<div dir="ltr"><h1>Proudly multilingual</h1><br><div id="main_article">
<p>I was lecturing recently in a <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook0" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook0p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook0w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">class</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook0icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a>
on linguistic anthropology and using “Ilonggo” and “Hiligaynon” to
refer to one of our languages in the Visayas when a student raised his
hand to clarify that “Hiligaynon” should refer to the language and
“Ilonggo” to the people whose native language is Hiligaynon.</p>
<p>That was a useful reminder about how important language is for many
people, a sentiment that includes how one’s native language should be
called.</p>
<p>August is “Buwan ng Wikang Filipino” or National Language Month, when schools, in a burst of nationalism, have their <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook1" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook1p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook1w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">students</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook1icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a> wear a barong or baro’t saya to render a folk dance or play musical instruments.</p>
<div id="bb">
<div id="bbadwrap">
<div id="div-gpt-ad-389166174224667389-2">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>I hope schools will remember that the original intention of a month
for language was to get people to link language to nationhood. That
means talking about the power of languages in our national life,
including English, and why, like it or not, it plays such an important
role in our public and private lives.</p>
<p>For starters, we could teach students (and fellow faculty) to stop
using “national costume” to refer to the barong and baro’t saya because,
quite simply, they are not theater clothes. You don’t hear Americans
referring to a coat and tie as “American costume,” do you? “Costume”
was, consciously or not, part of making non-Americans exotic, almost
suggesting a “play time” <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook2" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook2p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook2w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">culture</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook2icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a>.</p>
<p>Even the American description of our language situation was
demeaning, with Tagalog, Ilokano, Hiligaynon and all our other languages
referred to as “dialects.” Dialects are variations on a language, as in
Metro Manila Tagalog, Batangas Tagalog, Marinduque Tagalog, and so
forth.</p>
<p>Calling a language a “dialect” is a demotion. Note the tone in
people’s voice when they ask, in English, “Do you speak the dialect?”
(“the dialect” suddenly a generic term that could mean any of the
local—uttered, low-kal—languages). It’s even worse when people say “the
native dialect” as a way of referring to the languages spoken by
indigenous peoples.</p>
<p><strong>Linguistic pride</strong></p>
<p>Let’s be proud of our many languages. I think of August as a “Buwan
ng mga Wikang Filipino,” the use of the plural “mga” a way to celebrate
our many languages. The Department of Education’s requiring the use of a
mother language as the medium of instruction up to Grade 3 is a
recognition of the realities of multilingualism in the country.</p>
<p>In case there are readers not yet updated on this policy, the mother
language refers to the most frequently used language in a place. It can
be, for example, Hiligaynon, which means <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook3" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook3p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook3w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">classes</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook3icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a> in places like Iloilo and Bacolod would have to use that language.</p>
<p>The mother language policy will, undoubtedly, strengthen pride in
mother languages, but I’d like to see the “wikang Filipino” aspect
strengthened in the sense that we are referring to “Philippine
languages”—languages spoken by Filipinos.</p>
<p>Our identity as Filipino must include a respect for all Philippine
languages, including their potential for contributing to Filipino, the
national language. Note how people still tend to refer to Filipino as
Tagalog, which is not accurate because there is a still-emerging
national language that has incorporated words from different Philippine
languages, albeit Tagalog being the main source.</p>
<p>Let’s return to the preference of many Ilonggo folk to use “Hiligaynon” to refer to their language, and “Ilonggo” to a kind of <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook4" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook4p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook4w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">cultural</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook4icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a> identity based on a common use of Hiligaynon.</p>
<p>It can be tricky here because I have heard many Ilonggos referring to
their language as Ilonggo, and sometimes even as “Bisaya,” a term that
further complicates matters. I’ve had repeated inquiries from readers
whenever I use the term “Cebuano.” Why, they ask, don’t I just use
“Bisaya” or “Binisaya?”</p>
<p>My reply is that “Bisaya” should not be reserved just for Cebuano
because there are many Visayan languages, the three most widely spoken
ones being Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Waray (spoken in Samar and Leyte).
Using the specific language name is important to declare its uniqueness,
and its use as a marker of one’s identity, something to the effect of
“I am proudly Waray.”</p>
<p>We should also work harder to counter ethnic prejudice that is tied
to language. Non-Bisayans, Tagalogs especially, are notorious for
putting down Cebuano and other Visayan languages, with snide jokes about
the pronunciation and intonation. The prejudice is often class-based.
Note how people will put down Cebuano and then praise Hiligaynon for
being malambing (affectionate). I tease people, arguing that when you
hear Hiligaynon and appreciate its lilt, you’re thinking of some rich
hacendero from Ilonggo areas.</p>
<p><strong>‘Pangalatok,’ ‘Intsik’ and other insults</strong></p>
<p>Linguistic sensitivity is part of something broader called cultural
competence, which is understanding and appreciating cultural
differences. This goes beyond <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook5" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook5p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook5w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">political</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook5icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a> correctness. Words are labels or tags, reflecting and shaping the way we look at the world, and the people around us.</p>
<p>As an anthropologist, I <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook6" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook6p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook6w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">teach</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook6icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a>
students how to be linguistically competent, the words to use and to
avoid, starting with language names. Use “Pangasinense” and never
“Pangalatok,” a term that the Pangasinense detest.</p>
<p>Your use of language names say something about you as well. Referring
to “salitang Muslim” will reflect your ignorance because there is no
such thing as a “Muslim language.” Even Arabic is not a “Muslim
language.” “Arabic” and “Arabs” refer to people who are not necessarily
Muslim.</p>
<p>Similarly, there is no language called “Intsik,” which unfortunately is the name of <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook7" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook7p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook7w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">courses</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook7icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a>
taught at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Many years back,
when I became dean of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, I
received letters from Chinese-Filipinos protesting “Intsik 10” and
“Intsik 11.”</p>
<p>“Intsik” started out as a term of respect—in chiek, or his/her uncle—but, through the decades, took on anti-Chinese meanings.</p>
<p>I used an academic argument in seeking a change of the “Intsik”
course names because “Intsik” in one’s transcript of grades confuses <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook8" rel="nofollow"><span id="itxthook8p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook8w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">universities</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook8icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a>
in other countries, where language experts have never heard of a
language called Intsik. The proper course name should be Mandarin or
Chinese, even Putonghua, which is the Chinese way of referring to the
language.</p>
<p>There was strong resistance to changing “Intsik.” I choose my battles
and didn’t pursue the matter so the course name stays, a painful
affront to many Intsik.</p>
<p>Let me end on a lighter note. I referred to language names as tags or
labels, and sometimes they are used with ambivalence, neither in praise
nor in contempt.</p>
<p>“Inglisero” is an extended—and loaded—tag. When used to refer to an
adult, it’s a gentle way of chiding the person for not being proficient
in Filipino. (Ouch, oops, I meant aray.) Used to refer to a child,
though, it can still be a way of praising, or criticizing, the parents,
but with some amazement at the child’s ability to use English.</p>
<p>I’m proud to say that with my <a style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;border:0px none transparent;padding:0px;background-color:transparent;background-image:none;display:inline" class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#" id="itxthook9" rel="nofollow"><span style="" id="itxthook9p" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap"><span id="itxthook9w" class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" style="font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-decoration:underline!important;border-width:0px 0px 1px;border-style:none none solid;border-color:transparent transparent rgb(0,204,0);padding:0px 0px 1px!important;color:rgb(0,153,0);background-color:transparent">kids</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook9icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="padding-top:0px!important;padding-right:0px!important;padding-bottom:0px!important;padding-left:4px!important;margin-top:0px!important;margin-right:0px!important;margin-bottom:0px!important;margin-left:0px!important;vertical-align:baseline!important"></span></a>,
people will say, “Ay, inglisero” (or “inglisera”) and then express more
awe when they switch to flawless Filipino. It’s good for the kids to
feel the “wow” factor as they switch from one language to another.
Languages fascinate children, and we owe it to them to help them
discover what it means to be Filipino, through the wealth of our many
languages.</p></div><div style="overflow:hidden;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-align:left;text-decoration:none;border:medium none"><br>Read more: <a style="color:#003399" href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#ixzz3jGwyin8t">http://opinion.inquirer.net/87732/proudly-multilingual#ixzz3jGwyin8t</a>
<br>Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnet" target="_blank">@inquirerdotnet on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnet" target="_blank">inquirerdotnet on Facebook</a><br><br></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
</div>