Tag Archives: freedom of expression

English? Me? No More

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(This is a post Independence Day tribute.)

May isang beses na ako’y tinanong: “Tin, para saan pa nga ba ang English?”

Marahil ito ay dala ng maling paniniwala na ang wikang Ingles ay lenggwahe ng mga nasa alta sosyedad or the elite of the society and mga scholars and professionals.

Nagtapos ako ng kursong BA English Studies sa Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura at napabilang sa isang academic organization na UP Lingua Franca. Base sa mga pagtuturo sa amin bilang English Studies majors, ang ibig sabihin ng “lingua franca” ay common language.

At ‘yun ang pakay ng pagkakaroon ng wikang Ingles – it bridges cultural barriers across the world. Kung ako ay tatanungin bakit kailangan pa natin maki-ayon sa kultura ng ibang tao at magkaroon ng interaksyon sa ibang parte ng mundo, para na rin akong tinanong ng “Alin ba ang gusto mo, bumalik sa makalumang primitive ages o sariwain ang makabagong panahon sa pamamagitan ng malinaw na pakikipag-komunikasyon?”

A common language means hindi lamang ito para sa mga mayayaman. On the contrary, it actually seeks to unify and never to diversify. It is for everybody’s use and advantage at kailanman hindi sukatan ang galing sa paggamit ng wikang Ingles sa katalinuhan ng isang tao sa pangkahalatan. That is, if IQ is concerned. May ibang aspeto ng pagaaral kung saan hindi lang ang galing sa tatas ng pagbigkas ng wikang Ingles at sa lawak ng mga salitang Ingles na alam ang magpapatunay sa isang tao na sya ay matalino.

Sa usapang “conyo,” kami noon ay binalaan ng mga propesor namin sa paggamit ng ganitong uri ng lenggwahe. Para sa kanila, combining two languages in a manner that does not sound correct in terms of syntax and sentence structure only becomes an abuse on both the English and the Filipino languages.

Nawawala ang katas ng bawat wika and its identity as two separate languages carrying in it its own beauty. Ideas are also thwarted when English and Tagalog are used in a “conyo” way. And once again, it is tagged as the language of the elite.

Which, I believe, is a misconception nowadays. Ginagamit sya na pagkakataon ngayon para mapabilang sa elite society. Hindi maaaring maging pamantayan ng alinmang wika ang pagiging matatas sa lenggwaheng “conyo.” ‘Yun lamang at akala ng karamihan speaking the language is “cool” thus mas accepted ka sa social circle that you want to fit in. And came the modern label for this language as “lenggwahe ng mga maaarte” – lahat ng mga ito ay hasty generalizations lamang at nangangailangan pa rin ng masinsinang pagaaral para mapatunayan kung ito nga ay totoo o hindi.

Ngunit may mga paraan gaya na lamang nitong sentence na ito wherein I was able to combine both the English and the Tagalog languages in a way that is not offensive ang dating at hindi masakit sa pandinig.

Ang pagkakaroon ng kalayaan sa pagpapahayag ay walang kinalaman sa uri ng wika na iyong ginamit o ginagamit. Halimbawa na lamang itong akda na ito, produkto ito ng pagpapahayag ng aking sariling mga saloobin na hindi man masasabing ito ang tama ngunit may layon namang magbigay ng ibang perspektibo at pananaw pagdating sa lenggwahe ng Ingles.

Practice using English at all times for it will connect you to the world. And yet speak in Filipino if you want your culture to be preserved. Once it is learned, it cannot be unlearned. For that is how a language develops throughout the years – one language being born after the other, a fusion of all types of languages and yet the basics will remain the same.

P.S.

Ang layunin ko talaga sa artikulong ito ay ang hindi ako mabansagang tumalikod sa pagmamahal sa aking sariling wika at ang mailahad ang kalayaan sa pamamahayag o freedom of expression. 🙂

Why I Share

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Sharing.

Yes. Inspirations solely come from how we see other people and what we see from other people – by what they share and by what they do.

It is neither for popularity, for awards, nor recognition that’s why I post and write articles in my blogs and websites. I do acknowledge the awards as a courtesy to those who have appreciated and recognized my works. My sincerest gratitude goes out to them. The same thing when I post photos and statuses over Facebook or any other social networking sites.  The ‘likes’ are highly appreciated but I just regard them as an added bonus to my main purpose – to SHARE interests  and thoughts, to make CONNECTIONS with people who share the same passion and ideas that I may have and ENCOURAGE those who don’t by giving them something new to learn, something new to try and something new to discover.

People have different interpretations of what they see. There are pros and cons when an idea is laid out in the open for the entire world to see. A single thought can spark a gazillion feedback and ideas. Yes, I am speaking of an issue going viral especially on the internet, nowadays. There are issues that fueled debates, some got conclusions, while some are still, yes – heated debates. A certain post, a certain idea, a certain action can either turn you into a hero or a victim of cyber bullying. That is why sharing will require someone to sum up great courage and patience.

We, writers, are often misunderstood. There are times when by sharing, we gain more detractors than supporters. But I take it on a positive and light note. It indicates that they have pondered upon your thoughts to come up with their own interpretation even if it means contradicting yours. It is, in fact, good. That is freedom of expression and it is everybody’s right. Democracy, in other words. The same way I have exercised this freedom through writing and letting the world know what I have in mind.

By sharing, you give your interpretation of the world to the world. You are giving another option for people to think about. The more options we have, the broader our knowledge becomes. When we think on a wider perspective, we become more accepting, more understanding, we learn to respect. Sharing what is good will harbour good responses. Sharing the negative ones will create a negative atmosphere. Just like what we see on televisions nowadays. Violence will foster violence and harmony will foster peace.

But it is not always the one side of a coin that people should know about. They needed to see the other side too. They needed to be informed, they needed to be warned. That’s when a writer starts trusting his/her instincts what is highly relevant from what is not and be responsible about sharing so as not to create a negative atmosphere and promote a negative value through his/her post.

At the end of the day, it is good to reflect on the comments, suggestions and insights of other people, the good and the bad ones. But at the end of it all too, you have to go back to the very reason why you posted that idea, that thought. It will refrain you from thinking negatively and reacting negatively. You have to remember that you needed to SHARE – to provide another insight, learn other insights too and INSPIRE other people.