Mommy's milk = smart

A story shared by a colleague last Monday morning at the canteen really tickled my bones.


While her pupils were doing their work, my colleague heard a slight argument between two of her kids. Let's name them D and N. They were arguing about whose coloring pencils belongs to who since both have the same type of coloring pencils.
While arguing...

D : Buduh bah kau ni!

N : Kau lah buduh!

D : Kaulah buduh!

N : Kau lah buduh!

D : Ok, kau minum susu apa?

N replied in a jiffy and without hesitation, "Susu mummyyyy".

D was speechless for a second and before he could say anything, N asked him back.

" Jadi, kau minum susu apa?"

D : Susu lembu...

N : Nah, jadi kau lah buduh!

My colleague was holding hard to not burst out. But as she re-told the story to us, we definitely couldn't hold but to laugh out loud! I mean, that was quite a brilliant answer except the inappropriate choice of word of course.

Well, that's just beside the point. The point is, how far have we come to instill inappropriate words in our life? Surely, pointing at someone that he is bodoh/stupid isn't in our upbringing and is not supposed to be in our upbringing.

But, uttering word such as that, I believe, has perfectly blends well in our community regardless of race. It's like a common word to express something that sometimes isn't exactly means stupid.

Example:

When I accidentally dropped something on the floor and break it, I'd say, "Buduh!"

When I wrongly press a button on an ATM machine resulting to an error page to appear, I'd say, "Buduh!"

When I accidentally hit a rock causing pain to my foot, I'd say, "Buduh!"



Basically, it's like an expression to tell our own selves that we have done something clumsy and silly. Not necessarily stupid. But when it becomes a habit, unconsciously we'd say it out loud. Letting others to hear it. Children to hear it. And children to copy it. Because it sounds so normal they thought it is a word in the dictionary that best used for such a situation. The thing is, they are still not able to actually know how to use it properly and accurately. Like saying, "Kau lah buduh!" That is just simply telling other people he is stupid.

Idiot Test

Honestly, I have used and still using this word and some other words to describe the above examples (being clumsy and silly). I admit it's a bad habit. But I try as much not to vocalize it in public especially not in front of my students. They learn by example and I do not want to be the person responsible for that example.

I have had experience trying to shorten the word 'buduh' to just 'buds' (pronounced boots) so that my niece and nephew who were staying with us for the school holiday won't catch us saying bad words. Little did I realize that they actually like the word and copied it as well. They even know when is the best time to use it. Even though, it may sound a harmless word but as an adult, I felt guilty that these young minds had to copy my action without even have to question the meaning. Imagine when people heard them saying it and asked what it means and all their answer is, "I don't know. My aunt said it and it's kind of cool." Misleading no?

And what about telling someone that he is just bodoh?
Well, it has got to be in context.
No one is stupid but anyone can be an idiot.
Loosely translated in BM, "Tiada siapa pun adalah bodoh tetapi sesiapa boleh menjadi orang bodoh".
So yeah, when you tell a person he is bodoh. Make sure you are referring to him because he is an idiot. Not stupid.