It pains me at times whenever we have to “correct” ourselves when we try to explain certain English terms to non-Filipino speakers. Case in point: Comfort Room=Restroom/Bathroom for American English.
If American English, Australian English, Singaporean English (Singlish) or Indian English is deemed acceptable English, why must we classify Filipino English as “wrong” or “inferior”? Why must we ape American English when certain words we have used evolved to how our country has developed? Why must we make excuses for words that have uniquely suited our Filipino purpose?
For instance, is it any more wrong to take comfort in the comfort room than to take a bath in a bathroom when all you need to do is to take a leak or to take a dump? Which is more apt?
I guess this is indicative of how we Filipinos view ourselves; trying hard to be Americans yet never being good enough. Corollary, our language is never good enough.
Well, enough of that! If a certain term become nouns or verbs, is grammatically correct, fits our context, and is still in English, then let’s use it by all means! If someone needs to take a leak, go to the comfort room! If someone gets delayed, there was traffic! If someone has a problem, help him cope up with it! If someone is very ambitious, then he becomes a presidentiable/senatoriable! (A term which, by the way, is less cumbersome than presidential candidate/senatorial candidate.)
It’s now high time for them to understand us, when we have spent decades trying to understand foreigners’ English nuances! Although, I don’t want to be salvaged for suggesting a radical break from all the traditional English-speakers… Hehehe!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Local Language Legacy
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2 comments:
Saying "there was traffic" is something I can't do. "Traffic was heavy/bad/terrible" is what I would say. "Cope up with" just doesn't sound good to me. It's like saying "irregardless" which is a mistake that even some UP students make.
As for comfort room, I can take comfort in the fact that it makes sense instead of saying bathroom since you can't really take a bath in public restrooms. I like how the Australians call it - toilet - very apt.
Since you're now based in Oz, I think it's ok to understand the nuances of Australian English so that they can also understand what you're saying.
The point of my rant is that when we're abroad, or worse, at home, we bend over backwards trying to "translate" our Filipino English to other English speakers. But Americans, British, or even Singaporeans or Indians make no excuse about their brand of English. Even if they have to make some adjustments to be understood in that specific country, they are proud of their "flat" and their "mobile". As for us, we look at our toes when we explain what "traffic" means in Filipino English.
As for "irregardless", this is a classic English mistake committed globally, not just by Filipinos, since Strunk & White felt the need to put a warning in their little book almost 80 years ago.
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