Watch What Thou Sayest

We sometimes assume that certain folks do not understand what we say, especially when we use a foreign language in their presence. This sometimes happens when we are in the company of friends or acquaintances who belong to the same ethnic group as we do, and some of us find it easier or more comfortable conversing in the language of that ethnic group.  For example, few would expect an Englishman these days, who has been residing in London for most of his life, to be able to speak Bahasa Malaysia or the Malay language. But sometimes, what we assume may not necessarily be true, and we may end up embarrassed or red-faced.

One day, two students from Malaysia, studying at a University in London, were riding on a bus from their apartment some distance away from the university to a supermarket to purchase some supplies. When the bus arrived at a certain stop, an Englishman boarded the bus. The two Malaysians were seated near the centre of the bus, and as the Englishman walked past them to take a seat at the back of the bus, one student remarked to the other: “tengok itu babi lalu?” (Translated as “look at that pig passing by” and it was a derogatory statement towards the Englishman). The Englishman did not say anything as he walked past, took a seat near the back of the bus and sat down, and the bus moved on. Throughout the journey, the two students continued to make unbecoming comments towards people of other ethnic groups, especially those among their peers and even among their classmates. They even giggled at some of the comments uttered. Occasionally, they would glance at the other passengers in the bus to see if anyone could understand what they were saying. It is as if they got a thrill or kick out of saying such things, thinking that there would not be any responses or repercussions from others in the bus, since there seemed to be no one else in the bus that looked like they came from Malaysia or even Indonesia.

At a certain location, the Englishman got up and rang the bell, as he wanted to alight from the bus. To the utter shock, surprise and embarrassment of the two Malaysians, the Englishman said to them as he passed by: “tolong ke tepi, babi nak lalu” (Translated as "please move aside, the pig wants to go past). This is because the two Malaysians had partially blocked the centre aisle corridor of the bus with some of their bags and packages. Apparently, the Englishman had actually worked in Malaysia for several years and he had taken a keen interest in the Malay language, making effort to learn the language so that he could converse with the locals. Moreover, it seems that the Englishman was actually married to a Malaysian of Peranakan descent (Peranakans are persons of mixed heritage, especially of Chinese and Malay heritage), and his wife and he even taught their children to speak Malay at home, so that they could converse in Malay whenever they went back to Malaysia for a visit. Then the Englishman smirked and got off the bus, as the two Malaysians looked on in disbelief and exasperation.

What can we learn from this incident? Never assume that others do not understand what we say, especially when we use a foreign language in their presence. After all, it seems not only rude, and lacking manners, etiquette and decorum; we may find ourselves embarrassed and eating humble pie, when we discover that the person actually understood what we were saying. This is also the case in church, when we are in the presence of faithful from other ethnic groups, especially during certain activities or functions. May we be mindful and respectful of what we say in the presence of others and show good example to all.