MikeLigalig.com

By Antonio Aboitiz
Published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer

The ubiquity of the English language in these islands is a bittersweet reality of our culture.

The entire world is scrambling to learn the planet’s current lingua franca while we, who had it thrust upon us for better or worse, are coming dangerously close to losing our fated headstart because of a variety of complex factors.

One of these factors is the fact that many of us who do not pronounce the words like the people on the pirated DVDs everyone purchases (piracy is a crime!) are very intimidated by this inability, and therefore become frustrated or ashamed and give up. This is something that must be smashed. Not the DVDs, but the stigma and teasing that can come along with bad diction.

Making fun

The perpetuation of the national pastime of making fun of someone’s English abilities should be ended. That is because we have our own English. It is Filipino English, and it is as valid—if not more so—than the English spoken by say, Australia or Canada, nations whose populations are but a fraction of ours.

We are supposedly the third largest English-speaking nation in the world. However, that all depends on how you define fluency. If you take the number of speakers of English as a second language, we probably rank around that.

English is a difficult language to learn. It has many rules, but also has almost as many exceptions and is fantastically non-phonetic (why is knife spelled with a k?). Its earliest evolution from its Germanic base, running into long and bloody backs and forths with the Romans, Vikings, then the French, then a liberal spiking of words obtained from conquered lands belies the history of the incredible islands from which the language bursts forth and itself conquered the world.

There may be more speakers of Chinese, but their geographic scope and influence around the globe cannot rival that of English.

This is THE language of international business, diplomacy, aviation, science, entertainment, and the World Wide Web.

English was brought to us by Americans, who started our public school system (an educated citizenry is a pre-requisite to true democracy) and left us speaking lots of good English. That is, until we decided to make Pilipino the national language in 1936 (check the preface on your kid’s Balarila) and the Bagong Lipunan tried desperately to force it as a medium of instruction.

We have our own English. We say comfortable the way it is spelled, not as “cumftabul” the way an American would. We use the word “already” as no one else does. “It is ready already” “it is finished already” this is pure Filipino-English. An Australian or an American would likely say simply “it’s done.” We say “for a while”—what exactly does that mean? I take it to mean, “when it’s ready already.” Again other English speakers might say “just a moment” or “just a sec”—but they mean the same thing really. The British and their Commonwealth members use “take away” Americans, “to go” Filipinos say “take home”—or at least used to.

God help you if you ask for the “CR” in any other English-speaking nation. But hey, we’ve also contributed to the English language in general: “boondocks” is a corruption of bundok.

The very difficulty and inconsistency of the English language—its fluidity and ability to invent and co-opt words—lies at the heart of the creative potential it imbibes to those who speak it.

Our ability to comprehend English is a trump card that we have to develop further and play to the hilt.

It makes courting foreign investments easier, makes tourism more attractive, adds to the “by the grace of God” advantages we have—great natural wealth in terms of biodiversity and minerals, strategic crossroads location, and more importantly, truly friendly, caring people who have a great sense of humor.

English is a living language, just as our own languages are. We also co-opt other words and usage as they come into our lives and become ubiquitous, and unavoidable. Its evolution is not determined by scholars and laid down as the law of the land.

Evolution

This just tells me we are primed and ready to evolve our language at the pace this world now demands of everyone: fast. We share some of those built-in ethno-linguistic evolutionary characteristics that gives English its creative advantage.

Back to the pronunciation aspect. I believe one great advantage we have in the growing field of business process outsourcing/information communications technology/call centers—is that we are not grating to the native English speaker’s ear, the Americans and British folk who are our major call center customers.

You outsource that to someone from India, or Singapore, or Hong Kong, and their accents will not be as pleasing to those customer’s ears as our own accents which we make such fun of.

Let’s not lose our aces. We’ve already done that with a few of the good cards we had already been dealt.

I have several suggestions to keep our edge in English:

1. Keep speaking English and continue to use it as a medium of instruction. Take what we want from either of the other two largest English-speaking nations but be consistent in our textbooks, particularly in spelling and grammar.

2. DO NOT make fun of someone’s pronunciation unless it is constructive.

3. DO NOT fear ridicule. That person making fun of your English, well, you could probably run circles around them in your own dialect.

4. Keep speaking your home dialect, teach it to your children, and present it as a language class in school. While English may be slowly changing some of our already fractured-culture nation’s heritage, we will never ever give up our identity and cultural characteristics. Don’t worry, we will still be Filipino.

5. Remember that each dialect we lose, we lose a complete worldview. So the old languages must somehow find a way to survive or they will perish forever.

6. Keep it to a minimum with the silly acronyms. We are just plain crazy about those. Some are unavoidable (it’s a waste of time to say “Subscriber Identity Module card” rather than the omnipresent “SIM card”). For your own sake, don’t use the silly acronym unless you know what it stands for. This acronym insanity permeates business, nongovernmental organizations, cooperatives, civil society, government (“Epira—what’s that? Such silliness because if they called Republic Act No. 9136 the “Industry Reform Act for Power and Electricity” instead of the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act” we might be calling it “I RAPE”), education, religion, etc.

Numbers game

7. Remind those arrogant enough to challenge our English that on many terms, we win because we have the numbers. The United Kingdom herself only has about 60 million people, and even those guys can’t agree on the proper pronunciation of words.

8. At some point in time, our own Noah Webster will create a Filipino Dictionary of the English Language. When that happens we will have truly come of age as another birthing place for this unique modern language.

(Aboitiz recently retired from the Aboitiz Group of Companies and is current chairman of the Visayas regional committee of the Philippine Business for Social Progress.)

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the importance of the english language is of course true in a globalized world, where the unifying language is English, at least generally.  However, the social identity of a country melts when the defining merit which language, fades.

This is primarily the reason that though Japan and even China are pushing for the integration of English in their curriculum, the medium of academic instruction is still their native language.

The mental processing using the native language is of course faster.
Although, English must be improved, the use of the native tongue must not be neglected.  This defines us as people.

ang mga bisaya mailhan nga bisaya tungod sa gahi nga dila. ang balikas sa mga bol anon dili makaon ug iro .. kung maka sabot lang ang akong uyab nga german inig balikas nako niya.

salamat. ga eninglis man diay ko ganina no?.. sorry

ayessa

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one funny observation in the visayas region is that university students tend to speak english better than Filipino.  Personally, my fluency of the Filipino language is mediocre.
Isnt it logically to improve our own language first before strengthening the use of english?

English has served me well in all of my travels and of course when you speak english the world will talk to you.

But hey, did the japanese need english in their economic development.
It is just an added value because after all, substance is more important than form.
A lot of people speak good english but full of non-sense..


So please..

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Lorenzo,

Foreign languages are included in the curriculum so aside from the native language, english is mandatory and 2 or 3 foreign languages like french, spanish or latin are added. Latin is needed as some sort of regulator. If enrollment  in a university is strong, this language will be an important factor to be accepted.  This is also required for those who will study medicine, law, pharmacy and the like.

Manay

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ang english kalakip na na siya sa atong curriculum sa pinas.  Unsaon man ni siya? bisan ang proficieny sa atong magtutudlo gabitay man?

dili discusion nga english ang medium of instruction sa pinas.  Pero logical lang ta no, unsaon man nato pagpa lambo  ang banyaga nga pinulungan kung atong kaugalingon nga dili nagkahiwi man?

palambuon nato ug una atong pinulungan ayha ta muingon mag eninglis nalang gyud ta kay dili ta mga americano. 

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The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbugakusho) has recently decided to embark on a drastic change in their English education policy, starting with high schools--teachers will teach English in English. Also starting this school year, they will teach English as a mandatory subject from elementary school.

The rationale for this is echoed by Yasushi Nakane, president of Interac, the largest deployment company for English teachers in Japan, whom I interviewed more than two years ago:

"Global competition has never been this fierce. In a world structured into East-West hemispheres, Japan simply had to produce nice industrial products and was assured of a market under the wings of American alliance. But with the obsolescence of communism and the crumbling of the East-West divide with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the world has become one global market, a level playing field for every one. Even the US has become a competitor, not to mention the emerging economies like China and South Korea. Japan has to go out into the world even more in order to sell its products. More than ever, it needs English to be able to do this. Japan cannot sit back on its English ability, what with a ranking of 100 in TOEFL score worldwide. Even in Asia, the Japanese trail miserably behind."

For the complete text of this interview, please check out http://www.philippinestoday.net/index.php?module=article&view=4

I speak English, Japanese and Filipino (not to mention the dialects Tagalog, Bisaya and Ilonggo) with working-level proficiency, and my principal livelihood is translation. In my experience, I believe that we can study different languages simultaneously. Because of our exposure to different dialects, Filipinos are predisposed to the acquisition of foreign language skills. English is as different from Japanese is as Japanese is to Binol-anon, but we can achieve working-level proficiency in all of them if we just try hard enough, with our level of success of course determined partly by our in-born verbal aptitudes. But I believe improving our English skills will not necessarily mean the degradation of our Filipino skills.

Just my two cents' worth.

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yokosu club e!!!

so naka realize na sila.

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Text from bennylene
I speak English, Japanese and Filipino (not to mention the dialects Tagalog, Bisaya and Ilonggo) with working-level proficiency, and my principal livelihood is translation. In my experience, I believe that we can study different languages simultaneously. Because of our exposure to different dialects, Filipinos are predisposed to the acquisition of foreign language skills. English is as different from Japanese is as Japanese is to Binol-anon, but we can achieve working-level proficiency in all of them if we just try hard enough, with our level of success of course determined partly by our in-born verbal aptitudes. But I believe improving our English skills will not necessarily mean the degradation of our Filipino skills.

Just my two cents' worth.


hi benelyne

Have you read the multiple intelligence theory of Dr. Howard Gardner?  Every person has different propensity on intelligences and maybe yours is linguistic intelligence. So you cannot say that if you have done it, other people could do it. Because then again, we have different inclinations.
Just a way of thinking, ngano kahibaw man sila mokanta unya ako yabag man?


please consider reading this,

the eight identified multiple intelligences

Bodily-Kinesthetic
This area has to do with movement and doing. People are generally good at physical activities such as sports or dance. People who have this intelligence usually learn better by getting up and moving around. They may enjoy acting or performing, and in general they are good at building and making things. They often learn best by physically doing something, rather than reading or hearing about it. Those with strong bodily-kinesthetic intelligence seem to use what might be termed muscle memory. They remember things through their body such as verbal memory or images. They require fine motor skills that are required for dancing, athletics, surgery, craft and other movement functions. In artificial Intelligences programs are being developed to mimic the movement of athletics through games and other computer related items but they will not take the place of the actual movement of this intelligence physically. Careers which suit those with this intelligence include athletes, dancers, actors, surgeons, builders, and soldiers. Although these careers can be duplicated through virtual simulation they will not produce the actual physical learning that is needed in this intelligence.


[edit] Interpersonal
This area has to do with interaction with others. People in this category are usually extroverts and are characterized by their sensitivity to others' moods, feelings, temperaments and motivations, and their ability to cooperate in order to work as part of a group. They communicate effectively and empathize easily with others, and may be either leaders or followers. They typically learn best by working with others and often enjoy discussion and debate. The artificial intelligences for this intelligence can be excellent. Although this is a feeling and emotional intelligences, with today's computer and online material people can learn, relate, with each other. Web cam and other technical material has allowed people to function in this intelligence. The personal touch has to still be there to implement these functions. Careers which suit those with this intelligence include politicians, managers, teachers, and social workers.


[edit] Verbal-linguistic
This area has to do with words, spoken or written. People with verbal-linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are typically good at reading, writing, telling stories and memorizing words along with dates. They tend to learn best by reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, and discussion and debate. They are also frequently skilled at explaining, teaching and oration or persuasive speaking. Those with verbal-linguistic intelligence learn foreign languages very easily as they have high verbal memory and recall, and an ability to understand and manipulate syntax and structure. This intelligence is high in writers, lawyers, philosophers, journalists, politicians and teachers. Artificial Intelligences can be used in this function with written literature from the intelligences, also through computers and other audio media to enhance the intelligence.


[edit] Logical-Mathematical
This area has to do with logic, abstractions, reasoning, and numbers. While it is often assumed that those with this intelligence naturally excel in mathematics, chess, computer programming and other logical or numerical activities, a more accurate definition places emphasis on traditional mathematical ability and more reasoning capabilities, abstract patterns of recognition, scientific thinking and investigation, and the ability to perform complex calculations. Many scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors and economists function in this level of intelligences. This probably is the most useable intelligence that can compare with the artificial intelligences. The military has used this intelligence in war, with the aim of finding enemy targets with mathematical calculations. Engineers have used computer programs and robots to build and construct projects. Doctors have used robots to operate on patients. Economists have used computers to forecast the economy in the future.


[edit] Naturalistic
This area has to do with nature, nurturing and relating information to one's natural surroundings. This is the eighth and newest of the intelligences, added to the theory in 1997. This type of intelligence was not part of Gardner's original theory of Multiple Intelligences. Those with it are said to have greater sensitivity to nature and their place within it, the ability to nurture and grow things, and greater ease in caring for, taming and interacting with animals. They may also be able to discern changes in weather or similar fluctuations in their natural surroundings. They are also good at recognizing and classifying different species. "Naturalists" learn best when the subject involves collecting and analyzing, or is closely related to something prominent in nature; they also don't enjoy learning unfamiliar or seemingly useless subjects with little or no connections to nature. It is advised that naturalistic learners would learn more through being outside or in a kinesthetic way.

The theory behind this intelligence is often criticized, much like the spiritual or existential intelligence (see below), as it is seen by many as not indicative of an intelligence but rather an interest. However it might have been a more valuable and useful intelligence in prehistoric times when humans lived closer to nature.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include scientists, naturalists, conservationists, gardeners and farmers.


[edit] Intrapersonal
This area has to do with introspective and self-reflective capacities. Those who are strongest in this intelligence are typically introverts and prefer to work alone. They are usually highly self-aware and capable of understanding their own emotions, goals and motivations. They often have an affinity for thought-based pursuits such as philosophy. They learn best when allowed to concentrate on the subject by themselves. There is often a high level of perfectionism associated with this intelligence.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include philosophers, psychologists, theologians, writers and scientists.


[edit] Visual-Spatial
Main article: Spatial reasoning
This area has to do with vision and spatial judgment. People with strong visual-spatial intelligence are typically very good at visualizing and mentally manipulating objects. Those with strong spatial intelligence are often proficient at solving puzzles. They have a strong visual memory and are often artistically inclined. Those with visual-spatial intelligence are also generally have a very good sense of direction and may also have very good hand-eye coordination, although this is normally seen as a characteristic of the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

Some critics [4] point out the high correlation between the spatial and mathematical abilities, which seems to disprove the clear separation of the intelligences as Gardner theorized. Since solving a mathematical problem involves reassuringly manipulating symbols and numbers, spatial intelligence is involved in visually changing the reality. A thorough understanding of the two intelligences precludes this criticism, however, as the two intelligences do not precisely conform to the definitions of visual and mathematical abilities. Although they may share certain characteristics, they are easily distinguished by several factors, and there are many with strong logical-mathematical intelligence and weak visual-spatial, and vice versa.[citation needed]

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include artists, engineers, and architects.


[edit] Musical
This area has to do with rhythm, music, and hearing. Those who have a high level of musical-rhythmic intelligence display greater sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones, and music. They normally have good pitch and may even have absolute pitch, and are able to sing, play musical instruments, and compose music. Since there is a strong auditory component to this intelligence, those who are strongest in it may learn best via lecture. In addition, they will often use songs or rhythms to learn and memorize information, and may work best with music playing in the background.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include instrumentalists, singers, conductors, disc-jockeys, and composers.


[edit] Other intelligences
Other intelligences have been suggested or explored by Gardner and his colleagues, including spiritual, existential and moral intelligence. Gardner excluded spiritual intelligence due to what he perceived as the inability to codify criteria comparable to the other "intelligences". Existential intelligence (the capacity to raise and reflect on philosophical questions about life, death, and ultimate realities) meets most of the criteria with the exception of identifiable areas of the brain that specialize for this faculty.[5] Moral capacities were excluded because they are normative rather than descriptive.[


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I have always been proud of the rich language or dialects in the Philippines. Just a point of reflection, when a Bol-anon speaks Binol-anon, would the people from Manila understand him? I guess not or maybe one or two words, nothing more.


But when a german in baden-württemberg speaks schwäbisch, at least germans in northern Germany could understand him a little.  Why do I know this? I only speak hoch deutsch and my boyfriend is a schwäbisch.  Makasabot man ko nila, mag istorya sila sa iyang parents bisag hoch deutsch lang akong hibal an.

So dili ko mabaligya sa germany pero pwede nako siyang ibaligya sa bohol tag mamiso.

So kung tan awun nato, the diversity of our language reflects the diversity of our culture. 

Sa private schools, malipay kaayo ang mga parents kung anad mu eninglis ang anak. Muingon sila nga maayo ang school kay na english speaking ilang mga anak.
Dili ba ni siya uwaw? Unya balikwaot mu binisaya, bisag ang yaya dapat english speaking?

heheheheh  comedy..

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depende lagi sa parents, kung mabinisaya sa balay, dili makalimtan ang language bisag naa sa gawas sa nasud namuyo

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i was amazed by their cebuano accent. haha

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salamat manay.
I just remember someone told me that it is when we start to doubt that we start to think.  ug ang debate naga sugod ni siya sa doubt. thats why mulalis ang tawo.



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why not try  learning chinese, hapit na bitaw ta masakop nila

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OT- mr bean kanus a man ka mouli sa imong dapit nga natawhan :0


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sunod semana

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Were you born here Leo? I think you have the same problem with Lorenzo, but he tries his best to speak the dialect bisan nag ka tu-eres! ahahaha

Yeah reading the threads here would help you. But again interaction to some extent makes it different.

Maybe you should EB us in March! so you'll pratice talking with card core visayan TB people. How about that?

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ako bitaw naningkamot ra pod nga maka sabot og ininglis

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The Japanese teach all subjects, including English (ironically), in Japanese. Japanese is undoubtedly one of the most highly developed languages in the world, having evolved through centuries of relative isolation. But the Japanese has openly appropriated script and vocabulary from China, and in its latter interaction with the Western world, from English and European languages (through the so-called katakana terms). As a language, it is not entirely self-contained.

Since we took different trajectories in our development as nations, I think there is no single language policy that can apply to all.

At this point in time, Japan feels that it should give new impetus to English education by teaching it within the mindset that it requires. That's why they want it taught in English by native speakers of the language.

Nag-eskwela ko sa panahon nga halos tanan nga subject, gawas sa Pilipino, gitudlo sa English. Wa ko kahibalo kung unsay epekto sa bilingual policy sukad sa panahon ni Aquino. Muingon sila nga nagkamaot kuno ang English sa mga Pilipino. Ako mismo gusto ko ma-preserbar ang mga bahandi nga lokal nga kultura ug sunultian. Ang pagtuon naku sa ubang sinultian nagpakusog sa akong gugma ug pagdayig para sa "Filipino soul."

My point is simply that English and Filipino can be taught simultaneously, without prejudice to each other. I believe that as a mental exercise, learning another language does not have to mean diminution of one's own native tongue. I am aware of course that in practical terms, the government has to devote financial and human resources to both, which can really strain our limited coffers.


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I learn  more English when i started posting in the TB kay bisan ug  nagkayamukat ,
correct lang gihapon. It tried my best to write  correct simple  grammar and spelling. 
 I learn a lot in TB. I can't be fluent in English  but I can write.

To be more correct all the time, use Bisaya kay walay mali bisan ug unsaon pag spell
 basta mabasa lang,


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na practice na ta sa ato palang kuya. kita mismo totally different ang dialects. =) i'm sure some cebuanos still get dumbfounded with the waray dialect.

@leo EB is eyeball.

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