OUR CHILDREN & LOCAL LANGUAGES

One day, my youngest child once told me about his frustration at school. At that time he was attending class II Elementary School SD Islam Ashofa Pekanbaru. The reason, he did not get the value of Indonesian teachers on that day. Its value is empty. And oddly enough, of the 30 children in the class were only two people who were given a value. "Lo, as difficult as what was the question posed by Indonesian teachers that?". I questioned. Once described by my son, because it easily. Of course, for those who know and master.Story like this. Day was the first Indonesian language teaching in class IIA, class my child. Indonesian teacher entered, and the lesson begins. The subject matter is still about introductions. As an exercise, at the end of the lesson each student was asked to introduce themselves in their respective homelands. Well, only two children who can introduce themselves in the local language. The rest?, Ya can not, including my son. Interestingly, even one kid who introduced himself in English. The teacher questioned whether The Boy from class Inggris.all of student laugh. Mr little brown-skinned people are not British, and never go to England.My son was upset and protest. Why must there be such exercises. Because, according to the local language is the language of "village" that is not important to understand let alone studied. I myself, in the heart instead praising the Mother Teacher. Imagine, in the swift currents of modernization, information and technology, and words ending in "-tion" other, there are still teachers who are concerned with regional languages. This incident seemed to slap for me as a parent. I was born in the village, grew up in the village primary school until graduation. To this day still very fluent in "village", but never even just to introduce the language to the children of my own.At home, we use the Indonesian language as everyday language. Incidentally, my husband and I did not come from the same area, aka no compatriot. I came from the Left Kampar, Riau with local language are very much different with a husband who comes from Tapanuli, North Sumatra. Among us there is also no interest for each master and use the local language of each partner as the language of conversation at home. As a result, children can not use the local languages ​​of their ancestors, though only a few pieces of sentences. Mere words to introduce myself.Indeed, if we understand, each regional languages ​​have features that describe the culture and customs of high society. Toba Batak language, for example, as my husband explained, from the harsh his accent meanings contained polite. Old people of Batak never called someone with a name straight. Everyone there is a special greeting in honor. For example, boys are called "amaang" which means: "father". So, the boys considered the lowest level of our fathers. Peers called "lae" or "law", which means brother's wife, is a very respected person in the Indigenous Batak. On the Other hand, the expressions proverb which in its meaning, is also present in our vernacular. As society Taluk Kuantan proverb, "bondo wolaupun tu guncirik kaluar of chicken, if tolur, eat". That is, if all things, input, suggestions, criticisms, both goals, please r .With out  looking for where it came from the criticism. It describes how our elders used to describe the criticism as suggestions worth considering.Unfortunately, it may be only a few families among us who teach the children themselves about the local language, language decent nan, or proverb and meaning it. Especially for those who live in big cities. In this case, I included that do not teach. In fact, some families are more moderate use of foreign terms in everyday conversation. As a result, more and more outside the terms term become standard in our language.First, my brother sat on the banc during elementary school, regional languages ​​available subjects. However, when I was in school, in the late 70's, these subjects do not exist anymore. Perhaps, it is considered unimportant, like the notion of my child. Or perhaps also been shifted by the English lessons that had been taught since elementary school, ever since kindergarten. So, understandably, when there are children who assume that the local language is English.We deserve concerned. When parents or teachers no one cares about these conditions, can be predicted, the local language by itself will be eroded, and the more difficult to learn. As we know the language Sangskerta today. And, it is not possible, one day our children learn from certain universities abroad.Of course, it is a good progress, if we master, fluent in English. But do not forget to keep using the language and speech areas respectively. At the very least, to the smallest in the family environment.Hopefully, for my own, my child's experience and some friends can be a whip whips to "learn" to introduce the language, customs and culture of the region itself. In order, not overwritten rain rot, no cracked in times of heat.