Be a Native Speaker

When you're stuck with a bunch of people from different backgrounds in a strange environment for a period of 3 whole months, a sort of 'assimilation' takes place. New cultures are formed, traditions are born, and unique words that only NS people understand start to appear.

Here's a look at the some of the odd, but unique NS jargon:-

• Cinta kontrak A mutual agreement between two interested parties whereby the relationship only lasts so long as their stripes remain. After returning home, the relationship is regarded null and void.
• Skodeng (a very disturbing slang word used by male trainees with hormonal imbalance). Peeping. *on girls lah!*
• Kasut spike One of the many names for the common boot, others including ‘Spike but’, ‘kasut but’ and interchangeable variations.
• Kiwi Commonly mistaken for the flightless New Zealand bird and/or furry fruit, this is a sticky, black, sirim approved substance used to shine kasut spike/spike but/kasut but. Also used as a verb (e.g. ‘kau dah kiwi kasut?’)
• Faci Abbreviation for ‘Facilitator’ which was the title given to the Kakaks and Abangs who were hired to watch over us in the university campuses
• “Rapatkan Tumit!” A command given by drill sergeants when marching, especially when roasting in the blistering hot sun while practising for marching competitions
• The classic Wira dan Wirawati Collective term used when referring to NS trainees, parallel to the term ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’. Direct translation would be ‘Heroes and Heroines’.
  Dalam keadaan kuda-kuda One of the stances in TTS (Tendang Tak Sampai… no, just kidding… Tempur Tanpa Senjata which is a fancy name for Taekwando)
• BeB! Word painfully overused by one of the characters (the bald macha…remember?) in the video tape that was part of the Character Building syllabus. Other memorabilia from the video include the Clap-Flap Dance (The Mat Rock dude would start the intro of the song with a Clap and a Flap, while his head would boppity bop to the music)

Know any more NS jargon? We would love to hear from you! Email us at dinyahloreng@gmail.com or simply type it out in the comments box.