of the year. Malay is one of Signapore's four official languages appearing on signs on the railway stations and everywhere, because Singapore was originally part of Malaysia (preivously called Malaya).
Sign in Singapore with the four official languages, starting with Malay. Kelab is club in Malay. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
From the traveller's point of view, Malay is also useful in two more nearby countries. Malaysia is across the bridge, a quick trip by bus, car, motorbike. Or across the water by ferry or plane to islands.
Out of the skyscraper city of Singapore. Climbing to the summit of a volcano in volcanic Indonesia, where fewer people speak English. Photo courtesy of Trevor Sharot.
Indonesia, mostly the same language, is also another nearby destination, with flights and ferries from Singapore.
Why Follow Duolingo Discussions?
I used to ignore the Duolingo discussions. Sometimes they go on for ages with irrelevancies. Discussion hold me up and take time. Comments freuqently go into detail about related words which merely distracts me from the word I am trying to concentrate on learning.
However, nowadays I always stop to read the discussion when I see the number next to discussion which indicates at least one person has made a comment on the translation and word origin. The comments can be really helpful in finding a clue, a reminder, a word hook, a memory aid.
Sama-sama - meaning same?
I was looking at sama-sama, a statment meaning You're welcome maybe or maybe not the reply to You're welcome. Somebody suggested 'same to you' but it's not clear to me whether it's true.
Making Learning Easy
Never mind, the essential task for me was to rememeber sama-sama. Step one for me when learning a language is to follow what the other person is saying, or what is written. Step two is to learn to speak, and use words accurately.
The Malay and Indonesian languages are easy to learn, less grammar, no 'a' or 'the' needed. Singular or plural often the same in spoken language, only doubled words to show plurals in written langauge and government instructions, although a lot has to be deciphered from context. It's a bit like text language.
What Is A Cognate?
I read in a discussion that one word was a cognate of another. I could sort of work out that a cognate might be a derivative, but I wanted to be sure. When I found out the origin of the word cognate, it became easier to remember and recognize and understand the word cognate.
Latin Word Origin
The online Thesaurus gave me this definition:
Latin cognatus "of common descent," from com- "together" (see co-) + gnatus, past participle of gnasci, older form of nasci "to be born" (see genus). Words that are cognates are cousins, not siblings.
To make this clearer and simpler:
Latin - English
com - together
nasci - to be born (related words include native, natural, nativity, French nee, the maiden name or name a married woman was given at birth)
gnasci - born (past tense made be the prefix g - prefix means fixed or stuck on the front, pre being before as in previous)
cognate - common origin
Useful Websites
duolingo.com
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, teacher of English and other languages - talks, training, workshops. Please share links to your favourite posts. Contact me if you would like a talk or training session for Toastmasters, a college or a business, in the US, Singapore or elsewhere.
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