There is really no English equivalence for words like "tampo", "pikon" and "lambing" nor is there a direct Filipino translation for mathematical terms and instructions, like "Multiply the square root of 256 divided by 7". Some cultures have an evolved language, which enables them to conduct their sciences and maths classes in their mother tongue, while others don't. In Gng. De Vera's class back in 1989, and if I recall correctly, the very first sentence I read in a dreary looking textbook was:
The essay concludes with:
"Ang wika ay salamin ng buhay, kultura at tao."
It simply means: "Language is a mirror of life, culture and its people."
People must think I was one eager student back in the day. On the contrary, I was one of those perennially drawing flip-type cartoons of tiny cars and jeeps across the borders of her textbooks instead of doing more intelligent things. However, there were several lucid moments that, in retrospect, probably changed my life. One of the pieces that affected my appreciation of language was an essay by Bienvenido Lumbera called "Taglish: Hanggang Saan?", an assigned reading in a class called Philippine Contemporary Literature. He begins with:
"May nagtatanong kung ang paggamit ng Taglish sa kolum na ito ay recognition on my part na tinatanggap kong maaaring gawing basis ng wikang “Filipino” ang Taglish. Ngayon pa man ay nililinaw ko nang hindi lengguwahe ang Taglish. Ito ay isa lamang convenient vehicle para maabot sa kasalukuyan ang isang articulate sector ng ating lipunan na unti-unting nagsisikap gumamit ng Pilipino."
The essay concludes with:
If, indeed, language does mirror culture, what does Taglish say about today's level of proficiency?"Maliit pa rin ang audience na nakauunawa sa Taglish pagkat nagdedemand ito ng adequate control of English. Magbalik sa English. O tuluyang lumipat sa Pilipino. Ito ang alternatives para sa Taglish users ngayon na hangad pa ring magpatuloy sa pagsusulat."
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