Tunku Halim's Blog, page 9

Ngiap, Senyap, Quiet …

As I sit in my hotel room, I can hear the grinding of construction work, and I wonder if I should change rooms to the other side of the hotel. But I don’t really want the morning sun or lose the enchanting view of the mountain. 

Life is just too full of these difficult choices!

Anyway, I’ve been in Chiang Mai for a month now and I’ve only found one Thai word that’s similar to Malay. 

‘Ngiap’ means silent. Just like Malay’s ‘senyap’!

I do like it quiet too!

The Thai language belongs to the Tai-Kadai language family with words taken from Sanskrit, Pali and Old Khmer. It’s a fairly small language family in terms of number of speakers. 

The Malay language is Austronesian which is a much larger language family. Malay is the most widely spoken Austronesian language and is the the 8th most widely spoke language in the world.

It strikes me as strange that two countries which are so close to each other have so little in common in their languages. Whereas, as I wrote in my previous post, the Filipino languages, a country which is more than 2000 kilometers away, have so many common words.

Anyway, “Selamat Sawadii kap!”

Malay and Visayan: Common Words

Having spent some time in the southern Philippines, I’ve learnt that Visayan (or Bisaya) language share many common words with the Malay language. The Filipinos I’ve met express surprise when I mention this. I’m sure many Malaysians would be surprised too.

Visayan is also known as Cebuano and you’ll find its purer form spoken on the island of Cebu. Other than the national language, which is Tagalog, Visayan is the second most widely spoken language spoke in the country. Tagalog and Malay share many common words too. I would guess, to a lesser extend,that this would be the same for some of the other Filipino languages.

Filipinos have to learn Tagalog and will also speak their local language, which might be Visayan, Ilocano, Waray, Ilongo, Bikol or one of the other hundred or more languages. Other than that they also learn American English at school. So the Philippines is a country of multi-lingual speakers.

It’s interesting too that in Visayan the word for tiger is “tigre”, whereas a harimau happens to be a demon! Also the word of milk is gatas and the word “susu” is breast!

Languages just evolve.

Anyway, here are the common words I’ve come across so far. There are, I’m sure, many others.

Melayu ….. Bisaya

Aku ….. Ako

Anak ….. Anak

Angin ….. Hangin

Api …. Apo

Asap ….. Aso

Atap ….. Atop

Atas …… Taas

Babi …. Baboy

Bahu …. Baho

Baldi ….. Baldi

Balik …. Balik

Bangun ….. Bangun

Baru ….. Bago

Batu ….. Bato

Bayar …. Bayad

Beras ….. Bugas

Berat ….. Bugat

Berita …. Balita

Buaya ….. Buaya

Basah ….. Basak

Beras …. Bugas

Bola …. Bola

Buat ….. Buhaton

Bulan ….. Bulan

Buta ….. Buta

Cermin ….. Samin

Daun ….. Dahon

Dua ….. Duha

Durian ….. Durian

Engkau ….. Ikaw

Empat ….. Upat

Enam ….. Unom

Gunting ….. Gunting

Harga ….. Halaga

Hitam ….. Itom

Hujan ….. Ulan

Hutang ….. Utang

Jalan …… Dalan

Kambing ….. Kanding

Kami ….. Kami

Ketawa …. Ketawa

Kerbau …. Kalabau

Kita ….. Kita

Langga ….. Bangga

Langit ….. Langit

Langsat ….. Langsones

Lelaki …. Lalaki

Lima ….. Lima

Mahal ….. Mahal

Mangga ….. Mangga

Manis …. Tamis

Mata ….. Mata

Minum ….. Inom

Nyamuk ….. Lamuk

Pahit ….. Pait

Payung ….. Payung

Pintu ….. Pintu

Putih …. Puti

Sabun …. Sabun

Sakit ….. Sakit

Salah ….. Sala

Sandar …… Sandiri

Senyum ….. Pahiyum

Takut ….. Hadlok

Tanam ….. Tanum

Timbang ….. Timbang

Tuwala …. Twala

It’s possible that some of the Bisaya words have come from the Tagalog, or perhaps visa versa!

You’ll find the Malay/Tagalog common words here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_loanwords_in_Tagalog#Malay_and_Indonesian

Chiang Mai – July 2015

I’ve been in this northern Thai city for 10 days now. I’ll be here for 2 months. I’ve been working on a non-fiction book (but I won’t tell you what’s it about … it’s a surprise!)

The weather’s been wonderfully cool, a bit rainy too, which is nice. I’m staying in a 3 star hotel a bit out of the city. I don’t think it’s even on the map I’ve inserted.

I’ve got a large 1 bedroom suite which is far in excess of my needs. I booked a standard room but it didn’t have a kitchen sink, so I needed to upgrade. I like to prepare my own very simple food sometimes. Anyway, my monthly rent is less than what you’d pay for a studio in a KL condo. So it’s not expensive.

The people here are called Lanna. They speak the Lanna language which is different from standard Thai. The city itself is not geographically that big. There are no skyscrapers. I’m on the 11th floor and I look down on most buildings. From my window I can see the mountain with the Doi Suthep temple. It looks mysterious with the clouds curling past it.

Sometimes there’s quite a bit of traffic. So it’s not a quiet city. There’re lots of scooters shooting about everywhere. It’s the major form of transport. Mine is mostly on foot or in tuk tuks. I don’t go out often.

Today is Sunday, so there’s a night market in the old city. I may go, I may not. It depends whether I want to join all the tourists. But the wares on sale are interesting. I do love the moat that demarcates the old city. It’s wonderful looking at the remains of the old walls that surround it. This place is historic and full of lovely temples too.

I’ll tell you more in another update …Sawadii krap!

Happy Birthday, Papa!

Today would have been my father’s 90th birthday. We lost him so unexpectedly 7 years ago. So much has happened in Malaysia and the world since then. I know he would have taken a deep interest in these events, that continue to unfold before us.  He left 9 of us children behind, some still young, some so much older. Not to forget, of course, the grandchildren too.

I know we, and so many of his relatives and friends, have fond memories of him. He was quite a guy. And I’m sure, if he was still around that we would be having a big party tonight!

I dedicate my books, as a collection, to my parents.

  

There are two types of people in this world: those that read fiction and those that don’t.

That’s mostly true. 

Some of my family and friends fall into the latter category — and I do ask why?

I’m sure you too know many people too that won’t go near a novel.

Perhaps it’s to do with the reading habit. Many of us got into this habit at an early age whilst others didn’t. But I do know people who read when they were young but don’t do now. I also know those that didn’t read at an early age but picked up reading later on in life.

Why do some of us choose not to read fiction? Is it from sheer laziness? Is it that it reminds them too much of school or that they may come across words they don’t understand? Or is it from the mistaken belief that there couldn’t possible be anything useful in it? Or that time is better spent watching a movie instead? After all it only takes a 100 minutes or so and pratically does the same thing, which is to tell a story. So why slog for many hours through a novel? Surely the Game of Thrones episodes and Harry Potter movies are much more exciting, with heck a lot more eye candy, that the books on which they’re based.

Yes, they indeed are.

But the idea of reading is to go in the opposite direction. Not from exciting to boring. But from exciting to a peaceful, restful mind. This is a contemplative and indeed healthy state that is becoming more difficult to find in our frantic digital world. Reading fiction takes you into yourself, it delivers feelings, thoughts, insights and ideas that no movie can ever match. A novel can change the way you think. It may allow you to see the world differently.

It provides a richness in life.

So I do, in a way, feel sorry for those who don’t read fiction. So, if you’re reading this bit of non-fiction but never touch a novel, then you’re missing out, my friend.

You truly are.

I suggest starting with something that isn’t so heavy, an easier read perhaps. It may be good to start with just a short story.

There really are a wealth of books waiting for you. All the ebooks you could ever want are right at your fingertips and browsing through a bookshop can be a real pleasure.

Believe me, you’ll find the hours spent reading are truly worth every minute. You read at you leisure and at your own time and pace. You can re-read or even skip passages. Your book will be your companion, your friend. You’re never alone if you have a book with you.

There’s a new reality waiting for you in this world of books and what’s beautiful that this new world is within you!

There are two types of people in this world: those that read fiction and those that don’t.��

That’s mostly true.��

Some of my family and friends fall into the latter category ��� and I do ask why?

I’m sure you too know many people too that won’t go near a novel.

Perhaps it’s to do with the reading habit. Many of us got into this habit at an early age whilst others didn’t. But I do know people who read when they were young but don’t do now. I also know those that didn’t read at an early age but picked up reading later on in life.

Why do some of us choose not to read fiction? Is it from sheer laziness? Is it that it reminds them too much of school or that they may come across words they don’t understand? Or is it from the mistaken belief that there couldn’t possible be anything useful in it? Or that time is better spent watching a movie instead? After all it only takes a 100 minutes or so and pratically does the same thing, which is to tell a story. So why slog for many hours through a novel? Surely the Game of Thrones episodes and Harry Potter��movies are much more exciting, with heck a lot more eye candy, that the books on��which they’re based.

Yes, they indeed are.

But the idea of reading is to go in the opposite direction. Not from exciting to boring. But from exciting to a peaceful, restful mind. This is a contemplative and indeed healthy state that is becoming more difficult to find in our frantic digital world. Reading fiction takes you into yourself, it delivers feelings, thoughts, insights and ideas that no movie can ever match. A novel can change the way you think. It may allow you to see the world differently.

It provides a richness in life.

So I do, in a way, feel sorry for those who don’t read fiction. So, if you’re reading this bit of non-fiction but never touch a novel, then you’re missing out, my friend.

You truly are.

I suggest starting with something that isn’t so heavy, an easier read perhaps. It may be good to start with just a short story.

There really are a wealth of books waiting for you. All the ebooks you could ever want are right at your fingertips and browsing through a bookshop can be a real pleasure.

Believe me, you’ll find the hours spent reading are truly worth every minute. You read at you leisure and at your own time and pace. You can re-read or even skip passages. Your book will be your companion, your friend. You’re never alone if you have a book with you.

There’s a new reality waiting for you in this world of books and what’s beautiful that this new world is within you!

Trouble Sleeping? 10 Habits that Promote Beautiful Sleep Every Night

Sleep should be the most natural of all activities for every one of us.

But in this modern world, with all its stresses and demands, for some of us, it may no longer be so. We may have trouble falling asleep. Or we may wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall asleep again. We feel tired and cranky for the rest of the day.

We then worry if we can sleep well that night. This anxiety prevents us from sleeping. And so we enter a vicious cycle which stops us from entering a natural, restful sleep.

We may end up taking pills which creates a dependency and is unhealthy.

But this, believe me, can change.

So here are 10 Habits which will help give you a wholesome, restful, revitalising sleep every night:

1. Go to bed at the same time every night. Your body has a natural body clock that follow a 24 hour cycle. If you sleep at the same time every night your body becomes aware of this and sleep comes more naturally.

2. Wake up at the same time every day, even if you haven’t slept well the night before. Use an alarm clock if you have to. Again, you are creating a routine to help with your natural body clock. You are teaching your body and mind, when it’s time to wake up and when to sleep.

3. As it gets dark outside, keep the lights dim, perhaps just have one table lamp switched on or a candle burning. Dim lights promote relaxation. The lack of strong light entering your eyes, tells the body that it’s night. This helps your natural body clock.

4. Eat your meals at regular times, especially dinner. Again this helps the natural body clock know that bed time is approaching. Don’t eat within two hours of going to sleep.

5. Turn off all electronics an hour before going to bed. No mobile phones, TV or iPads. Read a real book instead of an electronic book. You don’t want the brightness from the electronic devices entering your eyes. If listening to music, ensure that it’s calm, relaxing music played at a low volume.

6. Brush your teeth etc. an hour before bed. You can then now relax. Spend this time quietly in your bedroom. Read a real book. It’s better to read a more literary work rather than an exciting book which might keep you awake. Write in a journal. Sketch. Listen to soft, relaxing music.

7. Don’t allow yourself to worry about what happened during the day or what will happen tomorrow. Worrying won’t change anything. Nothing you can do can change the past or future. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. All you have is now. This quiet, peaceful time before bed.

8. Massage yourself just before bed. Start with massaging your feet, each individual toe, then your calves and thighs. Spend at least 15 minutes doing this.

9. Drop caffeine from your diet. No coffee, tea, energy drinks or soft drinks.

10. Learn to meditate. (I recommend Hurry Up and Meditate by David Michie) Meditate for ten to twenty minutes an hour before bed. Then just relax. It will not only help with sleep but with life too!

That Music Event, 30 Years Ago …

In these seemingly inauspicious times, we may recall that 30 years ago famous musicans from the UK, the US and Europe came together and raised ��150 million for starving children in Africa. It that summer of 1985, two live concerts, one in London, the other in Philadelphia, played simultaneously to record crowds and was beamed across to 1.9 billion people in 150 countries.

Enduring names like Queen, David Bowie, U2, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Madonna, Phil Collins and others, more famous in the 80s, like Ultravox, Spandau Ballet, Boomtown Rats, Sade, Paul Young, Simple Minds and Duran Duran performed for LiveAid.

My post from��3 years ago …

 

 

I was then a student in London and felt that we, as a human race, if united could achieve anything. Yet the events of recent weeks also tell us that we, once divided, whether by race, religion or culture, can cause death and, ultimately, our destruction.

Whilst we argue about religious extremism versus freedom of expression or distracted by cultural minutiae and political bickering, every 10 seconds a child dies of a hunger-related disease. It���s not that some these things are not important (they are), but not all causes are equal, and we really only have a finite time on this fine world of ours!

[My post from 3 years ago …]

A website update, 5 years later

They say that you should keep your website fresh and updated. They (whomever these Gurus may be) will find me terribly guilty, as it’s been 5 long years since I meddled with it.

The difficulty is compounded by having to learn the web editing software again, doing all the ftp stuff and uploading pages which never load! Very frustrating this website business!

The joys of website updating is not very interesting when there is so much news.

Floods in Malaysia, a plane crashing in the Java sea, cartoonist getting tragically murdered, the subsequent French police raids, massacre in Nigeria and the many more that will surely come our way.

The world goes on in joy and pain. Such is the world. We will all get old. We will all get ill and die.

Still we live here and carry on. We follow our daily routines. We do what we have to do. Sometimes what we want to do. We take joy when we can.

This is called life.

I’m not sure what that has to do with updating my website. It is, after all, an ephemeral, perhaps egoistical thing.

Hmmm … just like life.

 

 

 

“What things scare or fascinate you?”

“… and how do you turn those things into horror stories to scare other people?”

That was the question posed by Pop Club, which is Popular Book’s magazine, one of the largest book sellers in Malaysia.

So, lying on a sofa in a one bedroom Sydney apartment I found on Air B&B, I tapped away some sort of coherent answer. That was a couple of months back.

I received the mag a few weeks back. So here’s a copy of the article which I thought you might like to look at, if you, of course, have nothing better to do, this holiday season.

I quite like that photo of me screaming on the pillow. I used my iPad for that selfie as I thought of all the horrors that could join me in bed. No jokes about ex-wives or ex-girlfriends please!

Anyway, new year is approaching fast. It’s almost 2015. It’s the mid-point of the decade. 2020 is not too far off. The years roll on. Time is unstoppable.

“Time, it makes fools of all of us.”

That’s a quote from Last Breath, I think. But it may have been edited out …

Isn’t life fascinating?

Wishing you a Happy New Year!