Bianca Writes From Massachusetts

Dear Grammar Project,

I'm a doctor from the Philippines and I'm here now in Massachusetts, trying my luck at getting a residency over here. I just wanted to share my thoughts about grammar and the medical field. Truly, one becomes a good doctor by being highly skilled and knowledgable about diseases and their treatment. Most of the time, English profiency (as well as Filipino proficiency) takes the backseat amidst all the things we already need to study. Somehow, even if your doctor has horrible grammar, if he treats you and you get well, who cares, right?

However, I've come to notice that having good grammar, speech skills and English proficiency are a definite plus in our field. When you have command of your language, you can easily explain all the medical mumbo-jumbo in layman's terms without missing a beat. It gives a doctor a definite edge if he or she can speak confidently in any given language.

From experience, I'm lucky to have been brought up in a bilingual household. I spoke purely in English until I went to grade school where I was exposed to Filipino. I believe I picked up quite well. Having mastery of these two languages helped me a lot during my med school years, especially when it came to dealing with patients. In my 4th year, we were exposed to the charity patients at UST who spoke only Tagalog. It was a struggle at first, explaining everything in Tagalog, but since I had a good background, I eased into it quickly. When I got to Makati Medical Center, most of the patients spoke in English and speaking the same language and speaking it well built rapport between myself and the patients quite rapidly.

When I got to the U.S. though, I silently thanked my parents and schools for teaching me good grammar. My accent is what you would call "neutralized" as I have a weird habit of picking up the accents of the people around me.

The last test of the US Medical Licensure Exam is a practical exam. There are twelve separate rooms with patients in them. Basically, we interview, examine and diagnose each patient in fifteen minutes. This is when my grammar and English skills were crucial, and it definitely made me a lot more confident when I was taking it. There were a couple of doctors of varied Asian and Middle Eastern origins also taking the exam, and I could see them struggling with their English. My seatmate, who was from the U.S., commented on how good my English was and that I didn't have an "Asian' accent.

As a whole, in medicine, content is really more important than grammar and language proficiency. However, in a place where your demographic is mostly English-speakers, proficiency and grammar are essential. It helps to build a doctor-patient relationship and it eventually leads to your patients trusting you more because they feel you're on their side.

Thanks a lot and I hope you guys at Grammar Project get more support because what you're doing is great!

-Bianca, M.D.

Passive Sentences and Diplomacy

This week's topic in Real Grammar class clarified the confusion surrounding the proper use of active and passive sentences. Hearing these terms can sometimes remind people of "yucky memories of school", as my friend so aptly puts it.

But if one knows how to maximize the use of the active and the passive voice, it can be as effective as being diplomatic with an erring company, or keeping your relationship free from stress.

Here are a few examples.

Active: Your office gave me a mobile phone that doesn't work.
Passive: A mobile phone was given to me by your office.

Active: You left the garbage bag sitting in the kitchen all night.
Passive: The garbage bag has been left sitting in the kitchen all night.

Active: Our school canceled classes due to H1N1.
Passive: Classes were canceled by our school due to H1N1.

Active: Krissy baked those biscuits last night.
Passive: Those biscuits were baked by Krissy last night.

Notice how the object of the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence.


There are many technical explanations why a person should or should not use the passive voice. Check out "English With Jennifer", a very thorough video that explains all the reasons for its purpose:



Based on my own observation, passive helps immensely when you want to be indirect to avoid confrontation, lessen the emotional impact of what you wish to convey and/or distance yourself from accountability for your statement. Of course there are occasions where you shouldn't beat around the bush and must go straight to the point and be direct, making the active voice appropriate. In my opinion, the idea of the active and passive sentences also gives writers and speakers an alternative for their technique in stringing words together.

Wife to husband, scenario 1:

"You did not pay the bills on time. How can you overlook this?"

Wife to husband, scenario 2:

"The bills have not been paid on time (wife's thought bubble: '...by you'). How can this be overlooked (wife's thought bubble: '...by you')?"

Diplomacy could save the day.

Word Check: "Watch Out" For The Announcement

A friend asked if it is appropriate to say "Watch out for the announcement" as it applies to people standing by for a concert, as opposed to "Watch for the announcement".

I was briefly stumped as I obsessed my own usage of the phrasal verb and decided to open http://www.dictionary.com/. The entries are as follows:

watch (wŏch) v.

1. To look or observe attentively or carefully; be closely observant: watching for trail markers.

2. To look and wait expectantly or in anticipation: watch for an opportunity.

3. To stay alert as a devotional or religious exercise; keep vigil.
4. Phrasal Verb(s): watch out-->To be careful or on the alert; take care.

Based on these explanations, perhaps "Watch out for our concert" has become a habit, albeit an erring practice in the grammatical sense. If, on the other hand, the concert will be revolutionary, earth-shaking and the type that will create a storm amongst fans, then "watch out" could be applied because maybe it means "this is going to change things" or "this will never happen again" in music history. Also, if there is something sketchy about the concert, like the possibility of getting trampled on, then "watch out" definitely fits the bill because more often than not, "watch out" is used as a warning. However, on an ordinary basis, like giving the heads-up for a typical seminar, or updates for an event, it would simply be fine to say "Watch for some updates and visit our blog".

Thoughts?

Think About It

The World Of Baffling Educational Videos

The Amazing Grace Of My Amazing Race In Tokyo

This is one of my older blogs, posted on January 24, 2008:

Six months ago, I boarded a plane alone for a business trip.

No mom to fill out my disembarkation forms, no friend to lead the way to the gates.

It was more stressful for mom, who thought her daughter to be clueless with a whacked sense of direction. It peeves her that I get lost around the malls of Glorietta and Megamall. What more when her daughter flies off to a country where she had no contact person, where the average Philippine mobile phones won’t work and a place that barely speaks English --- like Japan?

Mom said it felt like sending me off to my first day at kindergarten all over again.

I was surprised that all throughout the plane ride, I didn’t have anxiety attacks as I did as child. I was completely calm. I was at peace with my purpose and actions. As I arrived Narita airport, a floodgate of memories were rammed open. It was my third time to step into Japan ---but the first time as an adult.

Alone.

Initially, I was frightened and overwhelmed by the idea of going all by myself for an ocular of a high-end design trade fair. But when my visa was granted on a last minute application in just two days, I knew I was meant to leave. I must admit I had my pre-conceived realities of the culture in the land of the rising sun being very serious, formal and rather impersonal.

But as I made that decision to leave, all I had aside from my check-in luggage and my laptop was a staunch heart filled with nothing but courage. I chose to challenge my wits, for the global success of our company and the team players who rally behind each other. That saying, “No guts, no glory” and the theme of Rocky IV snowy-mountain scene were playing in my head all throughout my flight.

Going to the venue of the trade fair was a sight to behold --- it looked like a gargantuan space ship that landed by the bay of Tokyo. The three-minute windy and chilly walk to the fair was accompanied by a brisk sea of black-suited men and women. It was overwhelming, I kid you not. Filled with exhibitors from across the planet, it was slightly intimidating at first as I saw names like Minotti, Disney, and other big names in the design industry. After I let that feeling pass, I felt honored to relish in the presence of fantastic and leading talents from all over. It was inspiring.

It was amazing.

It took me two days to finish going through all 600 booths. I was left with one and a half days to trot around the city. And gallop at full speed I did.

My hotel was located at the border of Tokyo --- meaning it was far from the action of the city. The next hurdle for me to overcome was riding the subway and the monorail. Now see, the only form of commute I do here, aside from driving my own car in Manila, is riding cabs which take me directly where I want to go.

The concierge handed me two maps --- a city map and a subway map. The latter looked like psychedelic noodles printed onto a sheet of paper. The city is mounted on an underground system of moving carriages. My vision blurred for a split-second with all the colors and the symbols and numbers suddenly fusing together. I was terrified all over again. The concierge, Sato and Tanaka, whom I spoke with over the phone, made me a step-by-step instruction and an itinerary to boot ready the next day.


The morning I was supposed to board my first subway by myself, I procrastinated. I sat on the bench for a good thirty minutes just watching the people hurriedly go in and out of the underground cars. Finally, I got tired of delaying so I just ran right in before the doors closed behind me. Let me tell you this --- I never had so much fun by myself in such a long time. It was so easy to follow the maps as the color of the lines on the map matched the colors of the actual signs of the stations. It was a no-brainer even for a greenhorn traveler such as myself. What I also got from the rides of my life was the chance to encounter many people in the process of getting lost.

100% of all the people I asked:
1. stopped what they were doing to listen to me talk in English
2. gave me instructions in Japanese plus lots of body language, and
3. changed their minds and said, “Ah! Come. I take you there!.”

It was totally unexpected.

I always thought they would be annoyed at some foreigner getting lost and interrupting their routine and harried pace. But I loved the fact that they smiled when I approached them as I said, “Sumimasen (Excuse me)”. As they gave me directions, they looked actually happy to have a surprise conversation --- from well-dressed businessmen reading the daily, to subway attendants signaling the train to leave, to policemen watching the people on the streets, to drugstore clerks, to old ladies punching in for a ticket and to students listening to their mp3’s. Most of the people I talked to folded their cell phones or laptops, left their own ticket queues and walked me to the right train platforms. And I must tell you, it isn’t a near walk.

Even elderly ladies who couldn’t speak English happily showed me how to work the ticket machines and showed me which buttons to press. I also encountered other foreigners who calmly explained whether I was on or off track. I came across this young family whose son took over the conversation and gave me very detailed instructions how to get to the Yurikamone station. His parents beamed at him.

Once during the trade fair, I set out on a dare to myself to point to a restaurant at random on a map and see if I could find my way. Needless to say, after people signaled they couldn’t understand me, or didn’t know the resto, I got lost and was way off track. I found myself in a rather deserted corridor that led to a taxi and bus stand. No diners in that area. Mind you, eating in Japan could be a surprise unto itself because I couldn’t fully understand what my meal was about.. I never perfectly knew what to expect because pictures weren’t always available.

At that point, my feet were aching mad in my high heels. I wanted to call it quits and just go to the common areas where all the diners were. Then I saw a tall, well-dressed man (actually, they’re all well-dressed!) with his laptop trying to do wi-fi on the stairs. I took another chance, as I wearily said, “Sumimasen. Do you speak English?”

Not only did Shibata speak English, he was also one of Japan’s government volunteers sent to the Philippines in 1991 to help in the Mt. Pinatubo disaster. He regularly shuttles in and out of the country to help in trade relations between our country and his. He not only gave me instructions, but he stopped doing his email, shut his laptop and brought me all the way to that resto I randomly chose.

During my trip, I also made it a point to observe universal kindness.

As an old man in tattered pants hobbled into the subway, I noticed from my peripheral that something fell off his pocket on the platform --- his weathered wallet. The woman behind him saw my alarmed face through the window and saw the wallet --- she picked it up and ran all the way in the subway to catch the man to hand it back and left without expecting a word.

One time I asked a middle-aged lady with her octogenarian-looking mom about the train to Ueno. She gave me some instructions strictly in Nihonggo. I gathered the meaning, and headed to where she was pointing. Then she chased after me. I realized she gave me the wrong instructions. Both mother and daughter started to give me directions at the same time in a language that sounded to me like nothing but melodies. I started to laugh at my own helplessness, as I said “Wakarimasen (I don’t understand)”. She kept repeating, “Ichi! Ichi!” I knew ichi means one, but I thought --- one what?” She signaled to stay by her side. When the train doors opened, she crossed her arms to form an X and said “I-ye” which means “no.” That was when I realized she meant, “Wait for one more train”. When I boarded the train amidst the sea of exiting commuters, I saw her look around and as she spotted me, she gave a nod of approval, and an OK sign.

On a deserted station after 7 hours of racing through the streets and Asakusa temple to the glittery world of techie Akihabara, I just wanted to get home. I had no one to ask except for this lone pretty teenager who couldn’t speak English. I just said, “Train to Ariake?” She signaled that she wasn’t sure. When she saw my distress, she made a gesture to wait, as she rushed into the open doors of the sub. I saw here look at the route posted on the wall, then she looked at me to hurry inside and motioned that it was the correct car. Then she hopped out and the train doors closed and whooshed towards Ariake before I could fully say thank you.

I only had 36 hours, including 14 hours of sleeping, to cover three areas --- the shrines of Asakusa, gadget wonderland of Akihabara and wacky Shibuya near Harajuku. It was no easy feat for the feet as I was billeted 45 minutes away from everything by subway and monorails and I also allocated 30 minutes of “lost” time per way.

In my total of 96 hours spent in the land of sushi and Tokyo street-fashion --- I experienced a tremendous level of hospitality and warmth not commonly known to many, from people whose names I’ll never know.

Most of all, I experienced the human yearning to reach out and connect --- regardless of words, regardless of language.

My own, and those of others.

At this point, I felt I had stumbled upon a very, very good secret.

Truly amazing.

First Week

Grammar Project's first week was all about good vibes and fantastic chemistry, a pool of people dedicated to constant change. All of them felt that they needed something to crank up their skills a notch higher as they go about their ministries, business transactions or PTA conferences.


Years ago, we would have our ritual culinary escapades after each class. It was heart-warming to come together over great conversation and delectably healthy food! But it was even more fulfilling to have former students support your endeavors after merely getting wind of this blog through Facebook or finding out from other friends' pages as well.

Although, it can't be predicted that I will be 100% successful with students on all occasions, what I've learned is there is a strong connection and compatibility between teacher's style and sensitivity towards student's capacity and goals. I try to go to great lengths to analyze the students' individual comprehension technique and use this as leverage for a person's productivity.

What I've realized as well is that efforts pay off as students are much more discerning than most schools give them credit for, especially if they know what they want to achieve. I am very, very grateful that students appreciate the sincerity and the value of the ideas and insights shared in class (well, I'm hoping they do!) :-)

Say: "Bolognese"

"What is the correct pronunciation of the pasta dish: bolo-neez or bolo-ne-se?"

A student wasn't sure if she should pronounce the third syllable the way one would with "cheese", or to read aloud every syllable of the word. I've been pronouncing it as bolo-ne-se. So for my peace of mind, I checked www.dictionary.com and was reminded that the dish's name has its origins from the city north of Italy: Bologna (bo-lohn-yuh). Why I never bothered pronouncing bolognese with the "nye" sound but pronounce Bologna as bo-lohn-YUH is beyond me. For added measure, I also consulted my friend who was a Chicago-based chef. She said it is typical to say bo-lo-NEEZ in America, but pronounced as bo-lo-NYE-se in its Italian form.

And what exactly is alla bolognese? It's simply a sauce made of meats stewed in tomato sauce for hours.

What Are You Sinking About?

Uh oh.

I wonder if this accounts for many accidents...

My Response To Brian

Hi Brian,

I'm happy that this blog somewhat brightens your day. The questions you posted in your letter are ones that I usually skirt around as discussing accents can be such a delicate issue.

Before I digress, let's define some parameters:
Inflection usually refers to the way your pitch or tone changes and the way you modulate your voice.
Intonation, however, is like the pattern of music and melody in your speech. It is that which distinguishes people of different cultures. Every culture has one. And even communities within English-speaking countries would have their variations as well.
Accent, on the other hand, can refer to the prominence of a syllable within the word (e.g. SPI-ri-tual vs. spi-RI-tu-AL), or it can also pertain to vowel quality (e.g. She bit me in tennis vs. She beat me in tennis). Generally, the word accent can also refer to the combination of pronunciation, intonation, sentence stress and manner of emphasis.

I don't believe Filipinos have that one particular "accent" as we are a people who speak around 170 dialects across the islands. Depending on one's roots and the people who surround you, it should come as no surprise that origins and surroundings provide the foundation of one's manner of speech. Perhaps the people you encounter are referring to the fact that you are devoid of an accent. Neutralized sounds, so to speak.

Language is a skill that is either imbibed or learned. There are people who consciously learn accents because their jobs call for it. However, it will be contrived. As Allan mentioned in his own comments, it "sounds fake" most of the time. Since you are now living in the States, how your accent changes is completely up to you. Some people can live in one place for 20 years and never learn the new home's language nor imbibe the prevailing accents. But some people move to a foreign place for 3 months and quickly assimilate using a fragmented new language.

I was once coming home from Tokyo and was standing in line waiting to get my passport stamped at NAIA. There was a Filipina holding a blue passport who tried to be discreet as she squeezed herself in the middle of the queue and made exaggerated motions of fanning herself. She had very flawed grammar but a funny-sounding American accent as she said, "Oh my gad. I habent bin to da Pilipeens since ten yearz. Iz so mainit ha. Naku, hindee nakow marunowng mag-Tagelowg." I'm almost certain I gave her a look. This woman had just insulted the language she claimed she no longer knew and, at the same time, offended the language she advertised was now hers.

My advise for you, Brian: I'm guessing you were raised to be bi-lingual, and probably even multi-lingual depending if you speak dialects. So please, by all means, uphold our tradition but master both the words of our motherland along with your acquired language. Be highly proficient in both and do English and Filipino justice by respecting their inherent rules of articulation.

In case I missed out on something, let me know.


All the best,

C.B.

Brian Writes From New York City

Dear Grammar Project,

My friends from grad school have told me that they like my accent very much, not as sing-song as those from other cultures, with very good intonation and inflection (I am not sure what those exactly mean, really). In any case, I get the same thing from front desk people or receptionists when I call for dental appointments. Some even try to guess where I am from. Most would guess incorrectly, except those who would have a lot of Filipino friends.

So my question is, what would be the advantages and disadvantages of having a Filipino accent? Also, is it a good idea to take on the accent of the place where I am at? Or
should I try to neutralize mine so I am more understandable in more places? Is that even possible?

Thank God that coming from the Philippines will mean an easier time to catch on with how other cultures speak and talk. I recall from years ago, after just a few days of staying in Sydney, napapa 'mate' na rin ako. Hahahah. So please, any advice on this would really be helpful.

Maraming salamat po at more power sa inyo pong blog.

Sincerely,

Brian, NYC

P.S. I really like the contents and articles on your blog. I visit it everyday and I thoroughly enjoy reading through the anecdotes and learning devices. Thank you and more power to you and your endeavors.

Comments on PJ's Thoughts

Allan reacts to a previous post from PJ:

"I agree. Correct grammar takes priority. Never mind accent. In my opinion, trying to speak with an American accent only tells American clients that they are talking to someone outside their country. It's obvious, it sounds fake and it is not needed.

I've been asked in the past to teach "American accent" to call center trainees. I refused unequivocally despite the "raket" rates. I said that it's impossible and unnecessary. For one, I am not an American; I could put on a cosmetic accent but it's going to be contrived and fake still. Learning correct grammar is hard enough at a late stage. And in order to learn a foreign accent, one must first pronounce properly, then "act" your desired accent. The only real way to learn an accent is maximum exposure, meaning you immerse yourself in the country of that language and accent you want to acquire.

I've spoken to many English speaking foreigners and most of them have said that they find the way we speak to be good because our English is devoid of accents. Some problems arise however when they encounter those with regional accents. But that should not matter. With all due respect to the Ilocanos for example, they have a unique accent when speaking English but mind you, they also have very good grammar. That opens the avenue for easier communication. Accent can be overcome the same way we learn to understand the British or the Australians when we speak to them for the first time. Bottom line still, GRAMMAR TAKES PRIORITY."

The State Of Philippine Education

What can be done?

Erring teachers, questionable textbook accuracy and content, spiraling statistics in proficiency --- we need a miracle.

Students Believe That Learning Is A Journey

Today began the Grammar Project. Adults busy juggling career and family life came together and said one thing: "No matter how old we are, we need to learn. Learning is neverending." I commend them for being determined enough to create opportunities to uplift their lives.

It reminds me of something my friend Mitzi forwarded. It's a video entitled, "Learn To Change, Change To Learn."

It's all about welcoming new things with open arms. It's all about creativity.

Thoughts From Inez

Some thoughts from Inez:

"I read somewhere that our dialect development is tied with our geography. Since our country is an archipelago and we have so many mountain passes, the tribes developed isolated from each other, allowing each to cultivate their own unique language.

Negros is a fascinating study of how geography influences language. In Negros Island, half of the island speaks Ilonggo (Negros Occidental) while the other speaks Visaya (Negros Oriental). A mountain range divides the two provinces. Each half speaks the language of the island across it. I guess the sea was easier to cross than the mountains."

Northern Phenomenon

One creative 15s by BBDO Guerrero. This echoes my thoughts about the elders I encountered in the North.

Source: PlaneFreak

Today's Amphiboly: Tea Time

For how long?

Teachers and Proficiency

It surprises me that many people still believe that the Philippines can boast of good English skills. Some articles hype our proficiency because of nurses being shipped abroad and the mushrooming BPO industry. However, statistics echo another reality.

Here is an exerpt from June 4, 2009's The Economist article, "E For English":

"Never mind the pupils, teachers have been flunking English for years. In 2004 only one in five teachers passed the English-proficiency test. The effect on pupils is plain to hear. Last year the country winced when the 17-year-old winner of the Miss Philippines World beauty contest failed spectacularly to answer in English the usual questions posed by judges in such events.

Call-centres complain that they reject nine-tenths of otherwise qualified job applicants, mostly college graduates, because of their poor command of English. This is lowering the chances that the outsourcing industry will succeed in its effort to employ close to 1m people, account for 8.5% of GDP and have 10% of the world market by the end of 2010"

This is something worth looking into, don't you think?

The Official Language?

According to the website http://www.philippine-portal.com/, the country has around 170 dialects spread across 7,100 islands. Talking about pronunciation and accents in the Philippines can be a very sensitive topic as our people are very regionalistic. Friends take pride in being Bisaya, Cebuano, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Kapampangan or whatever culture they were born into. Along with this, they take pride in the dialect that they speak. Many of them have English as their second language, and Filipino as their third.

Some students claim the only time they learned Filipino was when they moved to Manila to study. When I lived up north, many of the people I dealt with spoke either Ilocano or English, I noticed the elder residents barely spoke Filipino. Even they themselves claim there are also other people in their region they do not understand as different dialects are spoken among the numerous tribes and provinces. Students who hail from Cebu say not many of their friends are proficient in Filipino but have English as their second language. Also, many of the people who love their own dialects cannot seem to accept Filipino as their official language. For those who are not familiar with the various sounds of the Philippines, the numerous dialects vary greatly in sound, word formation, grammatical structure, intonation and pronunciation.

Could this be one of the reasons why many writers lament that the Filipino language cannot be the official language because it never really evolved through the centuries? I'd really like to take a closer look at language evolution in the Philippines from a more historical perspective.

Today's Amphiboly: Big Doctors

This gave me a visual of gigantic doctors hovering over their patients.

Back To Our Glory Years?

Here's a May 16, 2008 PhilStar article written by Michael Punongbayan:

"Pinoys Say Their English Proficiency Getting Better"

Filipinos believe they are now understanding, reading, writing, speaking and thinking English better than they did two years ago, a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed yesterday.

Latest study results show Filipinos posting an 11-percent increase in self-assessed understanding of English, a 10 percent increase in reading and a 13-percent increase in writing English.

The nationwide survey, conducted from March 30 to April 2, and which covered 1,200 respondents, also revealed a 14 percent increase in speaking English and an 11-percent increase in the way Filipinos think in English.

The April 2008 SWS survey results were presented to the media yesterday at the Tower Club Makati through the Promoting English Proficiency (PEP) project, a joint initiative of the Makati Business Club (MBC) and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ACCP). Compared to data gathered in 2006, the latest study shows notable
improvements on how Filipinos perform in both spoken and written English along with how they actually think in English.

“There was an alarming decline in English proficiency two years ago, now we have an apparent recovery,” SWS chief executive officer and president, Dr. Mahar Mangahas, said.

Past surveys showed an alarming drop in the level of self assessed English proficiency of survey respondents in all aspects of English language competence, especially in the area of actually speaking the language.

But two years after that, latest SWS data reveal an increase in the number of people using full English from 5 percent to 9 percent.

The survey likewise showed that respondents who were found to be almost not using English at all declined by 2 percent compared to 2006’s 19 percent.

Luzon and Mindanao showed greater recovery in English proficiency with a 15 to 20 percent and a 6 to 17 percent improvement in English competency, respectively.

“The problem lies in improving basic education in the Philippines. We are encouraging private sectors to spend on education,” said MBC chairman Ramon del Rosario Jr., believing that more should be done to improve Filipinos’ English proficiency.

According to him, basic education in the Philippines is still limited to ten years while other countries require 12 years.

“Problems in English are reflective of the overall problem in basic education and there are also problems not only in English but other subjects as well,” Del Rosario said.

Dr. Teresita Inciong, assistant secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) who was present during yesterday’s presentation of the SWS survey results, said the government has taken action insofar as providing training for teachers is concerned.

“Furthermore, the agency earmarked P265 million to build speech laboratories in public schools, both elementary and high school, in the country,” she reported.

Inciong added that teachers should be better selected since a child spends more time in school and educating them in these institutions is very important.

The SWS study results attributed the improvement in the English proficiency of Filipinos to greater awareness of the language, market-driven factors, and dependency on the Internet. “The focus is more on English proficiency since jobs(that are) more feasible need applicants who are good in English,” former DepEd Secretary Dr. Edilberto de Jesus said.

“Instead of dubbing original English programs in Filipino, the media should instead use subtitles in Filipino,” he said.

Despite the improvement in the way Filipinos understand speak, write, read, and think in English, officials and speakers who bared the latest SWS study results agreed that a sustained effort is needed to improve English proficiency in the country and bring the same back to its level in the ’60s to the ’80s.

“There is no room for complacency. There is so much work to be done,” De Jesus said. – With Helen Flores, Aedrianne Acar and Valerie Alonzo

Today's Amphiboly

This was a sign found outside a second-hand shop.

No, it is not the study of amphibians.

Amphibolies refer to ambiguity of speech due to grammar structure. It could be due to the alteration of the typical order and choice of words, or simply a misplacement of a punctuation mark. Stuff like these are what people like Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien read aloud at the start of their shows. Also, these are found in emails that are usually labelled "funny signs."

I would like to thank Allan for sending me his amphiboly collection which I will be sharing on the this blog :-)

One Grammar Quiz For A Rainy Day

Don't be a chicken :-)

Click on the picture and take a grammar quiz.

Can Those Who Speak Teach?

I enjoy learning languages. Albeit Spanish was spoken by my grandmother, her sisters and my mother, it was never really directly taught to us. The Tres Marias (my lola and her spinster sisters) tried to make it their "secret language" when they didnt't want me or my cousins to know what they were discussing. I guess that was how I started learning how to decode language from context. That combined with Sesame Street worked wonders! :-)

In college, Senor Prado simply ordered us around in Spanish from day one and it was really a matter of "sink or swim". In Alliance Francaise, introductions and explanations were all done in French. In both classes, questions in English were never entertained. We merely adapted. The teachers were very passionate about the language they taught and neither tolerated mediocrity from students. What I appreciated most about them was their ability to inculcate and draw the language out of us instead of merely making us parrot things. They made us think and feel in the language. Being merely good in Spanish and French did not automatically make them good teachers. It was their gift in making us find our groove in the language that made them effective in their field.

However, when I studied Nihongo (Japanese), my classes were conducted in Tagalog. As the teacher explains the katakana and hiragana characters, he would say, "Ito naman ang hiraganang 'ka' na iba sa katakanang 'ka. Ganito ang itsura." When I clarified why he wasn't speaking to us in Nihongo, he replied, "If I speak to you in Nihongo, you will not understand anything."

That response rendered me speechless.

Things That Made Us Go "Hmmm..."

These were signs Ira saw around the city and shared with me recently.

This could easily be the effect of lousy lay-out. Whatever the reason may be, the sign gave me a visual of people coming to the restaurant holding pandan fronds claiming their free iced tea.


In this case, however, it's hard to tell if it's the arrow that's wrong, or someone wasn't sure of the corresponding words for the directions.

Think of all the faucets, speaker outlets, radio controls, gaming consoles and switches where things are labeled as L / R --- the standard letters representing left and right.

What if we came up with products using the vernacular's first letters?

Kaliwa at kanan --- K / K? I wonder.

What PJ Says

From PJ, a Creative Outsourcing professional for 5 years. He says:

"Call centers emphasize accent because they don't want their clients to know they're calling another country. While this works for the purposes of their business, accent is not nearly as important outside the call center. In my dealings with Americans, I've found that many of them have accents that are thicker and more pronounced than Filipino accents --- and nobody minds. In the business environment, more emphasis is placed on grammar and clarity of thought, and this is what Filipinos should concentrate on, no matter what language they learn!"

How Do You Stop Yourself From Laughing?

"How do you stop yourself from laughing?

This is one of the common questions I get from people I encounter when they find out that I teach the English language or ESL (English As A Second Language). People wonder how I keep myself from laughing at students' faulty grammar.

The answer?

I don't. Because I don't think it's fair for a teacher to do so nor am I even inclined to laugh when the student makes mistakes as they give it their best shot in class. I have very high regard for all my students because they are mature enough to acknowledge their imperfection and brave enough to make time and actually do something about it (assuming that they came to class voluntarily). However, if someone purporting to be an English teacher bungles it up constantly and significantly, then that's a totally different story.

Note: Awkward or confusing signs/statements are used in this blog for purposes of illustrating a point and using real examples. Fyi. :-)

When a clip of a beauty contestant made its way to my inbox over a year ago, I was shocked. Not at the person insisting on sticking to a fragmented language, but at the audience who snickered and guffawed while she continuously flashed her pearly whites. I guess it is exactly this very mentality that pushes people in our society to recoil into their comfort zones.

I believe there is no point in being in the field of education if it is considered a threat that the student can one day surpass me in all capacity. Frankly, I consider my job done when students exceed expectations --- mine and theirs.

How People Get Lost In Translation

When I was in elementary, a friend of mine told me a story of how her teacher was so irritated at her class for whining about an upcoming exam. In her frustration, she blurted:

I'm guessing the original thought was: "Kung ayaw ninyo, 'di huwag. Kung gusto ninyo, 'di gusto." I could be mistaken. Then again, this is one example of how Filipino syntax mixed with English words become one muddled sentence that is simply flawed.

And there we have it.

What Tina Says

From Tina M., HR professional for more than 20 years. She says:

"Since English is widely used in the Philippines to communicate across regions of different dialects, good grammar is important in presenting oneself in the best possible light to foster better understanding, especially when expressing something from the heart. This seems to be a cliche, but English proficiency means economic advancement. How many graduates do we have who cannot find good paying jobs because they are not proficient in English? Grammar definitely affects one's image. It shows that the person does not take himself / herself seriously enough, or does not want to exert effort to want to express himself or herself in the best possible way."

Lost In Translation and Airline Disasters

The people in my class who fully understand the impact and necessity of precision in language are those who have traveled. It is only when we experience passing through airports and hopping onto foreign territory that we realize the need to understand, and the need to be understood. Some people are patient as you figure out what to say, while others are not as accommodating.

There are certain countries that require you to speak their own language. However, it is still English that binds you (albeit temporarily) with new people as you assimilate new words and new culture.

I came across an article a few years back about Air China and JFK Control Tower, and how the two could not understand each other. To some, it was hilarious. To me, it was frightening. Listen to the conversation below:

I've been trying to scour the net for the full CNN (?) article I read before because it also cited another aviation disaster with another non-English airline. Control tower instructed in English to descend by thousands of feet. Instead, the pilot got lost in translation and went up instead of down. In doing so, the airline collided into a passing jet above and both exploded into oblivion.

What Allan Rono Says

From Allan Rono, debate teacher and educator for twenty years. He says:

"Communication is inextricable from human life. It is one big way by which we proclaim our existence as well as our ideas, both bright and idiotic. Good grammar is important because it's a channel for clear exchange of ideas. I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said that the biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place... Communication is complex enough even if we know the same language. What more if one has bad grammar?

How many times have we laughed out loud at beauty contestants struggling to sound senseless? Although almost never the individual's fault, having bad grammar raises a red flag. I openly blame elementary teachers who were too lazy or much worse, incompetent to teach proper grammar in the primary years. If good grammar is not established in the early years until about 8 years-old, or corrected till about 11 years-old, then the langauge skills at that point begin to fossilize in whatever state. Re-learning or unlearning grammar after this can only happen at the affective level.

English proficiency is important anywhere. In the Philippines, it seems to be the corporate measure of professionalism. Sadly, many in the corporate sector don't seem to have a good grasp of English. This runs the entire gamut from the ordinary employees to the bosses. However, I will not say that English is the measure of one's intelligence. We can all be intelligent in our native tongue. English provides a bridge between inter or cross-cultural relations whether it be in the business setting, the academe, or whatever cultural situation you may find yourself in."

Watch Your Head (...how?)

"I keep seeing this sign on low doorways, but I haven't figured out how to follow the instructions. Trying to watch your head is like trying to bite your teeth." --- Richard Lederer

What Jerushka Dean Says

From Jerushka Dean, a writer and editor for almost 10 years. She says:

"Good grammar is important because it's the currency of nuanced thought, accurate communication, and accurate comprehension of that which was communicated. It's pretty crucial, whatever the context is be it business or personal. Basically, if you can't say what you have to say in a way that is universally understandable (i.e. grammar as universal standard), and if you're okay with getting by just by getting your "basic message " across—"Doug hungry, want food"—then by God, pitch a tent in one of the Lascaux caves because Cro Magnon is where you belong. Basically, good grammar wouldn't be needed if all we had to relay were the bottom line, but that's never ever the case. Human communication is naturally nuanced and detailed.

You can't deny the fact that English is the major medium of exchange when it comes to the global business landscape. In fact, it's the common medium of exchange even among Filipinos. Because of the fact that we're an archipelago, we tend to be a regionalistic lot. You won't get a Cebuano to sign a contract that's in Ilonggo. It's important because it's the very first qualification people look for in the local and international job market. It's important because it's the global lingua franca."

What Kitten Perez Says

From Kitten Perez, one of Manila's seasoned Public Relations practitioners. She says:

"I think that most Filipinos think that if they just get the American accent down pat, they'll be able to speak good English. Sadly, that's what the call center and BPO industry has led us to believe. You're inititally impressed by how they sound, but not by how they construct sentences during regular conversation outside their workplace.

Practicing good grammar is important. It reflects your intelligence. If we Filipinos take pride in our own language, we should also respect the rules of foreign languages if we wish to learn them."

What Ron Says

From Ron, a communications specialist/consultant who has been working with local and foreign media for more than a decade. He says:

"The English language is an intrinsic part of our educational curriculum. True, the language is among the most complex but Filipinos don't have the excuse not to have a basic knowledge of grammar rules and diction. We study it from prep to college and it is one of our two official languages per the 1987 constitution. That the subject should always agree with the verb when we construct a simple sentence in English. It's like being expected of us to be fairly numerate, able to solve an easy arithmetic equation like 1+1.

Some language scholars argue that there is such a thing as 'Filipino English'. Fine, show me first a 'Filipino English' dictionary that is universally accepted and approved by the
international academic community then I'll rest my case. In this day and age of Pinoy diaspora and exported labor, our knowledge of and competence in the language remains our distinct, if not singular advantage over other Asian professionals/skilled workers. And whether the fierce nationalist or anti-West/anti-North in us shrieks in defiance, English has become the global lingua franca."

For The Love of Taglish

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:

"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:

"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."

If, indeed, language does mirror culture, what does Taglish say about today's level of proficiency?

Man Helps Dog Bite Victim

My friend recently shared a headline that read:

If this were true, then I'd like to know how he helped the animal.

Without that crucial, little line between two words, the statement just turned one human being into a vicious carnivore. What they intended to say was:

"Man helps dog-bite victim"

Several years ago, I had a conversation with my mom when she mentioned what I thought was a "monkey eating eagle." I was so fascinated that I said, "Wow! How big is the monkey?" I should have known she meant a "monkey-eating eagle." I obviously did not think as fast as I spoke and didn't see the hyphen in my head. Oh well. :)

Grammar and Chocolate Cake

Over dinner one time, I was sitting in a booth-seat and saw a standee perched on top of the red checkered table cloth. It said:

half-baked chicken

Unless the day's special also came with a side-serving of salmonella, I thought.

I don't know about others but I do want a fully-baked chicken. Because I couldn't resist, I pointed it out to our server and she asked for the manager. I mentioned that the way it's written makes it sound like the chicken is not cooked well. How about writing it "1/2 Baked-Chicken?" or "Half Baked-Chicken.'He studied it and took note of it then thanked me for my feedback.

Less than a minute later our server comes back with an open menu and asks what dessert I wanted. Perplexed, I told her we didn't order for one.

She smiled and said, "It's on the house. Our manager appreciates your comment which we will forward to marketing. We would like to thank you for helping us out."

I got a slice of chocolate cake.

Awesome.

:-)

For Sale

Here is part of a funny email sent to me:

A Hot Cup Of Coffee

"Here again the English language gets us in hot water. Who cares if the cup is hot? Surely we mean a cup of hot coffee"

---Richard Lederer

If One Doctor Doctors Another Doctor

This is one of those things I've been using in class just to break the ice.

Tongue twisters just never get old :-)

People of all ages, especially those who attend executive classes, always get a big kick out of this! It's really quite fun to see how corporate sessions become rather competitive while kids just like to have fun with it. Trust me, adults seem to take tongue twisters very seriously.

If you're bored at work, try saying this aloud to amuse yourself (and perhaps that other guy from the next desk who's watching you!)

FAQ: Real Grammar 1 Intermediate

Are there other schedules available?
So far, none. It shall depend on the demand and the availablity of the venue.

Who can join the class?
I am still working on the facilities for proper language diagnostics. But for purposes of knowing offhand if someone will enjoy the class, the students should be:

1. 18 years-old up. Why? Because all classes are topic-based and a more homogenous age-group is most likely to be beneficial for purposes of discussion.

2. people who can communicate daily in the written and spoken word but who occassionally confuse their verb tenses and subject verb agreement... and are actually aware of it

3. those seeking enlightenment with regard to grammar patterns, those who wish to learn the more complex tenses and apply in correct syntax (structure)

4. people who know they are not always correct and catch themselves correcting their own language (or being corrected by others)

5. those who wish to learn how to speak and think in English

Will you teach the American accent?
If you are referring to pronunciation, then the answer is no. However, internationally recognized intonation, diction, blending and inflection are part and parcel of the entire learning process and teaching methodology.

I'm too shy to make mistakes in class. Should I join?
Better to correct grammatical mistakes in class than to keep making mistakes for the rest of your life, don't you think? :-)

If you wish to know more about the program, send us a note:

mygrammarproject@gmail.com

Eats, Shoots and Leaves

I once heard of this panda joke from a friend, who said he saw it at the back of a book:


Recently, I chanced upon a copy for the first time and made a mental note to make this my next read.
It's all about the tragedy of misplaced punctuation and how its meaning can lead to something funny, or something disastrous!

Check out "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss.

Let's Try This Again

This was actually part of a front page I once saw on a local broadsheet. Things like these sometimes go unnoticed even in newspapers. The grammatical error in this example is very commmon in cultures whose native tongue's pronouns are neutral in gender.

Mike and her wife...

Mr. Cruz and her daughter...

Bernadette and his dad...

English possessive pronouns have feminine (her) or masculine (his) forms which directly agree with the subject (President GMA) it refers to.

Therefore:

President Gloria Arroyo and her husband recently attended a conference.

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