Lost In Translation

[manofthecoldland]

   I'm a firm believer in making, at least a modicum of, an effort to adapt to local languages and cultures that you are living in.

   But, its a heck-of-a-lot more difficult here in the Philippines due to the varieties of languages and dialects in local use. 

   My wife didn't want to go to a vacation resort I picked out on an adjoining, on-island, province because.... "they speak a differnt dialect". 

   Well, we didn't go to that actual province, but we went to a place close enough to the border that she noted that the locals all "put 'r's' into many of the Illongo (Hilagayon) words. We were on a linguistic borderline where things merged apparently. She adapted and started using the extra 'r's' and was proud of it, since she prides herself on linguistic ability.

   The true problem for me is the fact that there are so many 'short-cuts', that even if you understand basic words, leave you at a loss.

   Example: One day the wife is gone shopping and I am home alone. Outside my isolated house I hear a peddlar call out.... "Daaa....daaa".  I go downstairs and take a look. He has a bucket of fish for sale.

I tell him 'No thank you' in Tag.

   Later when the wife comes home I ask her about it. She tells me that he's just using the second syllable of 'isda'.... 'fish' (I knew the full word), that all the locals know means 'fish'.  Fine. He uses a linguistic abbreviation. I get it. No problem. "Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs" is full of such constructs.

   Then the other day we're walking through the neighborhood enroute to my Sunday beers with local ex-pats and young fellow with a styrafoam is calling out..... "Deee.... Deeee". 

   "What's he selling?" I ask her.

    "Iced candy", she tells me. I know iced candy because my wife makes it for her nephews to sell.

   Apparently the local lingo just drops the 'can' from 'candy' (in English of course) and uses the local short-cut of the last syllable. 

   Its not easy, guys, even when you make the effort. :1 (103):

[Gratefuled]

Manofthecold, I gave up long ago. I don't even try anymore. I have a hard enough time understanding my wife when she speaks English. She has a heavy Visayan accent and it drives me up the wall. I often have to guess wtf she said. I have hearing loss as it is and have a hard time understanding people speaking English if there are more than one, like a group conversation. 

I know a few terms in Visayan but not nice things. I use them on strangers and get a laugh from them. One of them is " mali banko". 

I tell the taxi driver, "para para mali banko". It means, "stop stop I have to shyt".  That's just one. Another one translates," Who farted?"

[lyno 47]

I gave up also, the nearest I can figure out is that here in Cebu they speak visayan  some tagalog  throw in the Spanish and if they don't know the exact word they throw in English  or just say kuhan,like I am supposed to know what  that means.

the best of luck to anyone who tries to work out what they are saying.

[chris49]

Jeepney and bus conductors around Manila.

 

Bow bow bow.....means Cubao.....and they will shout that.

 

Apo**,,,,apo....apo.....Quiapo...

 

 

**Apo....also Iliocano for God,,,,can be confusing as hell.

[sonjack2847]

The dialect around here changes if you go over the bridge going out  of here so itis difficult for anybody to learn a language when that is the case.

[Old55]

Frankly I think "they" must be just messing with you guys.

[mogo51]

I can relate to this topic.  My SO has a degree in English and there are times when I do not understand some words she says, but overall

communication between us is excellent and I am amazed how she wants to improve her knowledge of the west.

But hearing problems, that is another thing, I have the same problem, as I know my friend Chris has also.  Am about to get a set of

hearing aids when I go back to Oz in 4 weeks.

My wife insists on talking to me whilst looking the other way frustrating.  I remind her and she is good for at least 10 minutes!!

[Gratefuled]

On 2 March 2016 at 8:33 AM, mogo51 said:

I can relate to this topic.  My SO has a degree in English and there are times when I do not understand some words she says, but overall

communication between us is excellent and I am amazed how she wants to improve her knowledge of the west.

But hearing problems, that is another thing, I have the same problem, as I know my friend Chris has also.  Am about to get a set of

hearing aids when I go back to Oz in 4 weeks.

My wife insists on talking to me whilst looking the other way frustrating.  I remind her and she is good for at least 10 minutes!!

My problem also. I have slight hearing loss and I know that I need a hearing aid but I refuse. I have no trouble one on one conversation. My problem is the same as yours with spouse. Her accent and pronunciation of words plus turning the other way when speaking to me. I get tired of asking her "WHAT?" 

[mogo51]

2 hours ago, Gratefuled said:

My problem also. I have slight hearing loss and I know that I need a hearing aid but I refuse. I have no trouble one on one conversation. My problem is the same as yours with spouse. Her accent and pronunciation of words plus turning the other way when speaking to me. I get tired of asking her "WHAT?" 

It is still better than some of the conversations I had with previous wives, I know which one I would rather be saying 'what' to.  My life is so much more peaceful with my SO.

[robert k]

On ‎3‎/‎1‎/‎2016 at 6:07 PM, Old55 said:

Frankly I think "they" must be just messing with you guys.

It goes both ways. I had a friend whose wife had excellent English skills and we started speaking "pig"latin in front if her. That would be Igpay Atinlay.