Sitting down to write this piece is one of my hardest experiences as a writer. Because of the positive response to my first ever Tagalog commentary, I was in a dilemma whether to write in English or in Tagalog. There was this tempting allure to write permanently in Tagalog knowing Kababayans the world over will get a piece of what they’re missing back home – speaking their native language.
But why in heaven’s name am I writing in English? Is this my attempt to show all of you that I write better in this medium more than I could with my native tongue? Am I trying to convince you that speaking or writing in Tagalog does more harm in a globalized world? I’m not going to give you a complicated answer. In fact, my reason is simply to reach out to a reader whose teenage son keeps pestering her why he should learn Tagalog. My purpose is to convince her son that there's value in learning Filipino even if he's living in the US. And the convincing will take place in English. So here it goes:
Regardless of where you are, having another language in your arsenal of wits gives you “pogi” points. In fact, it’s kind of liberating when you hear a fellow kababayan speaking the mother tongue when you’re overseas travelling. There was this one time I was in Bangkok and I ran out of clean underwear that I had to go to the nearest shopping mall and look for my size. Just right across where I was standing, an elderly woman holding a little girl went straight to me. She smiled and bowed like how Thais would usually do when greeting people. I bowed back gesturing courtesy to this old woman with a huge smile. She then asked me, “San ba kami puwedeng kumain dito?” I asked her how she knew I’m a Filipino and she said she heard me cursing and swearing over my mobile phone in Tagalog. All along I thought she was Thai and I felt relieved when we spoke in Tagalog for a few minutes in a country with limited English-speaking people. Having a good grasp of another language is empowering but to know by heart your own language emancipates. It reminds you of your roots, where you’re from, and how you started. It humbles you.
Having a good grasp of your own language instills a sense of belonging. A native language carries with it a sense of family that you know you can depend on in times of need. I remember clearly I was having problems explaining to my students (yes, I used to teach in college) what nationalism is. In the social sciences, scholars couldn’t agree how they would define nationalism because it’s a fleeting concept. But I still tried anyway. Then a lady student barged into my classroom five minutes before the bell. She was strolling past me like she was walking down a cat walk and told me “Hi Sir” with all smiles. Infuriated, I called her attention and told her, “Hoy! P@#ang Ina Mo!!!!”. The student cried. She and the entire class were in shock! Then I explained to her and to the class that what just happened demonstrates the power of one’s own language. If instead I said to her “F@#k you!”, she would have just smiled and said, “Alright, when?”. But knowing the depth and meaning of “PI Mo” creates a feeling of offense that only a true Pinoy can understand.
In his book Imagined Communities, Benedict Anderson (he’s Irish, speaks fluent Mandarin, and an avid fan of Jose Rizal. I’m sure he knows about Noli and El Fili more than we do) argues that language brings with it a sense of community. It has the power to weave together fragmented groups, create social order and strengthen culture. When you first landed in a foreign country, what was the first thing that popped in your mind? I’m sure they’re plenty but my guess is you’re looking for a kindred soul, a fellow Pinoy. Is it because we know that Pinoys will welcome us or that they’re a hilarious bunch? Nope. It’s because we need someone to talk to and someone who can understand us. Language brings us together.
That’s why I’m proud of my heritage and my language (although I have to apologize this essay is written in English). Wherever I go, I carry them like a badge of honor. Sure I can write and speak in English fluently, but I draw my knowledge and strength from my culture, my language.I can write several thousand words more but I’ll reserve them in another post. I wish this short piece have enlightened you even in a small way.
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