In the Philippines, a country with 7,107 islands, we have more or less 130 languages. Only thirteen are well known. I happened to speak Cebuano, my dialect. It was widely spoken to our village and I grew with it. If there were a speaker of another dialect, I doubt if he is a commoner. He’s either having a vacation or just happens to pass by. Generally, I don’t need a dictionary to learn a word since the language had already worn out my ears but, now, I think I need one.
Sitting in a pew, last seat last row, I carefully listened to the priest’s sermon. It was about looking what we have done these past few days; I understood that. Then, it was now having a devotion to God; still, I understood that. After a while, the priest started using foreign words. I was utterly confused and what was more confusing was nobody felt the same way as I did.
After the mass, I asked my father what they were. I learned the meaning but the words were not new. Then, I realized I have been using some of them from the past years. How could I ever forget? I’m supposed to remember because it was my dialect. It was like forgetting the words of my favourite song. I can’t believe it.
I also noticed that I have been struggling in holding a discussion because I kept getting tongue tied. I had also trouble finding words to express my thoughts. In result, I frequent on code switching to save the conversation from silence.
Being expose to the English language may well be the reason. Whenever I entered to a forum site it was always English restricted. All of the books I have read were in English, which was also used whenever our teachers discourse with us. I guess I shouldn’t be surprise to be obsessed in English, that I prefer it besides my dialect. After all that was our education system was aiming: To be fluent in English, so we can be globally competitive.
I’m not the only one having this dilemma. My classmates are slowly affected by it, though they rarely notice. In academic writing and scholarship essays, yes it is really helpful. It was also helpful in communicating to other people outside the country. But learning too much from this language had me detached to my dialect. Slowly, I had been isolated to other local conversation. As far as socialization is involved, this was not good.
You guys are lucky, in our country, we are obsessed with our own language. I don’t disgrace my mother tongue. But we need to keep up with the world, don’t we? And we should give priority to learning English. But here, it isn’t given any priority.90% of students actually don’t understand English besides their successful marks in exams. They just memorize stuff and write ’em down in exam scripts.
I guess you are really grateful that you’re one of the people who have harnessed English. Wait, so you have less people that go abroad? In our country almost all college student want to go abroad. They believed it will yield them a better life.
Before I misled you, only those who resides in cities, mostly, prefer English. Why? Because they think it’s a top class language and it somehow increase their status. Why? because you have to go to school and study English before you can truly speak the language.
No, lots of people go abroad but even not all of them know English. There are people who know English, but if you compare, those who don’t know English weigh heavier.
I guess what really matters in applying a job is what you’re made of. Like Manny Pacquiao, he doesn’t know English since he didn’t finished school but sure hell he can throw punches.
130? Wow! That’s like the United Nations of countries! Quite the melting pot, right?
Our country is an archipelago. So it is inevitable. It’s too bad though, in the early days people’s communication have been totally suspended.
yeah I agree with you,Sometimes because of the trend today where in speaking english is rampant we hardly can notice that we tend to go with the flow, and sometimes that makes us forget the old way like speaking our dialect.I think both of them are important we just need not to forget the old things when new things come over.
Wow, this post is really interesting! Especially because nobody has that problem here, since there’s just one language in my country. Everybody here in Argentina speaks Spanish, and though there are differences from the Spanish spoken in other countries, we can perfectly understand people from places like Mexico, or Spain… Is like American and British English.
I think it is very wise of you to try to improve your English, as knowing the language is extremely useful and as you said, it allows you to be globally competitive. Nevertheless, you still shouldn’t let you forget your mother tongue… maybe you could alternate between books in English and Cebuano?, or do any other thing that helps you to practice your language. Anyway, you are realising now that you have a problem and need to find the solution, and that’s the first step 🙂
PS: When I read “7,107 islands”, I was like :O (literally)
Thanks Guadi for the input. However, there are only few Cebuano books. They are becoming extinct because most people, even in our country, now prefers English. So if a publisher is going to publish a book written in Cebuano, what sales would it make? But of course, one thing that helps is a conversation with my fellow peers, especially the old people. They don’t speak English but they’re expert in Cebuano.
PS: Yes, that’s because our country is an archipelago. Other than recognition, it does not do better on our country.
Oh, right. So, it is like some indigenous languages from Argentina… most of them have died or are about to die, as they’re only spoken by indigenous people and this people are fewer and fewer with time…
It is a bit sad when a language dies. See, a language is unique for every village/community who uses it. And it symbolizes their survival.
I always recall my roommate weeping when our indigenous language were slowly dying. He’s pretty touch when it comes to language.
greta post … yeah when i went to my country for the second time after 9 years it was kinda hard to speak the language but we got used to it at the end then it was kinda hard to speak english again hehhe .. anyways i like the old theme better great post