Three universities launch Bahasa Indonesia-Russian dictionary

Antara News, Monday, February 1, 2010 21:02 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - University of Indonesia (UI)`s European Studies Center, in cooperation with Moscow State University and St Petersburg University in Russia, launched a Russian-Bahasa Indonesia dictionary here on Monday.

Published in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of Indonesia-Russia diplomatic relations, the dictionary was written by a small team of Russian linguists consisting of Assistant Professor Ludmila Nikolaevna Demudyuk of the Asia-Africa Institute of Lomonosov University, Radio Moscow broadcaster for Indonesia Igor Ilyich Kashmadev, Bahasa Indonesia teacher Vladimir Nikolaevich Losyagin and Professor Alexander Konstantinovich Ogloblin from St Petersburg University.

"The dictionary is published considering the dynamic developments in Russia during the past 20 years which have affected word selection there. This project will also help Indonesians when reading Russian text or communicating in the Russian language," Professor Ogloblin said during the dictionary`s launching at the Borobudur Hotel here.

Ogloblin explained the new Russia-Indonesia dictionary also povided transcriptions and ways to pronounce each word.

On the same occasion, Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Hamid Awaluddin said the dictionary could serve as another bridge between the two countries and further enhance their bilateral relations.

Referring to Indonesia-Russia trade relation, he said, in 2009, two-way trade had increased by about 48 percent to US$1.6 million. In the education sector, he added, more and more Indonesian students were eager to study in Russia and the other way round.

"People-to-people links are also increasing. Supporting communication tools such as dictionaries can help smooth relations between the two countries," he said.