An important measure to be taken after returning the old Lampung language dictionary is to reopen the Lampung language department..."
 
Bandarlampung (ANTARA News) - The Dutch Embassys Head of Erasmus Taalcentrum, Kees Groeneboer, handed over an old dictionary of Indonesias Lampung language to the Lampung community that had been stored in the Netherlands since the 18th century.

The dictionary, which was written by a Dutch linguist HN Van Der Tuuk, was delivered by Kees Groeneboer to a representative of the Lampung provincial community Juperta Panji Utama here on Thursday.

Juperta Panji Utama is the director of the Lampung Peduli institution that became the main facilitator for returning the dictionary to Lampung.

Handing over of the Lampung language dictionary was conducted along with a discussion, which was attended by government officials, cultural activists, history lovers, academicians, and journalists.

The Dutch linguist HN Van Der Tuuk conducted research activities on the Lampung area during 1868 to 1869.

The first dictionary of the Lampung language was stored in the library of Leiden University in the Netherlands for about 150 years.

According to Junaiyah H.M., the author of the Lampung Dictionary that is published by the Ministry of Education Language Centre, the return of an old dictionary of the Lampung language is a major step towards improving the Lampung language.

"An important measure to be taken after returning the old Lampung language dictionary is to reopen the Lampung language department in the university," Junaiyah H.M. added.

(Uu.B003/INE/KR-BSR/A