Culture and Language

[Dave Hounddriver]

Most of our filipina wives and/or girlfriends speak or write English well.  IMHO it is because they want to be around English speaking foreigners and thus have to learn the language.

The more I am with my lady, the better we understand each other, except recently.  Currently she is spending half her time with her family in her home town so she can operate her business.  The other half of the time she is here with me.  While she is home she talks the local dialect exclusively and that means her English turns to gibberish in no time at all.  It is frustrating.  After being home for a week we will be able to communicate again but here:  Try and figure out this conversation.

Quote

 

She (sending me a message)  No vote kick out here..

Me:  What do you mean?  No cash kickback this election?

She:  If I'm not gonna vote for the person they want to win we are kick out.

Me  I do not understand.  Can you explain that better?  I am interested but it does not make sense to me.

She:  The brgy election was too useless we are told and forced us to vote the person they want to be in the position,if we won't vote for them we are kick out from this place

Me:  Do you mean you are kicked out from the place where you rent your store?

She:  I can't be kicked out if I'm going to vote for them

Me:  So you have to vote for who they tell you to vote for or you will be in trouble, right?

She:  Just hard coz my mom is watcher on other side they want my mom to back out,if mom back out the other side get mad ,

 

Here's my understanding of it.  Caution:  A bit of a rant. 

So much for fair and democratic voting in Philippines.  That's real life, folks.  And the truth is, I'm happy they have convinced her to maintain the status quo.  Her brother wanted to be elected for the other side and her mother is promoting the other side and my lady does not seem to understand the very real dangers of getting involved in politics here.  Plus she has a business to run and she needs to be on the winning side.  But these ladies can be stubborn.  Funny thing is, if all the women in the family push her brother to go for it and try and get elected it is the brother who will be shot, not the women.  Dumb shits is all I can say.  She is attracting negative attention from those in power, she is not going to get her "vote payment" and she is going to end up with a rift between her and her family.  For what?  They are not going to change anything in some hill barangay back in the bukid.

Rant done.

[Old55]

We joke smirk and roll our eyes. But sometimes don't realize this is serious business for our family members living there.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

A few days ago I saw 2 kids hiding hiding behind a gate with bamboo "guns". I asked if they were playing politics... they laughed and said yes.  I am pretty sure they were not - but they found it funny enough to agree with.

Problem is that it ain't no joke here.  I would never want to get mixed up in the crazy, and deadly, politics here.

[JJReyes]

Filipinos speak Philippine English. It is spoken as a 2nd or possibly 3rd language. During periods away from English speakers, they will revert back to their first language. Give them time.  

Whenever I am back in the Philippines after a prolonged absence, I am unable to speak in Tagalog. This is called, "tongue tied." After a while, I might say words, phrases, sentences, and eventually converse. 

Let's do the reverse. Stay in the Philippines for five years. Return home for a visit. You may encounter difficulties during the first few days. The reason is languages are continually evolving. In addition, while living in the Philippines, you are probably using academic English (what you learned in school) rather than street English (what you speak outside of school).