Introducing Modern Filipino (Taglish): A Mixed Language Befitting a Mixed-Race Nation

It’s about time we give Taglish, the bastardized version of Filipino/Tagalog, its rightful place and recognition in our society. Taglish (once perceived as a virus, and treated as if it were some kadiring cockroach) has now pervaded every nook of our existence. We use it practically everywhere – in offices, schools, pulpits, talk shows, live news, and political speeches; there’s probably no point trying to bring down one resilient son of a bitch. So if you can’t beat it – might as well throw in the towel and welcome it with open arms.

filipino_taglish

Besides, there’s hardly anything pure in the Philippines anyways: a wild assortment of Chinoys, Aetas, Lumads, Igorots, Spanish/American Mestizos and every flavor of mixed-race variegated Homo sapiens in between, with a vast and colorful culture that speaks of our rich history under many colonizing influences and interactions with nations around us. Even our very food is a total mix up of everything under the sun – just look at the color of Menudo or Afritada. The symbol of our national transport system, the brightly adorned Jeepney, is a mix of the abandoned American general purpose (G.P. =“Jeep”) service vehicle of WWII and Filipino “craftsmanship” and “ingenuity” kuno.

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Well, since Taglish is here to stay, we should probably dress it up in coat and tie, spray some deodorant, and give it a signet ring by formally calling it “Modern Filipino” (or Mestizo Filipino).

The Bastard Who Became Ruler

In the historical archives of Israel, there was a story of a man named Jephthah, a bastard (son of a whore) who had been ostracized by the legal family members, but rose to prominence to become the ruler and judge of Israel, after the legal family called for his help to lead them to victory against their oppressors.

So has Modern Filipino (Taglish) emerged from the natural evolution of Pure Tagalog as it collided and assimilated with indispensable lingua franca English, which in and of itself is a massive agglomeration of root words originating from ancient European civilizations.

Modern Filipino = Tagalog + English

Modern Filipino is a superset language. We can also call it X-Filipino for “extended” or “expanded” (rightly fitting a bunch of banana-eating X-men “mutants”). It is therefore bigger than English itself because it combines two officially known languages into one. There are two ways to mix the two:

  1. Alternating between two pure sentences. Tagalog. English. Tagalog…
  2. Mixing both Tagalog and English words in the same sentence.

There is no point translating nouns and technical terms into some absurdly sounding Tagalized equivalent (stop wasting your time and effort people at Sentro ng Wikang Filipino; put your man-hours elsewhere) – it’s just total malarkey! “Textbook”, “revolution”, “evacuation” and “acceleration” do not have to be dumbed down into Tagalog-sounding “teksbuk”, “rebulusyon”, “ebakyuasion”, and “akselerasyon”, respectively. (Let’s not end up like the Japanese who have to re-spell “election” to “erection”!) Just use the English terms as is. Adjectives like “cute”, “smart”, “convenient” and “efficient” are all accepted as Modern Filipino words. Edi napakaconvenient diba?

So let’s just give this a try – and see if Tagalog dissolves into oblivion once combined with a super-power language like English. Fellow contributor Add rightly summed it when he said “the weaker language will be swallowed by the stronger.”

Schools Must Teach Modern Filipino Correctly

Verbs must be inflected correctly using conventional rules applied to Tagalog root words: submit becomes nagsubmit (past tense), magsusubmit (future), nagsusubmit (present progressive).  Other inflections… Kinoconnect, pinapaconnect, nagpaconnect. Let’s practice forming some complete sentences:

  1. Magtetake ako ng exam para makakuha ng driver’s license.
  2. Nagcrash yung bus dahil mahilig magtext yung driver habang nagdadrive.
  3. Dinifine ng teacher ko kanina ang velocity bilang speed ng isang object na kasama ang kanyang direction (bale isa siyang vector).

So how do you like your new official Modern Filipino language? Sounds perfectly right, right? Malamang, this is exactly how you sound pag kasama mo ang iyong coworkers, kabarkada or classmates. Huwag kayo magalala, even I (pure English advocate as I am) am guilty of Taglish, este Modern Filipino. So we shouldn’t be ashamed of it anymore. That’s just how we have evolved to be. It would be hypocritical of any of us to deny we speak Modern Filipino, especially in casually conversing with friends over a cup of coffee.

I know spelling can be a nightmare though: should it be “nagsasummarize” or “nagsusummarize” or “nag-susummarize” (with hyphen)? I guess some rules just have to be invented as we go along. And whoever uses which rule most – wins!

Reaching Out to the Masses

One goal of institutionalizing Modern Filipino is to empower our people with English terms and vocabulary. Sooner or later, mapapansin natin ang ating mga kababayan tulad ng squatters, poor farmers, at katulongs will all be talking like any of us “intellectuals” here at GRP.

In fact, I’m a bit concerned that people are shying away from discussions here at GRP for the very reason that it seems the “elite” highfalutin English-speakers and foreign nationals have dominated practically all the discussions and exchanges. Kaya siguro maraming na-oOP (out of place).

I don’t know – I could be wrong. Maybe the pure Tagalog speakers are just too busy with the crap TV shows, they just don’t see the “fun” in reading articles and blogging in a language that causes them nosebleed. I’ve seen Grimwald publish articles here in PURE Tagalog before to reach the masses (I must admit masakit sa mata basahin); but not after Ilda (in the comments) expressed how she’s not sold out with the idea. Maybe their views have changed.

I used to feel visceral revulsion (pandidiri) over politicians speaking in Taglish. But recently I have been watching lots of Digong DU30 interviews and speeches. I saw how he just kept code-switching between the two languages – at kung tutuusin, it’s exactly how I speak in real life. So maybe, kailangan na nating harapin ang katotohanan – Modern Filipino is the new reality.

Tagalog Purists have lost the fight. Even the call to have pure English in formal/public events has fallen on deaf ears. The compromise – Modern Filipino (formerly called Taglish) – now sits on the throne as the undisputed de facto standard of verbal expression. Good luck with this communication tool guys; nawa’y magamit natin ito ng effectively para maka-reach out sa ating mga less fortunate na mga kababayan.

This Article is an Experiment

Don’t get me wrong. I will not likely be writing articles here in this mixed-language mode much. Pag-writing/reading gusto ko kasi pure English (“sa pamamagitan ng” (by) is nakakaduling basahin). But if it’s spoken vernacular – my tongue goes into Modern Filipino mode. And it’s kinda condescending to talk to a fellow Pinoy in pure English (paring hindi natural). But I grab the chance to talk with foreigners to keep my tongue fluent (you can get big jobs actually if you have confidence in English, esp. combined with an American twang). So this article is just an experiment.

Marami siguro ang mag-rereact ng violently sa pag-lelegalize at pag-uplift ng bastadong Taglish. But that’s reality – languages evolve. We are mixed to the core of our being as Filipinos – kailangan na nating iaccept and reality at magmove on (this debate can’t go on forever). And this is probably the only way para ma-empower natin ang mga mahihirap with superior English vocabulary (which can free their minds) – kung maririnig nilang ginagamit natin ang mga key English words sa isang language na kung saa’y comfortable sila.

Mestizo, mestiza, menudo, afritada, …  and now a fitting mixed language called “Modern Filipino” to tie ‘em all together. We can even call it “Philipino” to show we have gone beyond just accepting “F” and now have included “Ph” into the set of building blocks of our national language. As long as freedom-loving Pinoys are happy – sige na nga, Panalo!

 

48 Replies to “Introducing Modern Filipino (Taglish): A Mixed Language Befitting a Mixed-Race Nation”

  1. Sorry but we still prefer our own language. Don’t help spread the bastardization all through out the country. You can suggest but that’s where it’s end. It’s really hurting to hear this mix tagalog + english language and to think tagalog are the forefront when it comes to hating the English language.

  2. But listening to Pnoy speaking in tagalog is nakakasuka din. But that’s for the fact that what comes out of his mouth is mostly BS….

    Oh and yes, pati si Mar, same same lang.

  3. Mixing tagalo with english reflects how stupid and lazy our government in compiling all languages and dialects in our country. There are local languages that have equivalent in english but not in tagalog and still they would prefer bastardizing the former just cause they are lazy to research words from local languages outside NCR.
    In fact some tagalog words are slowly replaced by English because it’s easier to remember and pronounce. And yet they keep shouting in media that we should love our languages, fucking hypocrites.

  4. Just out of curiosity and interest:
    Has there been done a study about the Filipino language and its dialects? Also know as linguistics.

    (copy & paste from Wikipedia)
    Linguistics is the scientific study of language. There are three aspects to this study: language form, language meaning, and language in context. The earliest activities in the description of language have been attributed to the 4th century BCE Indian grammarian Pāṇini, who was an early student of linguistics and wrote a formal description of the Sanskrit language in his Aṣṭādhyāyī.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistics

    1. I live in Cuenca, Ecuador and I have several friends from almost every part of the world and we often to about how language evolve.
      Filipino (Tagalog) is a very young language, my native tongue is Cebuano and yet my Cebuano is not even gramatically correct because I grew up in Davao some reason most terms has been improvized. Learning English at a very young age help my struggle to learn Spanish but my Cebuano give me a bit of a push. Language is very cultural and fascinating.
      Watching hundreds of French film, some German, Danish and other European movies made me think that most of that those who developed Filipino language were Spanish the Castellano who speaks of course Castilian and other contribution which I believe most Euopean. Spanish is a romance language which originates from Latin. I am not sure where my point is leading to but let’s leave Tagalog as itself, it is a beautiful language, the Tagalog poetry has a beauty of it’s own. We can learn more langauages if we please but mixing English and Tagalog or “Taglish” is not only unpleasant to my ears but also altering the Filipino Culture, in my opinion.

      1. Dee,
        I dont see any connection between a language and culture. A language is mostly relative fixed while a culture moves in different directions. I also see this in my surrounding neighbouring countries.

        A culture is not something that doesnt change. Its on the move constantly and mostly upward and forwards (hence, also the term backwards). I cant say that about languages. My language (Dutch) changes, yes. But its mostly because of new words that get adopted. Either medical terms (AIDS/HIV) and/or from technology (e-mail, PC, computer etc).

        1. I view it that way. For instance here in Ecuador, the Latin American Spanish is different from Spanish in Spain. They have mosty Spanish equivalent to mostly medical and techincal terms for example HIV is VIH, email is for correo electronico. Filipino have different cultural influence and does include language. I hope that this influence will make us move forward. The only constant is change. I respect your opnion.

        2. Dee,
          In French, the word AIDS is translated by Sida (same 4 letters different order).

          Pls dont say ‘I respect your opinion’. It kills all conversations. Pls try to convince me (with valid arguments and facts) that I am wrong.

        3. @Robert
          I’m not good with arguments but I view language as cultural thing because there are humors using your language that no matter how to translate it in English or any language it would still mean differently as much as it would mean to that particular language. Yes we are open for improvement but every language has it’s own beauty. When I hear a “Pure Tagalog” speech, I find more formal and very poetic if a person would choose to do it in Filipino.
          This is how I see it. When I started watching French movie, it me longer to get humor, I had to understand the cultural part. Ecuador speaks Spanish but the Mexican Spanish is different and the Madrid Spanish is different as well. One word would mean offensive to the other.

        4. Dee,
          English is not my primary language to use except for at work.
          Whenever I am abroad, I always try to speak that language. Same as with eating that specific national/domestic/local food.

          If someone is (trying to) speaking my language (as a foreigner) he/she will make mistakes but can never offend me while trying speaking my language.

          Soft advice: try to do something about learning to use valid arguments. Saying ‘respect your opinion’ really kills every conversation and it is a big ‘turn off’.
          It is not about winning a debate. It is about convincing me that I am wrong.

          If you would say that (respect your opinion) to me – being your friend/partner/boyfriend/husband – it will most likely be the beginning of the end (our relationship/marriage).

  5. The metamorphose of any language is energized by need of the people needing to communicate effectively with each other. Let nature take its natural course and all is well! What sayeth, Dude?

  6. There is a study done in 1935 and there’s also a reason why Tagalog was chosen as the national language. At first they choose English and Spanish to be the official language but mandated the development and adoption of a common national language based on one of the existing native languages.

    This is just an opinion though, I believe it is quite alright that there is already an existing native national language in place in the Philippines. It is for the people from different regions to be able to communicate to one another if they happen to move or have a vacation in those regions.

    Besides, English is already by Law an official language so why ditch the other one?

    1. Tagalog is only a “national language” by decree. If there is a truly national language it would be some form of Visayan. Note that I spell it with a “V” and not a “B” because it makes no sense whatsoever to change spelling because some people are too lazy to learn proper pronunciation. The word “vice” is spelled with a V, not a B so there is no such thing as a “Bice Gobernor” (note also the V in governor is a V, not a B)

  7. Modern Filipino? Why not?
    I don’t really get this “let’s only speak pure English/pure Tagalog” concept.

    Our high school and elementary textbooks were revamped 10 years ago. DepEd released an ordinance to have every textbook in every subject (save for Filipino) be in English. History textbooks used to be in Tagalog. Our mode of instructions are mostly in English. We write our academic papers and thesis in English (unless it’s for a Filipino course). Our LAW is written in English for goddsake!

    Then we are expected to speak Tagalog in casual and formal settings. Some of us are expected to speak our hometown’s dialects/languages when we’re at home and when we’re in our respective provinces.

    Yet mixing two languages (I.e. English and Tagalog) is looked down upon? If it’s so bad then let’s have every academic, formal, and legal works be written in one language and expect everyone to use that one language in casual conversations. Not make the former in one language and the latter in another language.

  8. I already see some “violent” reactions to the experiment 🙂 Well, here’s more food for thought.

    In all honesty, how do you talk to a fellow Filipino? Pure English, Modern Filipino, or Pure Filipino/Tagalog? Below are a few sample sentences given in each language.

    Then ask yourself if Modern Filipino should be a legal and distinct language on its own. Remember nobody can really impose on people what language to use; we can only observe how language is evolving.

    Pure English:

    (1) Sorry, I was late for the meeting due to the traffic from the airport.

    (2) Please just send the progress report via e-mail. Make sure it’s in PDF format to ensure the file size is reduced.

    (3) Remember; submit your assignment before the deadline.

    (4) Thank God it’s Friday. I heard it’s Glen’s birthday. Why don’t we eat out at Glorietta later after work?

    (5) Our officemates will be hiking up Mt. Pulag this weekend. So, wanna join?

    (6) You can express a chemical reaction in equation form. But instead of an equal sign, you use an arrow.

    (7) His response was bullshit!

    ———–

    Pure Filipino/Tagalog:

    (1) Paumanhin, hindi ako umabot sa pagpupulong ng tamang oras. Siksikan kasi ang mga sasakyan sa daan galing sa paliparan.

    (2) Pakipadala nalang ng ulat ng pag-usad sa pamamagitan ng elektronikang liham. Siguradohing naka PDF na kaanyuan para matiyak na nabawasan ang laki ng payl.

    (3) Alalahanin; iparating (isumite) ninyo ang gawaing nakalaan bago dumating ang takdang panahon.

    (4) Salamat sa Diyos at Biyernes na! Kaarawan daw ni Glen. Ano, kain tayo sa labas sa Glorrieta mamaya pagkatapos ng trabaho?

    (5) Aakyat-bundok daw mga kasamahan natin sa opisina sa Bundok Pulag ngayong darating na Sabado o Linggo. Ano, nais mo bang sumali?

    (6) Ang isang kemikal na reaksyon ay pwede mong ipahayag sa anyo ng isang ikwesyon. Pero imbis na symbolo ng pagkapareho, symbolo ng panturo ang gamit.

    (7) Tae ng lalaking baka (or Kalokohan) naman ang kanyang tugon!

    ———–

    Modern Filipino:

    (1) Sorry, na-late ako sa meeting. Traffic kasi galing airport e.

    (2) Paki-send nalang ng progress report via e-mail. Make sure naka PDF format para reduced ang file size.

    (3) Remember; i-submit ninyo ang assignment bago mag-deadline.

    (4) Thank God it’s Friday. Birthday daw ni Glen. Ano eat-out tayo mamaya sa Glorrieta after work?

    (5) Magha-hiking daw mga officemates natin sa Mt. Pulag ngayong weekend. Ano, wanna join?

    (6) Ang isang chemical reaction ay pwede mong i express in equation form. Pero imbis na equal sign, arrow ang gamit.

    (7) Bullshit naman response niya!

    ———–

    Foreign nationals will notice how close Modern Filipino is to English. I bet some of you can already understand a conversation among Pinoys just from picking up the key words.

    My prediction is: Modern Filipino will come to a point in our society that the only thing left in a sentence that is in Tagalog will just be the skeletal structure: pronouns, articles, prepositions. The flesh of the sentence will be in English.

    Do I want this to happen? Well if it can increase the vocabulary of a typical squatter, why not? We don’t lose our national language – it’s just called differently as “Modern Filipino“.

    To all who don’t want Modern Filipino, you are welcome to keep using Pure Tagalog – except you’ll really sound awkward nowadays. Good luck!

    PS: Robert, here are some links on PH linguistics if you’re interested…

    Languages_of_the_Philippines

    Commission_on_the_Filipino_Language

    1. Our conversational Filipino is undeniably the “Modern Filipino”.
      Can’t avoid it and it’s obvious. This is true among English native speakers.
      They speak it but majority can write poorly.
      The only way to protect “Pure Tagalog” is to continue teaching it in school the way it should be, making the young generation appreciate the Tagalog language and tagalog literature, just like understanding our culture.
      My daughter is born in Ecuador but she is half Italian by blood and half Filipino but with Ecuadorian citizenship.
      She speaks English, Spanish, some French and some Cebuano but I would love her to learn the Tagalog language the right way, she may not speak it right but I she read and write it.
      Fiipino language appreciation is appreciating Filipino culture in itself.

    2. It seems you leave other Philippine languages and center around the Tagalog area. In Cebu and other Visayan speaking places, code-switching isn’t as intense as Taglish and in fact, local deep words and Spanish words not English still prevail. In the provinces, Spanish and local words still reign and only words pertaining to modern things such as internet are being used. So no, the problem lies within the Tagalog speaking people. I think they just want to put more English words in their language just to have that higher status. And FYI, Tagalog is not the language of all Filipinos. I’m on the abolish Tagalog and replace it with Spanish camp because Tagalog language is of no use to us who are not Tagalogs.

  9. no one will use pure tagalog. pagtatawanan ka puta. even ung mga european na nag-aral magtagalog modern din ang ginagamit. nasa Datablitz ako nun may isang expat na nagtatagalog na modern, parang lumaki dito sa maynila.

  10. “trabaho” is a Spanish word and does not belong in Tagalog no matter how you talk about the language. If I took the time to dissect the Tagalog I could find numerous such examples. Just learn English, which is spoken world wide and learn to speak it properly is my recommendation.

    Learn the proper use of vocabulary and know that when you “salvage” something you are rescuing it from destruction, not murdering it.

    1. “trabaho” is a Spanish word and does not belong in Tagalog no matter how you talk about the language. If I took the time to dissect the Tagalog I could find numerous such examples. Just learn English, which is spoken world wide and learn to speak it properly is my recommendation.

      Asserting to use English because of its prevalence is fine with me. However, you argued that Tagalog borrowed many words from Spanish, yet you failed to considered that English itself borrowed a lot from French, Latin, Greek, etc.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_language_influences_in_English

    2. Yahoo answer
      Here’s the story of that word. It started in Davao, where local hit squads will “kill” corrupt policemen, government officials, and shrewed business people. But in order for them to carry-out their mission, they have to use crypted word/code word, just like in the military.
      “Salvage=is to kill, if you are from the south, I think it is widely used word in Philippines now.
      We are one country that like to twist the meaning of a word, mix words with our dialect and only us know’s the exact meaning. I don’t consider it as “bastardized”. Consider yourself priveledge for knowing some.

  11. Glad to see you’re coming to terms with Taglish as a medium of communication. The zeitgeist, if nothing else. Still going strong with the consternating condescension, though.

    Robert Haighton did bring up linguistics, though — I remember that Rizal’s pen pal Blumentritt studied (and was conversant in) the Philippine languages even before meeting Rizal, only that I really haven’t seen papers by him.

    What would be interesting for me from a linguistic standpoint would be a study of those languages and dialects whose vocabularies were bolstered by centuries of accommodation with Spanish and English — not only Tagalog, but also the Chabacano dialects, at least those surviving attestations. (It won’t surprise me if our creole languages follow the linguistic rules of the creoles of other nations with surprising fidelity.)

    1. Pallacertus,
      I am not a (foreign) language expert.

      I guess that most languages do have ‘rules’ about – for instance – what can be called a sentence (and what not).
      Maybe in the case of the Philippines, a task force could/should be appointed to study the PH language and all its dialects and then form/create a complete new language.
      This new language should be part of every school’s ciriculum and should/must be spoken in domestic trade, domestic business and national government (including all LGUs).
      Result (hopefully) that in a few centuries each and every Filipino will speak only one Filipino language (as national language).
      It goes without saying that in eduction/schools, foreign languages can also be taught (besides the “new” Filipino language), maybe Chinese or Korean and English. It depends on with what country the Philippines do businesses with most.

      Just my 2 cents as proposal.

      1. “Maybe in the case of the Philippines, a task force could/should be appointed to study the PH language and all its dialects and then form/create a complete new language.”

        I think that is unlikely. Creating a new language for the Filipino people isn’t that likely to succeed, because there is no homogeneous cultural consciousness that permeates the nation. If we were talking about the Koreas, Japan, China, and basically collectivist, Confucian societies, then such endeavors may work.

        Now, what is indeed crucial is the universal, homogeneous cultural consciousness — not Confucianism. From what I know, France has a national language center that dictates what is correct and what is not for the French language. I’m not sure if about their homogeneity but it is likely that they follow the rules because they are proud of being french. The Filipino people do not yet have such a concept — its a vicious net, for we need to provide culture, language, philosophy, worldview, and cultural consciousness all at the same time, in order to improve our condition. IMO failing to do all of them means the failure of all other efforts.

        1. NJCelles,
          You know what? It is even possible that a genuine, true Filipino word can be (can become) a new word in the Dutch language. It will be recorded/registered as a new official Dutch word. Of course, that Filipino/Dutch word has to meet some requirements but then it will be a new Dutch word.

          What is such a requirement? It needs to be used in Dutch newspapers regularly for 5 years or so. Newspapers may pick up that word from interviews; from the ‘street’ or from scientists or from where ever.

          It is not very likely that this will happen but its sure possible.

          Like the French we also have an official agency (De Nederlandse Taalunie; http://taalunie.org/) whose job it is to keep track of the Dutch language and even proposes new ways to write existing Dutch words.

          The Dutch people can be categorised as heterogeneous and language is what binds them together in everything, such as communication.
          Personally, I see it as the most important thing that one nation speaks one language (one tongue). Although I would prefer the entire world was/is able to speak one common language (Wouldnt that be just great?). But that will stay a/my wish for ever.

    2. Equally glad the fizzle bomber has finally come out of the hole he’s been hiding. But yeah, looks like foreigners are more interested in studying the linguistics of the native languages here than the natives themselves.

      Just listening to the recent presidential debates, everyone is using modern Filipino. The rule is simple: if the local lexicon is insufficient, then Import the Foreign word as is. I see it done in other foreign languages esp in the technical fields like computer science and medicine: really no point translating hard disk into “matigas na plato” or cellular mitosis into “maitosis na celyular”.

  12. Well, you have the magic of natural languages (as opposed to formal languages i.e. mathematical notation, programming languages) to thank for the “evolution” of whatever language we’re speaking now. It’s never always a pretty development, but languages evolve according to how they’re used, correctness be damned. For example, I’m pretty sure a lot of people have already forgotten that “yung” begins with a y, judging by the usage of “ung”, “un” in forums, comment sections and elsewhere (making it painful to dive into pinoyexchange threads).

  13. Modern Filipino language can be a mixture of: Tagalog, English, Spanish, etc…

    Nag blo-blog ako sa Taglish. Sana maintindihan ng mga readers ko, sa GRP. Hindi lahat ang nag-susulat sa blog sa GRP, ay intellectuals. Depende sa pagkaintindi mo, sa sinusulat nila..

    Adios, mi hermanos!!! Hasta la luega!!!

    1. Filipinos are mass importers of everything from supersonic jets down to the smallest staple wires/paper clips. So why not? Let’s import Spanish/Chinese/Japanese words into modern Filipino as well. Sky’s the limit ang policy pag dating sa ating sobrang democratic na language evolution.

      Kung wala nang complaints, tapos na ba ang debate?
      “Taglish- bastard or not” debate is now formally closed.

      Pwede kayong mag-appeal sa Supreme Court kung may pahabol pa kayong petitions for reconsideration.

  14. make our english as bad as that of the stinkaporeans and you think it will help us catch up? GRP might want to try thinking for a change. still early in 2016 for that.

  15. zaxx,

    All I can say is, ‘Fuck the Colonial and Crab Philippine culture, especially its arrogant and selfish people, whose use of the Taglish language is just a cheesy attempt of trying to appear regal and world class.’ In the eyes of the world, we are still ‘Fliptards’ (Filipino Retards) who are unable to fall in line as one people, to save our own country and one another from complete annihilation.

    Aeta

  16. Prescriptive grammar has spread linguistic insecurity like a plague among English speakers for centuries, numbs us to the aesthetic richness of non-standard speech, and distracts us from attending to genuine issues of linguistic style in writing.

  17. Pang-ilang president ng Philippines si Du30? Ans: the 16th.

    Another reason my Modern Filipino is needed at times. Many can’t even translate such a simple sentence into straight English.

    “How manyeth President?” Try harder

    1. Hi Zaxx, here are some suggestions I got from my colleagues here in the office, they all sounded weird, haha.

      – From the first president of the philippines, how many successions of presidents to DU30?

      – In the order of when a person became the President of the Philippines, DU30’s ascension as one is what?

    2. Well that’s a mouthful. Filipinos just need ONE word: “pang-ilan”!

      hhhmmm… I think I’m already smelling some superior Pinoy Jollibee pride chicken.

  18. …i accept the fact of taglish having become tphe de facto lingua franca in everyday speech among urbanized filipinos, as it is outside of my control; but i shall forever desist from needlessly diluting my native tongue – as it most uniquely represents my filipino heritage – with a foreign one

  19. Fact: If any person uses the English language, it means he or she passed the litmus test of proof of having full or part ethnic English ancestry.

    Fact: If any person uses the Tangalog language, it means he or she passed the litmus test of proof of having full or part ethnic Tangalog ancestry.

    Fact: If any person uses the Taglish language, it means he or she passed the litmus test of proof of having miscegenated ethnic Tangalog and ethnic English ancestry.

  20. It is not so different from what happened in England after 1066 when “pure” Anglo-Saxon started absorbing Norman vocabulary. I am sure that in the years following, the people of England objected to their pure Anglo-Saxon being polluted by foreign Norman words. But that is how modern English was born. In a way, we are just like the English in the 1200s.

  21. Mixing both Tagalog and English words in the same sentence is sounds fine, as in the example you gave. “Nagcrash yung bus dahil mahilig magtext yung driver habang nagdadrive.” but mixing sentences, like you did in this article and like many politicians do when giving interviews, sounds like you are either being sloppy (you change when you don’t know how to express yourself in English) or like you are being condescending (like you are showing off your English skills, but you know you need to say something in Tagalog every few sentences so your listeners can follow what you are trying to say). either way, it sounds bad.

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