Catherine Muir Feb 9, 2010:

Idiom vs. literal translation This is an idiom and should not be taken literally, IMO. Although 'menuai' means 'to reap' and 'decak kagum' means 'to click one's tongue in amazement' ( the sound of which, in English, is written 'tsk, tsk, tsk'), it appears that the person described causes people to stand back in amazement/astonishment, speechless, unable to do anything besides click their tongues. We often see 'decak kagum' used in the phrase 'mengundang decak kagum' a fantastic experience that leaves one speechless. The English translation does not adequately convey the emotion carried by the Indonesian idiom (as is often the case).