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For all Indonesian speakers?

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Do u think that we speak slangs each day, and formal Indonesian is only being used in newspaper, office and schools? Nowadays, teacher in schools sometimes teaches by using slangs.

Even we have "grammar" for slangs...

I wonder how do foreigners who learned formal Indonesian can understand TV how in Indonesia or understand well conversation

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Once one of my (expat) students said to me that he wanted to learn Indonesian that people used. LOL..
I teach the formal language in the classroom because my students mainly deal with formal/official matters - except that one, apparently. They learn slang or what they say 'bahasa kampung' or 'bahasa pasar' - that's what they call it.. I have nothing to do with this.. - in their social life with their friends or pacarnya. When they find a problem and they need explanation, I help, if they bring it to me.
I brought a copy of Bajaj Bajuri to one of my advanced level classes, and they didn't understand a thing.. LOL... I introduce slang or casual expression sometimes using reading materials. It's easier.
Others

yes definitely.
it can be a problem when you have to decide which one to choose on specific occasions.
well foreigners will just have to learn because it's a part of the Indonesian language. i'm guessing that not every native English speakers speaks like what you would read in TIME or the newspapers. It takes time and making the language as a habit by using it a lot passively and actively would really help.
check it for your answer: http:///www.lost.eu/4e40a
Well it is depend on which part of Indonesia are we talking about.

Every area have their own language, some is similar with Indonesian Language and some is totally different. Some people doesn't even understand Formal Indonesian language. We used slang for local people I believe .
As a foreigner, most of the Indonesian (which wasn't much) I learned was slang since I didn't attend classes and learned it from TV, our staff and my family's Indonesian friends. My brother and father took formal classes, but my father was the only foreigner on his floor and learned casual Indonesian that way. My brother has Indonesian friends and speaks fluent Indonesian and picked up slang on the street.
For most foreigners, if they are willing to go out of their way to learn formal Indonesian, they won't associate only with other expats. Indonesian speaking foreigners will make friends with Indonesians, speak with their staff and service people in restaurants and shops mainly in Indonesian. That's how they learn slang.
I think present day Bahasa Indonesia (BI) is comparable to English in the Middle Ages where English at time was still looking for its standard form. BI as we know it today I think is still looking for its standard (baku) form which is acceptable by all. Until such standard is estabelished we can expect people talking in slangs & their verniculars, and BI roles are restricted only for use in politics, business & education only. However, to encourage the use of 'good' BI is no easy job. Government must play major role to initiate the use of BI, if necessary by compulsion.
i don't think people even know how to speak indonesian properly these days...

i use slang everyday, too....but it's VERY disturbing to read newspapers or watch news on tv n found so many grammatical mistakes...

during high school, my bahasa indonesia teacher didn't carry books to class, he only brought a copy of that day's KOMPAS, read us a particular sentence from it n told us to find the grammatical mistake in it...
so yeah, am a nitpicker when it comes to improper use of bahasa indonesia...
^^