Mother tongue

How many languages do you speak? What are some languages that you wish or want to learn? After I have published my products of hardwork, I happened to read that JonicaBradley's 13th writing prompt was about languages. She talked about language in all forms, from body languages, love language and even pet language and a lot more.

While I was reading it, I though about the time when I published my article using our own language during the national language month last August. Then I realized that maybe it was the idea behind the 13th prompt as her article was published 3 months ago. Whatever the reason that maybe, at least I have something to write about now.

When I was drafting my article using our own mother tongue, Filipino, I find it really challenging. There were some words that I really tried to think what its Filipino translation was. We may think that writing in straight Filipino was easy, then I challenge you to also draft an article without using any English words. I find it easy to speak in Filipino but hard to write in Filipino while it is the opposite with English. I am ok in written English but finds it a little challenging when speaking. Sometimes I do compose my words before speaking it out. LOL. Take note that I obly use some basic English words. I think it was with IELTS (International English Language Testing System) when I found out that my English was only on the basic level. LOL. Whether it is basic, intermediate or advanced, I am happy that I do know 2 languages, Filipino and English.

During college, we had our Spanish class at Instituto Cervantes. We had to chosse between Spanish or French but we chose the former because the hugher batches told us that is was easier. I also did want to learn Spanish because of Chavacano, a dialect here in Zamboanga region. As described in Wikipedia,

Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varities spoken in the Philippines.

In case you do not know, even if my grandparents were Ilocano, they also know how to speak Chavacano especially when the whole family moved to Zamboanga and Basilan while my dad was still a kid. All of my dad's siblings knew how to speak Ilocano and Chavacano. So when we first had a family reunion when I was around 12 years old, I have been hearing them talking in different language that was very pleasant to my ears. That is the reason why I wanted to learn Chavacano and Spanish. I remember when our professor would ask us the English translations of some words, I would immediately text my uncle because I know that he replies faster than my dad. The words that I rembered texting to him was "frio" (cold) and "caliente" (hot).

Then our professor asked us to write on a ¼ sheet of yellow paper about how we are to introduce ourselves with name, address, contact number and little description about us. I know I wrote:

"Hola! Buenas noches! Como estas? Me llamo Jonna Dela Cruz y Dela Cerna (not really my surname and middle name). Vivo en diecisiete Kalye Mayaman en ciudad Quezon (not my real address as well). Mi numero el telefono es cero nueve uno siete uno dos tres kwarto cinco seis siete (not my real number as well). Ablo Filipino, Ingles y un poco Español."

It sounds so pleasant right? I know back in the days, our parents and grandparents have Spanish lessons before or have been taught some Spanish words, sentences or prayers. My mom knows how to recite the Hail Mary in Spanish. We used to pray that in our Spanish classes but I can only remember the part, "Dios de Salve Maria llena eres de gracia". LOL. We memorized it before because our professor would randomly call us to lead the prayer. Yes, even in our prayers we were required to speak in Spanish. It may be a little hard but speaking and writing in French is way harder based from our classmates who took that class.

When my cousins from Zamboanga lived in our house for a few months, my mom and I wished to study Chavacano little by little that my cousin even wrote some basic Chavacano words like good morning, good evening, let's eat and where you going and she placed it on our refrigerator so we can see it everytime. Yes, we were familiarized with it but with other Chavacano words, I was able to pick up when I went to Zamboanga especially when our relatives where discussing things in Chavacano.

Do you find it rude when people talk in other language or dialects that you do not know? There was a time that I happened to understand their conversation and I know that they were talking about me. It was an issue with my luggage as I did bought a lot of things but I have to share with luggages weight with my cousin's who was going back to Abu Dhabi while I was going back to Manila. I have already told my aunt beforehand that I wish to pay for extra baggages but she was insisting that my cousin had still a lot of extra only to find out that my cousin also was planning to bring a lot of things back to Abu Dhabi. I could not butt in because they were already having a heated conversation and it was in a different dialect but I know that it was about me also because I heard my name.

They say that language is barrier to some people who does not know how to speak a common language. But sometimes we can still understand some of it just like what happened with me and my relatives. Though it would be really nice if we can speak different languages as well sign language. Other than wanting to learn about our local dialects and different languages, sign languages is something that I also would want to know. There was one time when I was working at a coffee shop, I had a guest who was mute and deaf and I was the one at the corner. I could not tell what she wanted to order even if she was pointing at it because there were a lot of drinks displayed on our menu board until she typed her order in her cellphone. I just know how to do a sign language for "you're beautiful" and "thank you" because when we went to my past flirtationship's province, they had a neighbor who ws also mute and deaf and he was with us when we were drinking together with our other friends and my past flirtationship's cousins. He signed to me that I was beautiful but I could not understand what he said that the cousins of my past flirtationship were the ones who told me what he was saying that I said thank you and asked them how to say it in sign language.

We are now living in a world where we can translate words or sentences easily. Unlike before when you would have to look for it word per word in a translation book or dictionary. Raise your hand if you have used an English-Filipino and Filipino-English dictionary before. I know @Bjorn mentioned about it on one of his previous articles. My brother and I have used it as well but it was not as complete as to the words that we can now search over the internet. But if I were to learn different languages and/or local dialects, I would want to learn French as it is the second language in Canada. I also want to be like my dad who knows how to speak Ilocano, Chavacano, Bisaya, Kapampangan and other local dialects.

Nowadays, we can learn different languages whenever and wherever we want. There are many resources that can help us understand each other despite of different languages.

This is my  article for JonicaBradley's writing prompt #13 Language

The rules are simple:

1. Write anything about Language
2. Write 100% original content
3. Write at least 600 words so Rusty will come to reward you
4. Submit to the PromptlyJonica community (please join them if you haven't yet)
5. Tag @JonicaBradley and @TengoLoTodo
6. HAVE FUN!

P.S. lead image is the photo that I use for my article about month of national language article.