Language in my Brain

It's funny how my brain processes language sometimes. And I've consciously noticed how that process has changed over the last 5 years. It never ceases to amaze me how the brain functions.

A few years ago, I was still at a point where I understood most of what was told to me as long as I had time to translate it into English in my head. So basically, if people used normal everyday words, didn't talk too fast, and paused between sentences, I was good. Otherwise, I would hear one sentence, then miss the next as I struggled to translate the first one into a familiar language, then be back in time to hear the third sentence, then miss the fourth, and so on.

Now I'm at a point in my language learning where I understand just about everything pretty seamlessly. And if I try to translate it into English, I end up missing half of it because I understand it so well in Indonesian that it actually slows me down to try to come up with an English translation when I don't need to. It's easier to understand if I just receive and process in Indonesian. Basically, I would be a terrible translator. But still, four years ago, I couldn't even understand Indonesian WITHOUT translating it back to English.

Along those lines, a weird thing happened tonight. We sang a song in church last Sunday called "Kau Yang Layak". The chorus is pretty simple. It goes:

Kau yang layak,
Kau yang layak,
Kau yang layak,
Disembah

Really simple lyrics, but one of those songs that sticks in your head. I've caught myself humming it a lot the past two days. Then tonight, I was working on some Calculus, and I was singing it under my breath. But the really weird thing is that I was singing it in ENGLISH.

You are worthy
You are worthy
You are worthy
To be praised

I caught myself and wondered if maybe there actually is an English version of this song that I've heard before and was singing without thinking about it. So I thought of the verses in Indonesian and tried to think of what they would be in English, thinking that it would be something recognizable. Like maybe something that my church in America sings.

Semua mahkota dunia kan kuletakkan
Semua pujian manusia tak kuhiraukan
Karna tak ada satupun yang dapat gantikan
Hanya Kau yang kudus dan hanya Kau terbesar

Um... soo....

All the crowns of this world I set aside
All the praise of man I won't pay attention to
Because there is not even one that can replace You
Only You are holy and only You are the greatest

Ya, I definitely didn't catch myself singing THAT. I mean, it doesn't really roll off the tongue. So I'm pretty sure there is no English version. Then why did I subconsciously start singing the chorus in English?!

STRANGE, right?

Oh, PS - If you're interested in hearing the song, check it out on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajoH4DchRyE And you should, because it's one of my favorites! And now that you know the lyrics in English (^^), you can sing along!