Sabtu, 27 Desember 2008

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

This title reminds me to one of my favourite movies—a film by Ang Lee. The movie won the Academy Award in 2000 for the category “Best Foreign Language Film”. Seno Gumira Adjidarma wrote a fascinating essay in Kompas, comparing the movie to the best picture of that year, Gladiator. Seno argued that western system of thought, i.e. rationalistic and positivistic paradigm, led the jury to choose the movie—and not the Ang Lee’s.

I don’t want to talk about those movies. This title came to me last night when I read the Indonesian translation (from English) composed by the students of SMA 3 Annuqayah. Yesterday afternoon, sixteen students of SMA 3 Annuqayah that are the members of Club of Translator at Library of Madaris 3 Annuqayah took part the test or evaluation. At the same time, eight student of STIK Annuqayah, the members of another Club of Translator at Sabajarin, also took part this test with different text. The test held to evaluate the progress of their abilities to translate English text to Indonesian language. This club accomplished its regular activity almost one year.

I found their translations were great. I read line by line, and their excellences was surprised me. When the students was doing the test yesterday afternoon, translating several passages from Children’s Encarta 2009, I looked that they worked very hard, with serious manner. They concentrated to the text and dictionary. After more than one hour, they didn’t touch the candies that I gave after the test had already begun.

When I read their translations, I was so impressed. I was envious. I remembered, when I was a student, I didn’t have capability like them in English. In fact, I didn’t have any experience and opportunity like them to learn English translation.

I think if they keep learning consistently, they will attain an amazing competence in English when they graduate from this senior high school. I think a tiger crouches deep in themselves. A dragon gets ready to expose its power. It seems that it's just a matter of when.

0 komentar: