AN ODE TO MY MOTHER TONGUE

A Response to James Soriano's Article "Language, Learning, Identity, Privelege", published in Manila Bulletin Online August 24, 2011.

Waking up this morning, my attention was caught by a friend's post on facebook expressing her dismay on an article published in a leading newspaper in the Philippines. I rushed to read the said article which is creating quite a stir (amongst Filipinos especially the language teachers) and needless to say, I was disappointed with the writer's claims and opinions.

I've been in Seoul, Korea as a graduate student for nearly four years and my Filipino language skill, I will confess, is not as good as when I was back home (my fellows in Pinas can attest to this of which I am shameful of). Nonetheless, it never came to a point that I regarded my native language as inferior to English. Truth, we use English as the medium of instruction in our schools, but this should never make us think that we are to look down on our language and think of it as inferior to others. I don't really know Mr. James Soriano, but giving him the benefit of the doubt, I am responding to his article based on what he wrote.

It is just disheartening to know that he never saw the "beauty" of talking with the street vendors, the manongs (old men) and the katulongs (house helpers) in Filipino language. I find it fascinating until now that whenever I go home, I feel the satisfaction of me being a Filipino hearing people speak my native language wherever I am going. Whether he calls it the language of the streets, I am proud of my people speaking the language because as a true-blooded Filipino, that speaks of my identity, of I how I relate to my fellows, their struggles, their hopes, their pains, their joys, which they may never be able to articulate in other languages.

But more than being the language of the streets, Mr. Soriano forgot to say that still, FILIPINO IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, and of the nation itself. Only "true" Filipinos who take pride in this will understand the "meaning", and the "beauty" of what it is to articulate the language, which, much like the people has been through so much harassment, and criticism.

Somehow, I thank him for allowing us to reconsider how we look at our language. I commend him for opening our eyes to the reality that not all Filipinos do take pride in their mother tongue. And for us who do, it is a challenge, no matter where we are, to, as Filipinos, make sure that we carry within us the spirit of being one not just with our people, but with our language as well.

FILIPINO AKO! MABUHAY ANG WIKANG FILIPINO!



To read James Soriano's article, you can click the link here: http://mb.com.ph/articles/331851/language-learning-identity-privilege