h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Why do you change socks so often?

This post has been removed.

Ok then, I saved it

I am equally baffled about your getting banned - your postings look quite sensible to me, with arguments and a calm tone and all that. I guess we should agree to call it a Mystery.

If it is some consolation, at least these identity changes are not confusing at all (not to me at least, although it wouldn't matter much anyway) - for some reason your nicknames are always recognisable, and the posting style as well.

Oh, and please accept my apologies if I got you banned again!

You're very kind, Toybox.

And please don't worry. It will only happen when Ms Del Latroll brings my renewed presence to the attention of the Mods (the Dark Riders, from whom we must hide and to whom we all defer).

And I have made an effort to make my names recognisable; as I said, I'm not hiding my identity. Incidentally, they are all (or virtually all) words or corruptions of words in Bahasa Indonesia or Malay.

Thanks for writing.

I suspected as much. I used to know three phrases in Malay (literally three), but I forgot two of them (I only remember 'Selamat pagi').

What do these expressions which become your nickname mean then? I like languages; at some time I thought of learning Indonesian or Malay actually. ('My hovercraft is full of eels')

They're easy languages to learn. Or at least to become conversant in. There are no obvious tenses, objective/subjective case distinctions, verbal conjugations in the sense that we're familiar with. Most articles and prepositions are understood from the context...and all the foregoing is not actually true as far as the formal rules of the language are concerned. It is however true of the way it is spoken.

The higher levels, though, have subtleties that are hard to grasp by western-trained people.

Based on my memory of my past names here is a quick glossary:

kelapa = coconut
besar = big
dua = two
saya = me, or I
mengerti = comprehend or understand
dos = (that's a ringer...Spanish, of course, for two)
malu = shy
sudah = already or "is/are"

There's probably more, but I really can't remember all the names!

Best,

Hey, my name means something in Indonesian/Malay, too!

Jalan = walk or, as a noun, path or road
Terus = straight or directly

What a coincidence

Are Indonesian and Malay similar languages?

Bahasa=language

Almost identical. Bahasa Indonesia was a formalisation and combination of the Malay dialects spoken throughout the archipelago and Malay peninsula. It is the legal language of the entire 17 thousand islands that make up Indonesia. The language is spoken in its various dialects, as well as over 300 distinct entirely different languages and even more seperate cultures.

Malay as spoken in Malaysia is close to the version spoken in the northern islands of Sulawesi and a few places closer to Singapore.

Very rich diversity of culture and language here.

That looks fascinating; I really should go visiting some day. How did you decide to go and live there?

Oh, and posting 2 was removed by the way

Would that be the posting in which your correspondent spoke of the reasons he was banned from this site?

I saved that.

I've got to run right now, but I'll get back to you later on about why this part of the world....

Yes, he also very wisely suggested to save it if I wanted to keep it. I did it somewhat half-heartedly, all the while thinking 'Baah, why would this posting be moderated?'. Turned out he was right (maybe he yikes it himself to look like a psychic? )

Yeah, I suppose there is that possibility, but they even yikesed his moniker.

How weird they are...

Okay...very biefly. I came to this part of the world because I had been holed up on Vancouver Island for the best part of a year writing a book. When it was done, I was sick to death of isolation, rain, and cold, and giant christmas trees. Beautiful place, but I was in profound need of palm trees, sand, and people.

The island of Java had all that, plus somebody here had been asking me to do come and do some lectures and... what the hell.

Been here for over five years now, got married to a lovely young woman from the Spice Islands, I write a lot of political and social commentary in this country's and the Southeast Asian regional press, I consult with corporations (mostly on CSR and related matters), and I teach at a couple of universities.

Nutshell.

Nutshell sounds like a good 'next name'.


az

I'm sure he'll keep it in reserve!