My mother used to tell me that when I was little, the only time I would stay quiet long enough for her to do housework was when she put me in front of the TV when Big Bird came on :) At the time, my best friends were Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster and of course Bert & Ernie. I also learn how to count from watching the Count on the same show.

I can remember at what age I started to read but once I did it seems that I could not get enough reading material. I was reading the daily English newspaper from the age of 5 Although at the time I don't understand the news half of the time. Once I finished the papers I use to ask for more things to read. The thing was that I didn't read any BM books until I was 10! I remember finding the BM books intended for my age at the time stale and boring. Of course at the time I was comparing them to the Britannica Encyclopedia, which I finished twice by the age of 8.

But the thing that really made me try to understand English was when I read my first comic book. I was instantly attracted to the pictures but can't make out the meaning of all the words. I clearly remember that the first comic book that I got was an issue of "The Incredible Hulk" sometime around 1977 when my uncle bought it for me to read during a train trip from JB to KL. I remember asking my mother to explain all the words (I was 4 at the time so couldn't understand most of the words) and keeping the comic under my pillow so I could read it every night until I understood the story. That lasted a few months until my sister got her hands on it and tore the issue to pieces. Looking back, that comic was instrumental in my obsession of reading. In fact, I proudly attribute my English skills from reading comics and Big Bird when a professor asked me about it while studying in the States. BTW, I still collect comics today (almost 18 years now since I turned serious) and would gladly buy your old comics if you're willing to part with them.

Anyway ... back to English ... I was fortunate that my parents were very supportive when we spoke in English. My father at the time was planing to be an officer so he used to practice English with my mother who was from Kluang High School, which was an English medium school during her time. So a little of that lesson must have brushed off on the children. I also remember that I had to be the sometime translator for my late grandmother as they (my parents) would speak in English when they don't want my late grandmother to understand. My late grandmother did know a few words of English from her time as a rubber tapper in Kluang estates. After that when she sold nasi lemak in front of the old cinema in Kluang town. She still needed help with some of the newer terms that she never heard.

After all this, when I started school, my English was better then my BM. I used to get the best marks in English but always the last in class in BM. My teachers in primary school often remarked that I would simply translate English thoughts when I speak or write in BM. It took me almost 4 years of primary school until I could get my BM in an acceptable state. BM teachers hated me but I was the darling of my English ones. I remember always asked to join in stage plays although students outside of my class staged it. As a result, I made friends easier with Chinese and Indians classmates than my Malay ones. It was until I moved to Hulu Kelang from Kluang that I mixed more with Malay students and used less English in daily conversations. After that, it was Kota Bahru where I picked up Kelantanese English (Learning Kelantanese was hard enough to try to fit in ... Kelantanese English was much harder). It was not until I was in the States that I really had the chance to really enjoy the English language like I did when I was younger.

One thing that I notice, as I grew older was that your English is impacted by the friends that you keep. I remember that when I was around people whose English was not so good, I tend to try not to speak in English lest I would offend them or being ticked off as a showoff. Around those whose English was better or from urban areas, I would be chattering away like the rest of the world didn't matter (but only when I'm in the mood to chatter).

I want to say is that if you want your children to get them to read more English books, watch more English TV shows and learn how to express themselves in English. No doubt that BM or any dialect is still important, having a good command of English helps a great deal as the world starts to shrink into one small global village. I now feel that being bilingual is now really sufficient in our world today. Thats why I plan to take up Cantonese one of these days or better yet learn Javanese so I can stay true to my roots ;) But don't take my words too seriously ... I have trouble finding a wife much less teaching children how to learn English!

Writer: Nandang Tutiman Abdul Rahman
Editor: Student.Com.my Editorial Team

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