Another name for the Indonesian language is Bahasa Indonesia. From the name itself, you can tell that it is the official language of the country Indonesia. It has just been in that status since 1945 when the country gained its independence. The country is made up of about 7,508 islands and it is considered the world’s fourth most populous country in the world with a population of over 237 million. That is why you can never tell that the Malay-looking individual you are seated with on the bus is an Indonesian or has Indonesian descent.
The Indian culture has a strong influence on Indonesia. In fact if you’re going to check it the word Indonesia came from Indus meaning India and nesos which means island in Greek. In its early history it had kingdoms of both Hinduism and Buddhism. It has also been conquered by many foreign traders and rulers. The Muslims had brought along Islam while different European traders fought over what they termed as “Spice Islands.” It was only after the Dutch succumbed that the country earned their independence.
Being in a strategic location as to its neighboring countries Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Philippines, East Timor, and Australia, it is a great place for trading, and it has been the main foundation of its economy. The reason why the country now is defined by poverty is the sectarianism and extreme separatism of its social sectors. You see the Indonesian society is made up of several groups of religious, ethnic, and linguistic groups. One of the major factors that contribute to its unity despite several factions is its national language: the Indonesian language. That’s how significant is the language to them. So if you are trying to impress a business partner prospect or is about to be wedded to an Indonesian, it would be a good and sure way to earn his trust and loyalty if you know his language.
The Indonesian language is also one of the most spoken languages in the world. Many people would still call the language Bahasa although the word itself only means language.
East Timor which used to be an annexed island of the country now declared Indonesian as one of the two working languages in the country, next to English. You would love to be in Indonesia as well if you are an environmentalist. The biodiversity life in Indonesia is rich and the second highest in the world. They owe it to the vast expanse of wilderness found in the country.
Now that you know how interesting it is to learn the Indonesian language, you can do so by using the Pimsleur audio language learning program which allows you to learn it at your own pace and without stern language trainers. Just plug in the audio book in your iPod and you can listen to it even while you are asleep. You can get a copy from The Talking Book Store.