Language: Filipino
I am a child of Filipino immigrants. Although I never attempted nor was I forced to learn how to speak my parents' language, I am able to understand most words, and I can speak “Tag-lish.” The Filipino language includes many idioms, and the writing system is actually quite fascinating.
One of the two national languages of the Philippines is Filipino. Filipino is the standardized form of Tagalog, the predominant dialect in the Philippines. The Tagalog dialect had to be standardized because unlike in the United States, where everyone speaks the same language, English, there are so many different dialects in the Philippines because it is a 7,500-island archipelago with people all speaking different dialects.
According to the World Atlas, Filipino is the fifth most spoken language in America, and because of this, some English words are derived from the Filipino language. An example of this is "boondocks,” derived from bundok, a Filipino word for mountain. In addition, some Filipino words have been added to the Oxford English dictionary. Some of these include balikbayan, which is a Filipino returning to the Philippines after a period of living in another country; baon, which is money, food or other things brought to work or school; and barkada, which is a group of friends. Growing up, I frequently heard these words, and over time, they naturally became a part of my conversations at home. So, my mom would say, "What do you want for baon tomorrow?" to ask what I want to bring for lunch in school.
The grammar of Filipino is very interesting. In Filipino, there is the use of both gender-neutral nouns and gender-specific nouns. It uses gender-neutral nouns and pronouns, like sya to describe either he or she, and pamangkin because there is not a word for niece or nephew. Similarly, since there isn’t a word for younger sister nor younger brother, the word kapatid, which means sibling, is used. Also, there are gender-specific words like kuya (older brother) or ate (older sister). Filipino nouns also do not have a plural form because the same word is used regardless of the number of items referred to. Words like anak can be used to denote a child or children, and babae can be used to say a woman or women. Plurality in nouns is expressed by attaching the word mga (pronounced "ma-nga"). Pronouns, however, have both singular and plural forms like sya means he or she, and sila means they.
The final thing that fascinates me about the Filipino language is its idioms and expressions. Most Filipino expressions that do not have literal English translations but are a part of Filipino conversation. There are phrases where there is no exact meaning, but they denote something. For example, “Bahala ka” means "it's up to you," and one can infer that someone is saying that they don’t care about what is going to happen next. The expression “Hay naku!” shows that the speaker is annoyed or exasperated about something. Many Filipinos say “Oh my gulay,” which literally translates to “oh my vegetables,” but it is used to say “oh my God.” Another idiom is makati ang paa, which literally means “itchy feet” but is used to describe someone who is fond of traveling.
Like any language, the Filipino language continues to change and, hopefully, as Filipinos continue to migrate to different countries, the language will become more well-known and understood. As for me, I am proud that I can explore and eventually learn this language.
Gascon is a high school junior from Livingston, NJ.
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