Mr. Soriano, I do not know you're real intention behind your column but I have a few words. And to be fair, I have read your column.
I understand that Filipino isn't you're native tongue. Well in my opinion I honestly think it isn't your fault. Maybe you spent most of your formative years in another country, with English as their native language. Or maybe you came from a foreign family. Or maybe you just don't like Filipino.
One thing's for sure, this reflects on the stigma ingrained within a Filipino's DNA: White Supremacy.
Everything "white" is good, better, best. "White" is the way to go.
And there's a problem with that.
You see it's a great blessing that most of us are bilingual. But some "choice" words you associated with Filipino really saddened me. You see, you're a product of this "movement", of this "culture".
Every great nation treats its national language with pride, dignity and respect. It is that language that binds them together so that they could build bridges, transact business, teach lessons and pass laws. It is that language that makes their soceity move with coherence, marching on with a unified understanding. Most importantly it is that society's responsibility to uphold that language. Based on my observation, this society failed to do that.
So when you apparently implied that Filipino is a second-class language, it held a great deal of animosity to some. Yes, Filipino is the language you use if you want your kasmabahay to get something done. Why do you think so? Because you can communicate better with Filipino instead of English in her case, which brings me to my point: Filipino is not the language of the learned. Nor English. Nor Chinese. Nor Tieng Vet, Afrikaans, German, Italian, Basque, Spanish, Korean or Binary.
The language of the learned is the language of comprehension, the language of literacy. If you can successfully move an idea from one mind to another, that is the language of the learned. And Filipino really is the language of the streets because we are in the streets of a city (or province) in the Philippines.
And yes, Filipino has the capacity to be the language of the learning. In fact it is a language of the learning. Every language known to man is the language of learning. And whoever the "learned" people are in the Philippines, they should certainly have a mastery or a proficiency in Filipino because of the simple truth that they are in the Philippines. It is upon their convenience and responsibility to learn.
Which brings me to another point: Our nation needs to bring the confidence with its native language back. Right? Why should we implement English-speaking policies in schools? Why must we use English in corporate meetings, plenary sessions, pastoral sermons and facebook chatboxes? I mean is using English some kind of an indicator that you have a degree or something? No. The command of words, in general, is the indication of intelligence. We are in the Philippines, we are Filipinos. Damn right must we practice it everywhere we go. Also we shouldn't hold it against anybody if they can't use English well. What's wrong with that? It's the responsibility of the person with more knowledge to seek out ways to adjust to the less knowledgeable. That's how true interaction goes about.
And so I say this: Mr. Soriano now with your observation that Filipino is at this point not the "language of the learned", please put it into good use. In a time of BPO's & Twilight and help more people appreciate and learn Filipino. Make it the Language of the Learned in the Land of its birth.
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner
sugurugetos
origamiaround
areudirty
gracieabrams
germansingergirl
amandla
andulkaphoto
