Helppp, my Engrissh!

Not many of us here English. Full Stop.

Although many are blessed by verbolous English and can communicate in it verbosely..

( Okay, I rephrase..)

Although some communicate in English very well (hmm..sounds easier), still, many thought using 'high-powered' vocabs and writing lonnng sentence are equivalent to 'write Ph.D way'.

As a non-English speaker and having 5 senses those are perfectly Malaysian, I struggled with English. Usually, what i'd do is to write and arrange things in my head several times before I speak. Sometimes it didnt work.

Well, it is hard to manage 'she', 'he', 'active', 'passive' phrases, and intonation at the same time. And, let's not talk about grammar yet, ok ?

I've started learning English more than 3 decades ago yet I still need help from my language adviser. When I started my study, I depended on Robyn a lot, thanks to the sweet and patient lady, I learnt how to structure my sentences and put it in a context (i just make this sentence up, i dont know what does it mean). But yes, I learnt a lot.

I often felt I wasnt good enough to write when I read a journal written by English native. They tend to write long and put 3-5 ideas in the sentence. For example:

"A full spectrum of international investors is present, ranging from open-ended public funds seeking high quality, newly built properties in prime locations to highly leverages third-party managed closed-end funds that often invests in large property portfolios dispersed accross the country........" (Uh-huh, okay.....zzzzzzz.)

I dont feel I am able to make such good sentence.

After 3 years, I realized that my feeling was wrong because I am right. That kind of sentence diverts readers concentration. It put us to sleep or watch The Simpson or write a blog.

It started when my supervisor, J, scratched his head when he got the first read on my sentence. He said "This is confusing, I dont understand". I explained to him and he replied, "but that doesnt saylike what you tell me".

After a few scratches on head, he said to me "Ema, you need to write straight to the point". I argued, "I think I wrote like what they said in the journal".

"But you used complicated words and long sentences".

"I followed their writing style, I want to write like them". Referring to a journal. "Their English is good and have these sophisticated words".

"Ema, what is the point to write a long sentence and use these kind of words if readers do not understand them ?"

"Some of the writers did that. They wrote long in a paragraph. Their journal looks powerful"

"Do you understand them ?"

"No."

"So?"

He..he..

J continued, "I know many students write like that hoping what you are hoping for. But there is no point to write like that if you are only making the readers confuse. You have to make a sense out of your sentence. Do not cramp all ideas in a paragraph, let alone in a sentence".

I listened.

"It's nothing wrong to keep it short. Putting 'sophisticated' words do help sometimes, but not all the time. See here, (referring to my writings), frankly, can you understand what you've written ?" I squinted my forehead...I dont understand my own sentence.

"If you cant understand your own sentence, how can you make people understand what you are telling?".

"Write in a way you yourself feel comfortable in".

"Use words that you feel comfortable with".

I looked at him and smiled, understood. Since that, I never use sophisticated words & J said he understands me better now. Thanks to God, in my own words now, not only J, my housemates (from other background) understand what I've wanted to convey. I am more confident what I write and written.

Here, I learnt another thing and I want to share it with you. When you are writing, either Ph.D or anything, you just need to be confident. If you want to write, share with people things that you are comfortable with, use easy words, dont feel inferior and never think that you are bad.

What more important is, write as though you are educating yourself. Be sincere.

Keep writing !

EMAZULL.

God and Ph.D

Ph.D is the longest exam for a student. So, if the undergraduates complaint about their exams, offer them your thesis.

We face the challenge to keep our mind, spirit, physical and sense at the best during the exam period. And we are talking about 3 or more years. To keep these elements at an equilibrium state, students do a lot of things. For example, as you might have seen, some like to walk around the universities, some succumb to retail therapy at Northland or DFO (ehem..), some go for booze and many starts their morning routine with Nescafe Blend 43. All these is for a purpose - to release the endorphine (happy mood).

However, based on my experience, one thing that you absolutely can not FORGET is talk to GOD. Whether you like to walk in the uni, shop at the MyDin-is-my-store or dehydrate yourself with caffeine, one thing for sure, take my humble suggestion :TALK-A-LOT to GOD during this exam period.

Talk about your supervisor who like to re-write the same sentences even though they had done that 3-5 times before. Talk about how you came out with insignificant results. Ask GOD why your parasite died tho you've fed them or in my case, I always complaint about the authors who loveeeeee to go around the bush.

I dont need to tell you intellectuals why we need to talk to GOD.

But what I would like to stress here is how BRILLIANT God is when it comes to synthesizing our mind, spirit, physical and sense. How sometimes the PAINFUL experience was needed to make sure we GO BACK TO THE RIGHT PATH. And how soothing it is after we realize our mistakes, that GOD send something from HEAVEN to wash away our sadness.

How LUCKY we are to have God !

The highest level of test for an educated man is 'arrogance or ego'. We might not show or might not even notice that we are arrogant. Arrogance can come in may ways, through your confidence - 'i trusted my supervisor because he is somebody in the UN'. Through your mind - 'i've put the best data, the results should be as expected'. Through your spirit - 'after i come back from holiday, i'm sure the motivation is at the peak'. And through all directions.

In my case, I know my ultimate mistake. I uttered "My supervisor is Muslim, I know he is a big time drinker, but you know, he produced many papers and books and is a well known guru, so I shouldnt be worried".

Frankly (and stupidly), I didnt notice the arrogance in the sentence. It is only after 3 years that I was taken aback and that sentence popped-up in my mind. I know drinking is forbidden and so on and so forth. But what I didnt expect is the danger of the alcoholics in a subtle way, in an intellectual environment. I didnt realize the extent of the danger when I indirectly said 'I trust an alcoholic' - which the rule implied in the Holy Quran says "u cant trust an alcoholic". I forgot that the rule applies to everybody even to a Ph.D SUPERVISOR.

GOD IS GRACIOUS. And I was stunt on how GOD pull me back on the right track, which resulted in - a high significant long term impact.

As you can see, my story is just one of those miracles that we achieve during our exam period. You might have seen how a wife-student with 2 young children struggled during the period and finished in nick of time. You might have heard how a student who has been tested with the parents death finished and scored PhD without any amendment. You yourself too have experienced the magic after crying out all night due to 1001 PhD related problems.

All this is GOD's willing.

People always assumed the singles would not have any problem finish on time. However, my friends, even if we are single, or happily married, or have vast research experience, and have presented many papers abroad, etc2, without GOD, our PhD is just a Dr. infront of your name ! And the worse part is, this kind of PhD is similar to the one online.

Therefore, be patient and talk to HIM.

Salam Ramadhan to Muslims.

EMAZULL