Of languages and dialects

I'm not sure what got into me but after writing my articles in Filipino, I am now struggling to go back to English language. But I will not allow that to happen. I love both languages.

Filipino Language is a subject taught here in the Philippines. I had an immediate love to it. I love it more especially when reading poetry by Filipino poets and writers.

Those deep and pure words make me indulge in my dramas. I also compose my own poetry but sad to say those were lost forgotten in piles of paper I've laid somewhere. But of course, there's a different tone to it as well when we use English. The two are equally amazing.

Forgive me but the way I describe fail me most of the time. But allow me to go on.

I grew up in a remote place. Our mother tongue is neither English nor Filipino. It is a dialect which is close to Bontok and Kankana-ey. But when we are forced to determine its name, I simply put Bontok. But it is a little more distinct than Bontok.

But in school at our place, teachers teach us both in Filipino and English. We learn Ilocano when long gone natives come to the city and go back there to us with that dialect.

So in total, I know how to speak in 2 dialects and 2 languages. I understand the dialects of nearby towns but not really speak them.

I left my hometown in search for places that have an institution for college. I chose Baguio to be my second home. Even after college, I chose to stay here to find job and settle down.

We go home from time to time and it was during a Christmas in year 2009 when I met my husband-to-be. We got married in 2010 around this time. That was July, months from this time. We stayed here at Baguio till this time.

I have a job here at a university. Sometimes languages and dialects are a source of entertainment. When students come to Baguio and they are not knowledgeable with Ilocano, they are forced to learn so that nobody will take advantage of their lack of knowledge in ilIlocano again. For instance, a native of this place might teach someone with not so good words only for the person to find out the meanings. Though of course I'm against things like that.

But language is also a source of struggle. For my case, I had to speak straight English at school especially when students from other countries are present in my class. I remember one time I spoke Filipino and my candid student complained that everything was important to her so I had to speak in 'pure' English.

From time to time during that semester I had to explain to the student that I can't stop speaking Filipino but rest assured that no lesson will be delivered in Filipino. Sadly though, as I was enjoying my 'pure english' she had to transfer to another country because of their family's circumstances. I decided to continue with my game of purity until the end of that term. It left a void in my heart to have suddenly lost a dear student. Not lost really but it's still considered a loss.

At my house it's just amusing that I speak my native tongue when speaking to my husband but automatically shifts upon talking to my kids. My kids try hard to speak in our dialect but they do better in Ilocano. It's up to them if they wish to learn our native dialect. They do want to learn and they are learning from their friend and from us adults as we continue to converse in native tongue.

I recently had some fascination in writing. I am not perfect with grammar and vocabulary but I do my best to make my article understandable and readable. Though of course that takes years to master. I still struggle to make my thoughts known but these things I write now will do for the meantime. We all look forward to better days.

I hope to read more and practice more when my babies get older. There's so much dialects and language to learn.