27 August 2011

Editing James Soriano

The unedited version of this article, written by a Mr. James Soriano, originally appeared in Manila Bulletin.

"Language, lLearning, iIdentity, and pPrivilege"

English is the language of learning. I’ve known this since even before I could go to school. As a toddler, my My first study materials as a toddler were a set of flash cards that my mother used to teach me the English alphabet. (A set that must have been missing a dangling modifiers card.)

My mother made home conducive to learning English: all my storybooks and coloring books were in English, and so were the cartoons I watched and the music I listened to. She required me to speak English at home. She even hired tutors to help me learn to read and write in English.

In school, I learned to think in English. We used English to learn about numbers, equations, and variables.  (Another James—Henry James—would have disapproved of the missing Oxford commas.) With it, (and again!) we learned about observation and inference, the moon and the stars, monsoons and photosynthesis. With it, we learned about shapes and colors, about meter and rhythm. I learned about God in English, and I prayed to Him in English.

Filipino, on the other hand, was always the ‘other’ subject—almost a special subject like PE or Home Economics, except that it was graded the same way as Science, Math, Religion, and English. My classmates and I used to complain about Filipino all the time. Filipino was a chore, like washing the dishes; it was not the language of learning. It was the language we used to speak to the people who washed our dishes.

We used to think that learning Filipino was important because it was practical: Filipino was the language of the world outside the classroom. It was the language of the streets: it was how you spoke to the tindera tindera (vendor) when you went to the tindahan tindahan (store), what you used to tell told your katulong katulong (maid) that whenever you had an utos utos (command), and how you texted manong manong (a hierarchal marker) when you needed “sundo na sundo na (to be picked up).”

These skills were are required to survive in the outside world, because we are forced to relate with the tinderas tinderas and the manongs manongs and the katulongs katulongs of this world. If we wanted to communicate to with these people—or otherwise avoid being mugged on in the jeepney—we needed to learn Filipino.

That being said, though Having said that, I was proud of my proficiency with in the language. Filipino was the language I used to speak with my cousins and uncles and grandparents in the province, so I never had much trouble reciting.

It was the reading and writing that was tedious and difficult. What proved to be difficult was the reading and writing. I spoke Filipino, but only when I was in a different world like the streets or the province; it did not come naturally to me. English was more natural; I read, wrote, and thought in English. And so (do not use "and so" unless you're Jonathan Franzen or David Foster Wallace), in much of the same way that I later learned German later on, I learned Filipino in terms of English with an essentially English understanding. In this This way, I survived Filipino in high school, albeit with too many sentences that had the preposition ‘ay.’ ('Ay' is not a preposition; it's a linking verb.)

It was really only in at university that I began to grasp Filipino in terms of as a language and not just dialect (do you mean) a "lingua franca." Filipino was not merely a peculiar variety of language, derived and continuously borrowing from the English and Spanish alphabets; it was its own system, with its own grammar, semantics, sounds, even symbols.

But more More significantly, it was had (or "inspired") its own way of reading, writing, and thinking. There are ideas and concepts unique to Filipino that can never be translated into another. another language: try Try translating bayanihan bayanihan, tagay tagay, kilig kilig, or diskarte diskarte.

Only recently have I begun to grasp Filipino as the language of identity: the language of emotion, experience, and even of learning. And with With this comes the realization that I do, in fact, smell worse than a malansang isda malansang isda. My own language is foreign to me: I speak, think, read and write primarily in English. To borrow the terminology of Fr. Bulatao, I am a "split-level Filipino."

But perhaps this is not so bad in a society of rotten beef and stinking fish. For while While Filipino may be the language of identity, it is still/also (just helping you out here) the language of the streets. It might may have the capacity to be the language of learning, but it is not the language of the learned. (It was the language of Jose Rizal, though—one of the twenty-two that he allegedly used.)

It is neither the language of the classroom and the laboratory nor the language of the boardroom, the court room courtroom (a compound wordthank you, Cory, for the reminder!), or the operating room. It is not the language of privilege. I may be disconnected from my being Filipino, but with a tongue of privilege I will always have my connections.

So I have my education to thank for making English my mother language.

Editor's note: I hope that your education taught you the meaning of the word "asshole", because you'll have to forgive me for being one to you. Now go ask your mother for a new set of flash cards.

188 comments:

  1. You smacked Soriano in the face real good! Kudos!

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  2. Nice one!! Wow hes from Ateneo? Now we know why he cant even write a satire:)

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  3. Soriano was owned!.PAAAK!

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  4. Salamat po for the effort. Parang ipinag edit mo ang mga nanggigigil na readers LOL.

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  5. Salamat sa pag edit nito, my first reaction was also to grab a red pen and dive into it but I believe you did it well, editor's note included :)

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  6. Though I salute you for your stellar grammar skills, I urge you to reread the article (ignore the blatant dangling modifiers this time), and see that though Mr. Soriano has chosen words that came off as arrogant and even offensive, there is some (if not a lot) truth in what he said -- Filipino IS rarely used in education.

    I think all this rage from the Internet has transformed his article into this big and overzealous commentary on how Filipino is slowly becoming a bane when it comes to education.

    Other than that, this was clever.

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    Replies
    1. I agree with Bea. I have lived almost half of my life here in the United States but continue to love and appreciate the Filipino language from when I was a child. It's a shame that it isn't used as much in formal education, although the upside is that our English allows us to be more competitive globally especially in this corporate strategy (or trend) of offshoring.

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  7. Good thing you did this po, para naman matauhan siya at maipamukha sa kanya na ang inaakala niyang gamay niya nang wika ay hindi niya pa masyadong kabisado kung paguusapan ang teknikalidad. Salamat :-)

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  8. i like the way you PWNED mr. soriano. k00L!!

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  9. Hi Bea: The problem is that his whole point banks on his ability to "think" and "write" in English. If he had "chosen words that came off as arrogant and even offensive"—well, I can't say he's the first guy I'd listen to or read when it comes to language and learning.

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  10. Good one, haha. Especially the bit about Jose Rizal.

    "Courtroom" is just one word, by the way.

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  11. Hello Corkescrews: I missed that! Thank you.

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  12. I understand. Okay, I guess I'm taking it out to the wrong person -- for the past few days, I've been watching this whole James Soriano thing grow into this huge and unnecessary debate on the Filipino language, and I was getting iffy with poorly articulated arguments.

    And I really don't want to start another one, so yeah, I'll just stop. Lol

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  13. At sabi nga ng kaibigan kong si Pau, maghanap hanap na siya ng "split-level" na bansang mag-aampon sa kanya! Nakahihiyang isipin na ang animong perpektong nilalang sa wikang Ingles ay bopols din pala sa balarila! (oh ayan, street language na). Baka mas matuto ka pa sa kalye kesa sa Unibersidad na pinagtapusan mo na walang tinuro at tinuturo kundi mahalin ang banyaga! Pwe!

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  14. First, I want to say that I do not agree with Mr. Soriano's article. I find it elitist and, if I were Filipino, I would probably consider it offensive.

    Having said that, his grammar, word choice and writing style are actually quite good. Most of the things you corrected were not wrong in the first place. For example, the general rule for punctuating a list is to put a comma between each item except the last two (which he did correctly).

    Soriano really only made two technical mistakes: First, when he described 'ay' as a preposition. It is, as you pointed out, a linking verb. And second, when he omitted the word 'language' in the 10th paragraph. Beyond that, all other "corrections" fall under the category of word choice or style. Even neglecting to put the non-English words in italics is not a violation. Just a bad choice in terms of writing for clarity.

    The truth is, while I disagree with the content of his article, I have to say that his command of English is excellent, and his writing style is top quality. The way he writes is a clear result of being raised in an environment in which good English skills were emphasized at an early age.

    Please don't be offended by my comment. That is truly not my intention.

    Michael Brown
    The American English Club

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  15. "I was proud of my proficiency with the language." You're proficient IN a language, not WITH it. <-Saw this comment somewhere. Should it be IN or is WITH ok?

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  16. I can see this Soriano is trying his best to not sound too arrogant and condescending haha.

    He thanks his education for how he SPEAKS, I wonder who deserves thanks for how he THINKS.

    He owes his connections to his LIFE of privilege and NOT his tongue.

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  17. james soriano, you got served! ^_^

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  18. Paano ito nakalusot sa editors ng Manila Bulletin? Oh well...

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  19. Being a media practioner. I am ticked off with this guy's ignorance. Our national language is so complex and compelling. He should look up Ronaldo Tinio and Bienvenido Lumbera's quest to champion our native language over the other languages of the world. Being an artist, I am insulted with his arrogance. Tagalog love songs are poetic and poignant. Filipino plays are heart wrenching and compelling. And being a La Sallite... Well let's not go there.

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  20. and this was written during the Buwan ng Wika - the nerd!!! =)

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  21. Mahusay ang ipinamalas ni G. Soriano upang sumikat sa larangan ng pagsulat. Isang pamamaraan upang maging sikat. Nakakalungkot na sa kanila ng kaniyang kakatwang paniniwala tungkol sa kaniyang pang-unawa sa wikang Filipino, marahil marami sa kaniyang sinabi ay totoo. Maaring magaling siya sa pakikipagtungali sa larangan ng debate, subalit sa pagsulat kitang kitang salat siya sa kasanayan.

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  22. Daniloman-- the nerd o the nerve? Tanong lang :)

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  23. James Soriano ikaw na talaga the best ka eh! Hope this will serve as a lesson for you.. Being arrogant and rude about others way of living is not cool. And so are you!

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  24. Alamin niyo muna kung ano ang NADSFIL bago kayo mag comment kung ano ano sa tao. Kilalanin niyo rin siya ng lubusin bago kayo mag comment.

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  25. Thank you for smacking that arrogant SOB right in the face. Cheers!

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  26. Manila Bulletin kasi. :)

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  27. First paragraph: "My first study materials as a toddler were a set of flash cards that my mother used to teach me the English alphabet" ... should be: "material" with no "s" and "was a set" not "were a set." "Set" is singular. The object is the set not the many flash cards.

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  28. Haha. Naglabasan na ang Pinoy grammar Nazis. Maybe I should be one too as I am an English teacher. However I am never as harsh on my students as some of you here have been. Focusing on his expression rather than his message means you miss the forest for the trees.

    And no, you did not pwn the original writer but the sub-editor who should have spotted most of his mistakes/awkward expressions. The other stuff you "corrercted" was unnecessary and perfectly acceptable. English is a living language and evolving. What you may have been thought as inappropriate before may be acceptable now.

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  29. this is AWESOME!!!

    A quick question, though: "What proved to be difficult was the reading and writing." Shouldn't it be "were"? Or would it be better to just change the whole thing to: "It was difficult, however, to read and write in Filipino." This way, we don't have that "to be" thingy in there.

    Sorry, I shouldn't nitpick. But really - this James Soriano dude is arrogant. Your entry made me LOL. Thank you!

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  30. guys, i dunno if this james soriano is the same james.soriano who published this article http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fjames.soriano-ph.com%2F2008%2F12%2Ffilipino-as-a-second-language%2F&h=RAQCL6VgLAQAW4DRrrKkRWj5LqhbmxRTHRdDFefvAnBld3w way back 12/2008. so noon pa tlga, naggagalaiti na xa sa Filipino language. checkitout

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  31. And the revision was only pertaining to the grammatical accuracy. Paano pa kaya pag yung mga parallelism, cohesiion, etc.? Susko, magiging "madugo" na ang page. Hehe.

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  32. Just wanted to point out that almost all responses to Mr. Soriano's article are extremely ridiculous and aimless. It seems like everybody who missed the point and context of the text jumped right into the same thing: writing fuming blog entries about the incident, adding personal touches of ignorance. No offense, Mr. Bassig, but that includes you. Grammar police like you deserve a place in elementary and high school English class, correcting kids' works, not editing someone's article on the internet just because you are an asshole. You see, if you stayed where you belong, then maybe less articles in the world would need editing, and you could finally stick to your job as a "writer". This James Soriano issue (if it even really IS an issue) needs close-reading and dissecting... not nitpicking of writing, but investigation to see WHY it was written that way and in what context it was written. Perhaps people--especially teachers, and even writers such as yourself--can learn a thing of two from Mr. Soriano. Or, you know, you can at least just read it and understand what the kid is saying. If you are to add anything to the discourse, at least try not to stray. No need to point out things irrelevant to the issue.

    It is disappointing to learn that people who claim to be "writers by profession" can actually retaliate in such a way, considering there is much, much more to talk about here. Plus if there are people who REALLY deserve to be schooled, naku, siguro mabuti nang unahin mo yung mga nagsusulat ng mga blog tungkol sa issue na 'to, at lalo na yung mga nagsusulat ng walang kwentang comments. Magpistahan na kayong mga editor.

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  33. To the person who commented about the first paragraph:

    Since the subject is "materials" (IT'S MATERIALS, NOT MATERIAL), "were" is correct. Argue with any proofreader on that and you'd be shamed right in your face.

    Some of the "corrections" in this article are just forced, some entirely wrong (seriously, you corrected what was written with an "at university"?), in an effort to make it seem as if James committed a lot of errors.. Sorry, but HE DID NOT.

    James is a debater and he has traveled the world entering and winning debates. I'm sure you can't say the same about yourself.

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  34. Hi Lady Fontina Manchego: Point taken. But Mr. Soriano published an opinion piece in a national newspaper. He ought to have realized that, surely, his opinion will be brought to public attention, and that the public will react or respond to it one way or another. Anyway, in this case, his expression is his message, and it's a faulty one.

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  35. Just wanted to point out that almost all responses to Mr. Soriano's article are extremely ridiculous and aimless. It seems like everybody who missed the point and context of the text jumped right into the same thing: writing fuming blog entries about the incident, adding personal touches of ignorance. No offense, Mr. Bassig, but that includes you. Grammar police like you deserve a place in elementary and high school English class, correcting kids' works, not editing someone's article on the internet just because you are an asshole. You see, if you stayed where you belong, then maybe less articles in the world would need editing, and you could finally stick to your job as a "writer". This James Soriano issue (if it even really IS an issue) needs close-reading and dissecting... not nitpicking of writing, but investigation to see WHY it was written that way and in what context it was written. Perhaps people--especially teachers, and even writers such as yourself--can learn a thing of two from Mr. Soriano. Or, you know, you can at least just read it and understand what the kid is saying. If you are to add anything to the discourse, at least try not to stray. No need to point out things irrelevant to the issue.

    It is disappointing to learn that people who claim to be "writers by profession" can actually retaliate in such a way, considering there is much, much more to talk about here. Plus if there are people who REALLY deserve to be schooled, naku, siguro mabuti nang unahin mo yung mga nagsusulat ng mga blog tungkol sa issue na 'to, at lalo na yung mga nagsusulat ng walang kwentang comments. Magpistahan na kayong mga editor.

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  36. And Manila Bulletin published it without editing Mr. Soriano's article. Kakaiba rin sila, noh.
    Ito namang si James Soriano, ipinagmalaki pa nya ang ingles nya. Eh, mali-mali naman ang grammar. Har har har! Saan nahuhuli ang malansang isda? Eh di sa bibig na rin nya.

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  37. No, I have not traveled the world entering and winning debates. I am Nile green with envy.

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  38. Just wanted to point out that almost all responses to Mr. Soriano's article are extremely ridiculous and aimless. It seems like everybody who missed the point and context of the text jumped right into the same thing: writing fuming blog entries about the incident, adding personal touches of ignorance. No offense, Mr. Bassig, but that includes you. Grammar police like you deserve a place in elementary and high school English class, correcting kids' works, not editing someone's article on the internet just because you are an asshole. You see, if you stayed where you belong, then maybe less articles in the world would need editing, and you could finally stick to your job as a "writer". This James Soriano issue (if it even really IS an issue) needs close-reading and dissecting... not nitpicking of writing, but investigation to see WHY it was written that way and in what context it was written. Perhaps people--especially teachers, and even writers such as yourself--can learn a thing of two from Mr. Soriano. Or, you know, you can at least just read it and understand what the kid is saying. If you are to add anything to the discourse, at least try not to stray. No need to point out things irrelevant to the issue.

    It is disappointing to learn that people who claim to be "writers by profession" can actually retaliate in such a way, considering there is much, much more to talk about here. Plus if there are people who REALLY deserve to be schooled, naku, siguro mabuti nang unahin mo yung mga nagsusulat ng mga blog tungkol sa issue na 'to, at lalo na yung mga nagsusulat ng walang kwentang comments. Magpistahan na kayong mga editor.

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  39. The really funny thing about this whole thing is that a lot of James Soriano's haters simply have these strong feelings against the piece because they didn't get the sarcasm in it.

    It's not entirely their fault, though. Filipinos are not programmed to detect sarcasm. HAHAHAH!

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  40. Not only are Filipinos NOT programmed to detect sarcasm, but most are actually programmed to search the ends of the earth for something to criticize, no matter how irrelevant. So Filipino.

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  41. To the Anonymous Poster Above Me: Are you sure it's sarcastic? This isn't James' first piece on how much he loves English.

    By the way, I can detect sarcasm. I believe the author of this blog post can write with sharp sarcasm as well, considering his reaction to James' supposed worldwide debate tours.

    Don't stereotype Filipinos. We can detect sarcasm, believe me. I have several friends who are fluent in it, too.

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  42. @Inez: I'm sure you're right.

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  43. Inez: I don't know where you've been and who your "several friends" are, but I'm pretty sure they aren't the average Filipinos you see ALL AROUND YOU. Try pulling some sarcastic joke on the driver of the next cab you take, the lady who checks out your items at SM, the man walking around with a cart of fishballs, or a woman manning the booth at some government office. Let us know if you do not get a single confused look. You can't say everyone can detect sarcasm either.

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  44. Did you actually delete my comment Migs? Wow.

    Just to recap, I pointed out that, while I don't agree with Mr. Soriano's message, I found his English to be quite good.

    As Anonymous, who commented at 11:19, said, most of the things that you 'corrected' were not errors. In fact, some of your corrections actually turned a correct sentence into an incorrect one. The truth is, the way Soriano writes proves the value of growing up in an environment that emphasizes correct English from a very early age.

    I certainly don't support 'what' he said, but I do have to question the value of tearing apart the grammar he used to say it. Especially when the criticism itself is faulty.

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  45. I didn't say everyone can detect sarcasm. I said you shouldn't stereotype Filipinos by saying that they are not programmed to detect sarcasm.

    I pulled a sarcastic joke on a jeepney driver the other day in UP, and he actually got it.

    So, as I said, don't stereotype. Forget about the average Filipino, or the average this or that. Forget about the average and walk out into the world, assuming that you know nothing. You'll be surprised at what you find if you don't have a filter of stereotypes blocking your view.

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  46. Michael Brown: I didn't delete any comment. I assume your first comment was the one published 11:19 PM, in which case you must have posted anonymously. Thank you.

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  47. ^^^^^

    Ahhh... The benefits of anonymity made possible by the internet.

    I shall sit back and enjoy this show.

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  48. Just wanted to point out that almost all responses to Mr. Soriano's article are extremely ridiculous and aimless. It seems like everybody who missed the point and context of the text jumped right into the same thing: writing fuming blog entries about the incident, adding personal touches of ignorance. No offense, Mr. Bassig, but that includes you. Grammar police like you deserve a place in elementary and high school English class, correcting kids' works, not editing someone's article on the internet just because you are an asshole. You see, if you stayed where you belong, then maybe less articles in the world would need editing, and you could finally stick to your job as a "writer". This James Soriano issue (if it even really IS an issue) needs close-reading and dissecting... not nitpicking of writing, but investigation to see WHY it was written that way and in what context it was written. Perhaps people--especially teachers, and even writers such as yourself--can learn a thing of two from Mr. Soriano. Or, you know, you can at least just read it and understand what the kid is saying. If you are to add anything to the discourse, at least try not to stray. No need to point out things irrelevant to the issue.

    It is disappointing to learn that people who claim to be "writers by profession" can actually retaliate in such a way, considering there is much, much more to talk about here. Plus if there are people who REALLY deserve to be schooled, naku, siguro mabuti nang unahin mo yung mga nagsusulat ng mga blog tungkol sa issue na 'to, at lalo na yung mga nagsusulat ng walang kwentang comments. Magpistahan na kayong mga editor.

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  49. wow. very entertaining! thanks guys. intellectually entertaining ang mga comments and sarcasms nyo. keep it up!

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  50. I'm a good one for sticking my foot in my mouth! My apologies. I commented at around 9:30, using my own name, and when I visited the site later my comment had disappeared. Maybe it was a technical glitch.

    Apologies for jumping to conclusions. Just wanted to participate in the discussion.

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  51. I read, wrote, (boy, a comma, please!) and thought in English. -- i think he meant of using "taught" instead of thought. HE THOUGHT SO i guess? x-)

    x-D you owned him!

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  52. Read your post on this Inez. Seems like you contradict yourself in some areas. You said it yourself that you started learning all those when you got to graduate school. Well, expecting a college kid to suddenly realize things thanks to you telling everyone what you went through, and capping it all off by telling him to shut up and grow up was not at all mature.

    To Inez, and the writer of this blog as well: if you really feel you are in a position to be pointing all these things out to James Soriano, do it in a way that will not demoralize and humiliate him. He surely worked his ass off to get to the places he's been. Let's at least give the benefit of the doubt and not assume he intended to offend any Filipinos through his artice. Instead of criticizing him publicly, making him seem immature and stupid, you "adults" (one with a PhD, at that) could be a bit more sensitive to the youth who are actually exerting effort to voice out their concerns and opinions. If you feel that your corrections are valid and worth James Soriano's attention, then you go directly to him. Sad to see that you "adults" are essentially on the same side as those ignorant teenagers on the web who have been posting extremely stupid things about this.

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  53. to Anonymous at 12:25

    James Soriano took the risk of being humiliated when he wrote his piece and allowed the Bulletin to publish it. If he's grown up enough to write about his opinions, he should be grown up enough to accept criticism.

    I also read Inez' post through FB. She did say she was still learning, which probably means she knows she isn't mature yet. She is - was? - angry with James, as a lot of people are. That doesn't sound contradictory to me.

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  54. "Though I salute you for your stellar grammar skills, I urge you to reread the article (ignore the blatant dangling modifiers this time), and see that though Mr. Soriano has chosen words that came off as arrogant and even offensive, there is some (if not a lot) truth in what he said -- Filipino IS rarely used in education."
    (Bea)

    Ms. Bea, although i agree that Soriano did tackle a social truth, it doesn't discount the fact that he was unapologetic and narrow-minded in his discourse. He was condescending and arrogant, he didn't even try to reiterate a resolution for this apparent truth.

    It's not enough that he settles for English as his "mother language". I'm appalled with his realization that he is a "split-level Filipino" and that he's perfectly FINE with it. Filipino writers and readers alike should realize that everyone must make an effort to know their language and not dismiss it as "useless". I'm am not down with the idea that English is better than Filipino. HINDI KASI.

    So, no. I wouldn't defend Soriano or his points even if they are true.

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  55. An amazing display of your editorial skills Mr. Migs Bassig. You must feel very smug now that you have placed another person in his proper place as you have deemed fit.

    Sometimes we are too eloquent for our own good that we miss the simple fact that people just want to be listened to, without judgement.

    And since you have judged, I hope you will not ever be judged. You have put Mr. Soriano in a very lonely and difficult place with several strokes of your virtual pen. You used his own words to strangle his point and you have projected yourself as the better of him, without sin and ever so correct.

    You must've have done your education and your own mother right with what you have done.

    Good job Mr. Bassig.

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  56. i have mixed emotions about the original article - it was honest (i'll give it that) but at the same time, i don't think it should have been published in a national paper. haters will definitely hate on it (it's been what, 3 weeks since the christopher lao thing?).

    i do find some of the comments above... for lack of better word, funny (/sarcasm). hate the work if you must people, but not the person. (and yes, i'm pertaining to the haters of the 'edited' version).

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  57. I guess having English as your mother tongue does not really mean having a perfect grammar. I was raised in an English-only household and it helped me academically in a lot of ways. I was able to express myself better in English as it became second nature to me. I didn't have the time to stop for a few seconds and analyze why I'm talking in English because we used it at school all the time and the kids that I hung out with were practically raised the same way. I don't really see the reason why everyone's so pissed off with James' article when in fact, NOBODY wants to be a great Filipino speaker. The only demeaning part in his article was the way he pointed out that Filipino is only for those in the lower socio-economic strata; without a doubt, that argument is ridiculously untrue. James shouldn't have posted his article this month (or maybe not ever) because it's Buwan ng Wika. There are thousands of people out there who had the same childhood but it's not really something to be taken out there. OR maybe it's just how he wrote it. Jessica Zafra was never criticized on writing the same way or Sen. Santiago for being an English advocate.

    On the other hand, Mr. Miggs, correct me if I'm wrong, must be an Anglophile for having been able to point out those mistakes. Surely, he talks like an American (or English if he went to a British school) but really, the technical showdown wasn't necessary. James was being creative, satiric or whatever and it's all editorial propaganda, he's just the bullet used by one of the leading newspapers in our country. Manila Bulletin knew it'd result to this so increase paper sales everyone! Good job, though. I'm sure you aced your English in prep school (high school) and Uni. One thing though, History tells us that Rizal didn't really use Filipino that much, he wrote in Spanish because that's the only way he could succeed in a very Spanish era as it's the only way for us to succeed now in a very American era. China and Japan can speak their languages because they have resources to be autonomous, we can't for reasons indubitably obvious.

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  58. A common feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm—"in satire, irony is militant"—but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. This "militant" irony or sarcasm often professes to approve (or at least accept as natural) the very things the satirist wishes to attack. My brother wrote a satire, if you cant accept what he wrote you're like a friars reacting to Dr. Rizal's novel, Noli and El Fili. Do you see yourself in the mirror? Back off! Fuck all intellectuals!!

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  59. "it is the language of the streets...it is not the language of the learned..."

    "I don't really see the reason why everyone's so pissed off with James' article..."

    "If you feel that your corrections are valid and worth James Soriano's attention, then you go directly to him."

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  60. to be honest i didn't get the sarcasm, only the irony

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  61. To Anonymous user who posted on August 28, 2011 12:38 AM:

    Bulletin has been publishing him for years, I believe, and the last thing that a little disturbance such as this should merit is behavior like yours, Inez's, Mr. Bassig's, and tons of other shallow people out there.

    "...which probably means she knows she isn't mature yet." --> That is not how she sounded. She made it appear as though her PhD had gotten her a perfect spot on a pedestal way above anyone else, because, you know... not everybody has a PhD. And yeah, it takes a PhD to really learn life's most valuable lessons.

    But on top of everything, it was VERY wrong of this Inez woman to write about a college boy that way. Precisely, she already claimed that she realized a lot of things come grad school, so why pressure and harass a young student as if she has the right to expect him to "grow up" because of this incident? Maybe she just wrote that blog to throw her achievements around? Then aba, sino kaya ang insecure? Hindi naman necessary na ilista pa yung mga degree niya. Hindi naman yun relevant sa issue. Kung tunay na scholar ka, yun ba yung tunay na paraang magpakita ng concern at constructive criticism?

    Obviously, people, he is in school to learn. Allow him to do that without the anxiety and ridicule you ignorant people are giving him. Just because you have your whatever degrees from Purdue, it doesn't mean that you have the right to humiliate a person for airing out his opinion. He is entitled to do so, and if you do not agree with him, then it's your duty to shut up. Be an adult. No need to join the army of cyber bullies who've been commenting, misspelling everything and using smileys like ^________________^. Especially you, Inez woman, after bragging about everything you've achieved. You're putting yourself to shame, and believe me, it's not just because of your belly dancing photos on your (adjective) website.

    So who is it, really, who needs to grow up? Of course she contradicts herself by telling him to shut up and grow up WHILE acting like a child. Sure, this Inez woman may have a PhD from some foreign land (ooooh), but sheesh, if she can't even keep herself from writing very sharp and hurtful things to a boy, she can stick her education up her

    It would be cool if her children go through the same torture she's inflicted on the boy. But even cooler if they end up just like the ^__________________^ kids. That'll give you someone to criticize and write blogs about.

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  62. I have this feeling he was going for the “self-depreciating-conyo-boy-who-can’t-speak-Filipino” kind of tone. That entire article was so obviously rushed he was probably on the verge of dozing off right before he submitted his article.

    I’d shove a rotting tilapia in his mouth though if he really did mean what he said.

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  63. Just wanted to point out that almost all responses to Mr. Soriano's article are extremely ridiculous and aimless. It seems like everybody who missed the point and context of the text jumped right into the same thing: writing fuming blog entries about the incident, adding personal touches of ignorance. No offense, Mr. Bassig, but that includes you. Grammar police like you deserve a place in elementary and high school English class, correcting kids' works, not editing someone's article on the internet just because you are an asshole. You see, if you stayed where you belong, then maybe less articles in the world would need editing, and you could finally stick to your job as a "writer". This James Soriano issue (if it even really IS an issue) needs close-reading and dissecting... not nitpicking of writing, but investigation to see WHY it was written that way and in what context it was written. Perhaps people--especially teachers, and even writers such as yourself--can learn a thing of two from Mr. Soriano. Or, you know, you can at least just read it and understand what the kid is saying. If you are to add anything to the discourse, at least try not to stray. No need to point out things irrelevant to the issue.

    It is disappointing to learn that people who claim to be "writers by profession" can actually retaliate in such a way, considering there is much, much more to talk about here. Plus if there are people who REALLY deserve to be schooled, naku, siguro mabuti nang unahin mo yung mga nagsusulat ng mga blog tungkol sa issue na 'to, at lalo na yung mga nagsusulat ng walang kwentang comments. Magpistahan na kayong mga editor.

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  64. "He is entitled to do so, and if you do not agree with him, then it's your duty to shut up."

    frankly, i expected no less, or rather no more, from one of james' friends

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  65. Well you could expect the same from Kant too. Pretty sure they aren't friends.

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  66. To Anonymous at 1:22AM,
    If your brother, Mr. Soriano, meant to be satirical, he must be aware of the perils of using that particular literary form. More often than not, satire is often subject to misconception and severe criticism. If you had read the Wikipedia article you quoted above completely, then you might have realized that by using satire (if that's what he was doing), he set himself up for criticism. I'd like to think that despite his being "only in college," he is probably adult enough to realize that people will have opinions and reactions to his point of view. Just as he has a right to write his opinions, the readers have the right to voice theirs. If he is serious about being a writer, then he will have to develop a thick skin when it comes to criticism.

    I'm also not sure if Dr. Rizal's Noli and El Fili could be described as strictly satirical, it might be more of direct criticism.

    To Migs, I found this hilarious. Maybe a bit petty but sooooo funny and kind of satisfying.

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  67. yes. i don't know who kant is but i'm pretty sure whatever he says pertains specifically to james.

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  68. No, it pertains to you, friend.

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  69. Rizal wrote in Castillian because it was the language of the times and it was also the language of the oppressor (Spaniards). Rizal expressed his views in Spanish because that was the only way Spaniards understood him. I just don't know if Rizal wrote essays in Spanish to malign the Tagalog language or the Indios just so he could brag about his superiority as an educated class.

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  70. Kung ipagkakalat o ipagyayabang mo na mahal mo at marunong ka sa isang bagay. Dapat siguraduhin mo na maayos mo itong magagawa.


    I hate to hate, but this part right here:

    "it was not the language of learning. It was the language we used to speak to the people who washed our dishes.

    We used to think that learning Filipino was important because it was practical: Filipino was the language of the world outside the classroom. It was the language of the streets: it was how you spoke to the tindera tindera (vendor) when you went to the tindahan tindahan (store), what you used to tell told your katulong katulong (maid) that whenever you had an utos utos (command), and how you texted manong manong (a hierarchal marker) when you needed “sundo na sundo na (to be picked up).”

    Offensive.

    But more than anything else, is really sad.

    Ano kaya at sino ang dahilan kung bakit nauwi sa ganito ang pag-iisip nang batang ito?

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  71. Inez is so full of herself. Learning about life or the importance of it (languages, culture etc) can't be achieved through grad school alone. Pompous and pure arrogance. Does it mean those who weren't able to get a graduate degree in Molecular Biology or Rocket Science can't have their own little epiphanies about life? And really? Purdue? Not everyone here is Philippine-schooled. I can speak fluently in Hiligaynon, Tagalog, English and French and I tell you, having the forced American accent my parents gave me while growing up helped me survive in a cruel, at times demeaning world of US education. 4-year US prep school (Exeter), another 4 years in Wesleyan and another 3 years in Stanford for my graduate studies. I can speak in Filipino for sure, but why should I? I don't evolve in a world where the usage of Filipino or my own beloved Hiligaynon is relevant. I have never been an English-lover, I love French so I raised hell to learn it. I speak Filipino (Tagalog for some) in an Ilonggo accent, my vocabulary is good but I choose not to Fil-speak because I sound funny doing it. I lived in the US for 14 years, spoke the language for 25 but I can't say I do it in perfection. I even commit grammatical errors while speaking in Ilonggo. Even the French people can't perfect their French.

    I have yet to reach a point in my life where I can stop and realize having the Filipino language as part of my system has given me a great deal of help. Even the "tinderas" understand English, even the dishwashers and drivers. We strut our butts on American streets just in Philippine soil. The inclination towards English is gigantic, it's like having a hot pink elephant in the room, let's own it.

    Whatever happened to you while you're in Purdue was surely a life-changing experience but that life-changing moment can happen to us all, with or without a graduate degree. Mr. Soriano, who wrote this article, merely suggested his own take of things through his perspective. You of all people should have the heart and the mind to understand him, because you were raised the same way. You would've said goodbye to your Molecular Biology PhD or whatever had your books been written in Filipino. Give this Mr. Soriano time to realize his own mishaps through experiencing life. He's just starting his journey of finding out whether Filipino is indeed ONLY the language of learning and not of the learned. Let him do it on his own pace like you were allowed to figure out what's lacking in your life through belly-dancing.

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  72. I was amused by the entire article (at marami ring natutunan, thank you po) pero tumambling ako sa Editor's Note.

    Editor's note: I hope that your education taught you the meaning of the word "asshole", because you'll have to forgive me for being one to you. Now go ask your mother for a new set of flash cards.

    Panalo!!!

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  73. Hindi conyo si James, hindi siya asshole, hindi siya anti-Filipino, hindi siya ang imaheng nakita natin sa artikulo. Kilala ko siya. At kung hindi mo nga siya kilala, siguro gugustuhin mo na siyang murahin at patayin ngayon matapos basahin ang artikulo.

    Pero, try to dig deeper. You'd realize that the article was meant to be satirical. May mali lang sa delivery. May inconsistencies, may mali sa tone, sa voice...pero satire siya. Fail satire nga lang, pero satire pa rin.

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  74. I may be one of the very few who found James' article smart and truthful. This one seems to fall under those "cheap cry for attention" articles. Tsk, wasted a few good minutes of my time going through such preposterous attempt to edit a passably good writing. Good luck finding an editorial job or you'll be blogging for free --- forever.

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  75. akala mo kilala mo siya. ngayon kilala mo na siya. sticking by him is commendable though.

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  76. satire? who the ef are you kidding? the article was condescendingly straight forward. it revolved around him having known english since he was a kid to trashing out the Filipino language- referring to it as the Language of the katulongs, manongs, and all those whose who wipe his ass to make a living. ano pa sa tingin mo ang gusto nyang iparating? dont dare mislead other readers na yung sistema ng edukasyon ang tinutukoy nya sa article nya, IT NEVER WAS!

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  77. I was utterly bothered with him saying that the Filipino word "ay" is a preposition. Hahaha!

    Great job!

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  78. i agree it was truthful and that is the problem. he should have kept his true views and feelings to himself. so i don't agree it's smart.

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  79. he is a good debater is he not? so he knows precisely how to make a point.

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  80. Taga-Calamba, Laguna si Jose Rizal - Timog Katagalugan. Matatas siyang mag-Tagalog, at ayon sa ilang tala sa kasaysayan, sa Ateneo lamang natutunan nang husto ang wikang Kastila. Marami siyang naisulat sa Tagalog (hindi pa uso noon ang tawag na Pilipino o Filipino).

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  81. i bet some professionals, wealthy individuals who know english better than mr. james soriano dont share the same views with him. I DON'T.

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  82. sapul na sapol si james soriano! kung magaling siya sa english dapat ung original article nia (ung unedited version) ung nilabas ng manila bulletin. pustahan tayo, ung editor na nag tama ng mga errors niya sa unedited version ay marunong din mag Tagalog.

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  83. Barkada namin sa Amerika, Atenista, UP at LaSalle. Pero yung mga English-speaking sa Pilipinas, biglang nag-Tagalog pag dating dito. They realized that no matter how much they try, ang English nila ay Filipino accent pa rin. Di sila mukhang sosyal sa English nila dito, kaya biglang naging makabayan. lol

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  84. I find Mr Soriano's article very rude. And WTF, Manila Bulletin didn't even bother to respect the "BUWAN NG WIKA" celebration of our country. I don't care if he writes good or he's smart. The point is, what he did/wrote makes him look or sound stupid and "LAKING KALYE". Kakahiya ka Pare! Ikinahihiya ka ng buong ADMU community. Kung nakilala lang kita nung college malaman nasapak kita sa kaartehan mo. NUFF SAID! BA*LA!!!

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  85. please don't make an excuse that the article of james soriano is a satire. it is not. wala naman problema kung mas nakakaintindi siya sa ingles at di sa filipino. madami naman sa atin ang ganon. kagaya ng mga ilocano o bisaya na mas sanay mag ingles kasi meron pa silang sariling dialect. kaya lang ang pagkatuto (learned)e asa pagintindi at di sa wika. ang pagkatuto ay sa trato mo sa ibang tao. napaka manila-centric ang artikulo nya. Ang ingles ay "language of opportunity".di magkamayaw ang magulang na matuto ka paramaganda ang kinabukasan mo lalo na sa "international market na parang commodity at workforce"lang ang tao. sa mga dadaan na panahon pag China na ang pinakaimpluwensyal malamang magkandarapa naman angmga tao magaral ng chinese.

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  86. You weren't being an asshole. You were being a dick. Give Soriano some slack. He never bragged his proficiency in English; all he claimed was his familiarity with it since childhood, which relates to our inability to profess ourselves as having an excellent command of our native language even if we have spoken it since we've learned how to. (I dare you to state the difference between hagdan and hagdanan, pinto and pintuan; or translate electricity, ruler, magnetism, Physics and Chemistry to Filipino or your mother tongue.)

    I'll copy pasta my previous post on this:

    I don't understand why people are offended by this article. Although it does show Soriano's privilege, and the truth that links said privilege to learning, and the language of that learning - which is English. Hence the title "Language, learning, identity, privilege"

    If the relative truth, for him, is that Filipino is a language used to communicate to the common people of the streets, would that merit him removal of his being Filipino? (The post I replied to stated that Soriano has no rights to be called a Filipino)

    IMHO, what he just said is that "English is the language most learned people use". (Omission of generalization of his statements mine.) UP people, even with our bilingual class policies, are a testament to that, with most of us having a greater knowledge and command of the English language than the people most members of the UP community refer to as "Others". From that we read: Filipino is for the poor, something we derived from him saying that Filipino is the language of the streets. And I agree with him on this. Filipino .IS.the language of the streets. You don't expect people on the streets speaking French or Italian; of course Filipino would be widely spoken in the Philippine streets, much like Nihonggo would be most commonly spoken by in the streets of Japan.

    And while yes, he might've implied that Filipino is spoken by the poor members of society, that is common sense in itself, as the direct consequence of them not having the same financial and educational privilege Soriano has. But him implying that Filipino is spoken by the poor is not equal to him saying that Filipino is reserved for/excusively spoken by the poor.

    If it is poor/cheap then it speaks Filipino IS NOT equal to if it Speaks Filipino, it is cheap. plus he never stated any of these two. :)

    P.S. Go ahead, correct whatever error/s you find in my post. It would be a great honor for me to be pawned by a grammar nazi. (Fact & analogy correction also welcome.) But props to you. You have great command of the English language. Shame that you actually are the one being arrogant about it. (in my POV)

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  87. Yes Jay has a point. People got offended because truth hurts, Tagalog is the language of the poor and normal class. We the elites speak Spanish and English, we are forced to speak tagalogs to our katulongs and yayas only. The araw ng wika should change to Dial del Libro for promoting spanish or English day or something. Who would like to celebrate araw ng wika if you use it and hear it everyday..tagalog is boring....these indios are so getting to my nerves...

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  88. you have to read an article that was published earlier than this was: "Filipino as a second language." it pretty much proves soriano's backward thinking.

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  89. and no, James was not in any way being "satiric" or "creative." you only need read his other articles to know he has no idea what irony is.

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  90. "So I have my education to thank for making English my mother language."

    Where are those people who boisterously proclaim their "fluency in sarcasm?" Can't you identify when even if it's already staring you right in the face? LOL

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  91. Ooppss *can't you identify ONE even if it's already...

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  92. Ano ang salin ng inktank sa Filipino?

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  93. Go, Migs! You just gave the james sorianos of this country what they're asking for. Your blog was a witty, funny, and creative way of showing" satire- writers" how it should be written.

    Before one could boast of being well-versed in English enough to write and publish an English piece in a widely-circulated newspaper, one should not forget grammar and editing. C'mon guys! Not even poetic license can be used as an excuse for a poorly-written article.
    Good job, Migs.

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  94. Ang problema sa karaniwang tao, tuwang-tuwa pag may pagkakataon siya na "ipakita" na mas magaling siya sa isang "edukadong" tao.

    Halimbawa, ang bilis humirit ng mga tao kay Christopher Lao na "ang bobo-bobo niya, mas magaling pa ako sa kaniya, UP student pa man din siya". For once in their lives, they've felt like they're "smarter than an educated person".

    Ganito rin ang napansin ko sa mga nagkokomento sa artikulong ito. Tuwang-tuwa nung "inedit" ni Migs Bassig ang article ni James Soriano. Marami sa mga komento ay iisa ang sinasabi: "Ang yabang niya, mali naman pala ang ingles niya. Galing mo Migs at in-edit mo!" Which is pathetic, if you ask me. He's merely pointing out his observations, and the situation our society is in.

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  95. It's the Manila Bulletin - what did you expect with a newspaper owned by a Chinese? Anyway, great job. Loved the way you castrated his piece.

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  96. A story told by a friend about the power of language:

    Fr. Roque Ferriols is a reknowned philosophy professor at the Ateneo who taught his subjects in Tagalog. One lady student was suppose to have told him that she can feel it better when she speaks in English. "Putang ina mo." sabi ni Ferriols. She cried. She certainly felt that.

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  97. And here's another very apt quote for those who put another culture's language above their own (overheard this from a conversation).

    "Your mother tongue is English. Ang Ingles ay Tongue ng Ina mo."

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  98. "I don't understand why people are offended by this article."

    if you don't even understand in the first place, why are you trying to tell people they should not be offended?

    and why should james be cut some slack? because it's his privilege?

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  99. James Soriano is nothing but a bigheaded journalist who assumed that being an English Speaker and hating his own inhabitant lingo would make him a smart being. He put into words that Tagalog is a despicable and absurd language and should not be practiced by every single one. He may look intelligent on his writings by the choice of words, but taken as a whole, He is dim-witted and ill-mannered citizen who does not know the importance of Tagalog as our national language. It is indeed disappointing to know that behind his interesting and well-written Articles is an infidelity person. Whether he like it or not he is a Filipino and native language is one of his makings. What a shame, he doesn’t look like a smart and sensible writer on this Article and surely this will make him not worth mentioning and no longer effectual journalist. Kaya magtatagalog ako James, ang laki ng kamalian mo.. walang taong bobo, pero ng dahil sa ginawa mo. ikaw na ang mtibay na ibedensya ng kabobohan.. hahah you better study hard. you badly need that.

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  100. what can you say about this being "obviously satirical" as described by her sister in her tumblr account?

    http://patiss.tumblr.com/post/9408998934

    is it still "obviously satirical" if he had written a similar article in 2008?

    http://james.soriano-ph.com/2008/12/filipino-as-a-second-language/

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  101. . referring to the Filipino language as language of the streets coupled with remarkable expression of his profound love for the foreign language, is a modern-day act of treason. we (those who disagree with Mr. James), speak in English because we want to prove a point! That English is not just for the elites. We, the average Filipinos, are capable of speaking good English, without bashing our own language. He, on the other hand, conveyed a very condescending and demeaning reference to our national language by referring to it as the language of the poor and uneducated. I am poor, but i can speak English. The tinderas and manong drivers on the other hand did not have the chance to learn English from a good school because they just couldn't afford it. And no, language is NOT the sole determinant of success, it is just one of many. Some Filipinos who do not speak good English make a hell of fortune out of sheer hard work. I can say I speak good English but my laziness has not brought me anywhere. I wonder why there are poor americans, australians, brits, south africans and all other native english speakers... Maybe they lack some more important quality of a successful person... because apparently, knowing how to speak English alone is not enough to bring them success.

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  102. despite the disclaimer it's obvious that she had written it in defence of james precisely because he is her brother.

    if the meaning of james' article is really obvious then there would have been no need for her to explain why it is obvious. it would have been really hard for people to misunderstand it.

    that should have been obvious

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  103. Sipi mula sa El Filibusterismo ni Jose Rizal.

    "Magiging ano kayo sa hinaharap? Isang bayang walang katangian, isang nasyong walang kalayaan. Pawang hiram ang lahat ng inyo, maging ang inyong mga kasiraan. Humihiling kayo ng Espanyolisasyon at hindi kayo namumutla sa kahihiyan kapag ipinagkakait ito sa inyo! At sakali mang ibigay ito sa inyo, ano ang hangad ninyo? Ano ang mapapala ninyo?

    Mapalad nang maging bayan kayo ng mga pag-aalsa, bayan ng mga digmaang sibil, republika ng mga mangungulimbat at walang kasiyahan tulad ng ilang republika sa Timog Amerika! Ano’t naghahangad kayo ngayon ng pagtuturo ng Kastila? Isang pagpapanggap na katawa-tawa kung di man kalunos-lunos ang ibubunga. Nais pa ba ninyong magdagdag ng isang wika sa mahigit na apatnapung sinasalita sa kapuluan upang lalo kayong hindi magkakaunawaan?”

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  104. Miggs bitch-slapped James Soriano with red ink, then drowned him face-first in the biggest sh!thole of dangling modifiers.

    Miggs pwns James's ass from now on.

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  105. To the Anonymous poster who commented on August 28, 2011 10:00 AM - Sarcasm does not translate well when written, especially when the writer starts out with a generally neutral assessment of his own life experiences. There's a reason why satire is a literary style of its own, and is written in the reverse of how Soriano wrote his article. See "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift for an example of how satire and sarcasm should be written.

    Assuming that Soriano "obviously" intended for the latter portions of his article to be sarcastic, the fact that most people misunderstood - and continue to misunderstand - Soriano's message is only proof that he delivered it poorly by writing poorly. That is Soriano's fault, not the fault of his critics.

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  106. I can't really say if I am well-educated or not or whether I am an intellectual or just typical thinker. This is actually my first time to read someone's blog and the comments that come with it. It was quite entertaining and made my brain work. The funny (or sad) thing is that, everyone who wrote something here actually has a point. Two sides of a coin (or more, if you'd like). Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion and people will react to it because we're human and being human is exactly why we end up in fights instead of really listening. It is also the reason why we end up expressing our thoughts in a way that gets negative and/ or positive reaction from others. I guess that is why we have to be more careful about how we express ourselves. Let us choose our words based on what reaction we want to get. Usually, we want people to realize something or agree with us but do we want to do this by stirring negative reactions and having them fight back or do we want them to happily side with our point of view? There are many ways. I think none of them right or wrong but some may be better than others depending on the situation. I too wish I knew how to use words better based on the situation so my life would be a lot easier. My friends would attest that I am very bad at being able to share my ideas and getting people to accept them with a light heart.

    I can relate to many of what James Soriano wrote though I do not agree with much of it as well. I do not know him or what his goal is for writing his article but I hope he was able to achieve it and I am saying this in all honesty and no sarcasm or any literary form of writing.

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  107. Pag inisa-isa mo yung sinulat ni James Soriano per paragraph. Karamihan doon totoo. Grabe, pati comments dito English.

    http://wawam.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/the-james-soriano-article-when-truth-hurts/

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  108. Don’t Make Away-away to Baby James Bah!

    Palaaway talaga kayong mga barumbado
    Si James naman ang pinutakti matapos ni Mideo
    Sanggano, palengkera, echosera, mga walang modo
    Huwag nang umepal maghugas na lang ng plato

    You make sundo na lang sa unico hijo ng iyong amow
    At baka naiihi o naiigit na sa klase sa Filipinow
    Iyan pa ang maging dahilan ng pagkasipa sa Areneow
    Don’t forget nga pala ang bib at teether ng senyoritow

    Inggit ka lang naman sa poging best debater
    Nasusuya sa accent niyang ala-Harry Pouter
    Porke’t nguso mo’y mas matangos pa sa ilong
    Tinirya mo na ang ating Mister Supah Dunong

    Return of the Jedi ka na lang sa inyong probinsya
    Makipagtalamitam sa mga laughing cicada
    Beso-beso to the max sa kalabaw at barakuda
    Maki-Let’s Get Loud na lang sa bayle sa plaza

    Betterer, go plant na lang Batatas edulis Choisy ( kamote ba!)
    Tumaya sa jueteng at pintakasi at ibalik ang swerti
    Maningalang-pugad uli kay Bebang, ur childhood sweetie
    Tell her: hotdog ka ba? coz ur so juicy-juicy

    Or sumuso na lang uli sa boobs ni Mebuyan
    Dance-dance para sumigla with Baybayan
    Maki-pakyu sa adbentyur ni Agyu at Lawanen
    Mag-puasa at samyuin ang magik ng Darangen

    Or mamasol ng stinky tambasakan wid cuz Felimon
    Kahit walang radar, mapa o kompas na baon
    Di ka naman lost and found sa dagat katulad ni Kapten
    Dahil gunggong na Felimon nakababasa ng bituen

    Katulad ng pagkalkula ng mga ninunong sungaw
    Kung ano’ng timpla ng lapok ang swak sa payaw
    Kung gaanong hininga ang kailangan sa pagkutaw
    Sa higanteng itim na mutya sa pekpek ng kilapsaw

    Hmmf! ur so kaka talaga! Don’+ make aw4y-aw4y 2 BabY JaMe$ bah!
    Sige ka! Sige ka! Ayan o, mukhang magka-cry-crayola nah…
    Di mo ba ma-gets yung tumutulo pang gatas as in milk sa labi niya?
    Pray na lang sa Anitos na yung milk, maging melamine-free leche flan na!

    German Villanueva Gervacio/ 24 Agosto 2011/ Iligan City

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  109. an arrogant critiquing an arrogant...

    hindi ko alam kung may positive ba kayong hangad sa lahat ng kaguluhan nyo...

    the reason itself for editing it kasali na yung editor's note sa huli ay tainted with malice...

    TABLA lang yung sumulat at yung nag-edit, LAKI ulo nilang dalawa kasi pareho sila feeling MAGALING...

    if you have a criticism for anybody, make sure that you do it because you really wanted to correct what generally is wrong not because to shame, bring down, or hurt anybody or anyone...

    while the corrections to what Mr. Soriano wrote was correct, or let me say sneakily researched, the intentions was hideous.

    sana marami sa inyo na nag-comment nito nakakita nun... kasi kung wala at comment lang kayo nang comment... pare-pareho lang kayong lahat... arrogante!!!

    walang ibang hangad kundi ang ipahayag lang ang sariling opinyon o sarcasm to PWN anyone or anybody here...

    putang ina!

    nasayang oras ko dito... mahilig kasi ako magbasa kaya hayun akala ko kung ano wala naman pala...

    DEBATE lang pala kung sino ang mas HAMBOG!!

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  110. Nice one, Sir. Good job sa editor-in-chief niya. Andami na-overlook.

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  111. someone actually commented on James' sister's blog that he saw the satire until the 3rd to the last paragraph.

    But yeah, @raggster, you're correct. We (bad writers) do get misunderstood often. Too bad James, you'll live through this just as Christopher did.

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  112. somewhere in his article, he did point out that he "smell[s] worse than a malansang isda." point well taken!

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  113. I was trying to come up with my comments in Filipino, but I guess Mr. Soriano is right - most of us taking part in this debate have been taught to think in English (never mind that our syntax is recognizably Pinoy). Which is why when we get emotional and agitated, our most acerbic and sarcastic statements spew out in English.
    In my humble opinion, what is most disturbing is not his thesis that he is intellectually and economically better-off because he has embraced English as his mother tongue early in life; it is that he thinks he is better and (more) superior than the average Filipino who did not grow up surrounded by things "English". Before we know it, we would be reading about a James Soriano who believes that things such as traffic rules or queueing up do not apply to him. It may not even be far-fetched if he starts thinking that he deserves more than the average guy, and therefore it would be alright for him to evade paying the right tax, or worse, to help himself to taxpayers' money or be party to corruption.

    Call me looney, but hey, I will bet that all those people- the corrupt government official, the inconsiderate neighbor, the unreasonable boss, etc. - we love to hate have the same sense of self-entitlement that has deprived them of any remorse that they should otherwise have felt every time they screw us over. It begins early, and James Soriano has just given us a sneak peek at what he could become not too far from now.

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  114. you are precious!!! had a good laugh reading this! :)

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  115. I don't know who's more arrogant you the writter and all the people who are writting negative negative comments about the article or Mr. James Soriano.... Making fun of an article which clearly shows a good message which you people don't quite understand. Can I just say you people are really the ones talking in the article and not mr. James Soriano because I bet he has more nationalistic balls than you have. In fact this boy will kill for our country, and I bet my balls that you people would show your hypocrite faces and just ran away! If I were you reread the article because the article is for mature readers, and not for CHILDISH people which is what you people are acting right now.

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  116. Instead of attacking James Soriano, why don't we recognize the truth in his piece and then do something about it?

    The problem with a lot of us is that we would rather attack the man than the problem he presents us with.

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  117. Consider this:
    http://kunwaremayganito.blogspot.com/2011/08/kunware-may-ingles-ispiking-driver-si.html

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  118. ok Cy, do something about it. you seem to have understood the whole point. ang sinasabi ng mga tao dito. WALANG BASTUSAN NG NATIONAL LANGUAGE

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  119. Most of "Language, Learning, Identity, Privilege's" scathing indictments are aimed squarely at the person of its author. The literary piece can be, and without vitriol, reasonably considered on its own merit. The essay unambiguously expresses the point that English is a superior language of instruction in education; and Filipino as a language of the lower classes.

    This is the thought it states clearly, with no need for interpretation.

    Even if the essay were written anonymously, it would still be apparent (and it is strongly suggested in the writing) that the author is certainly not a member of the peasantry. Granted, the writer humbly self-deprecates with reference to Rizal's "malansang isda", he nevertheless abnegates that very point in the subsequent paragraph. The piece praises Filipino as the Language of Identity, and within the same sentence, relegates Filipino to the streets as the language of the uneducated.

    For a moment, allow me to be biased and opinionated in the belief that mastery of any language is a poor measure of intelligence, creativity, or love of country. The same applies to religion as a measure of morality; or print in a national broadsheet as a measure of substance.

    Playing the satire card gives the writer an all too easy out. Why deny the writer the strength of his convictions? If the article was meant to be satirical, the writing on its own, gives little indication of any deliberate irony. To classify "Language, Learning, Identity, Privilege" as satire would be an awkward attempt to palliate the trenchant, bigoted view of language expressed by its author; regardless of the essayist's learning, identity or privilege.

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  120. Here's a good read.
    http://www.newsbreak.ph/2011/08/29/how-do-you-make-dabog-in-english/

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  121. @Bartman: I get what people here are saying. But what would trashing James Soriano really accomplish? What would trashing me accomplish?

    Again, why don't we recognize the truths that he pointed out and then do something to remedy the situation. Refute his beliefs, not his character. That's being productive instead of destructive. But if you insist on being petty, then there's really not much I can do about it.

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  122. Sa pagtatapos ng buwan ng wika, mas makabubuti na ipahayag ko ang aking opinyon sa wikang Filipino. Isa lang naman ang gusto kong sabihin sa isinulat ni James Soriano, na ito ay batid lamang sa kanyang pananaw na nakabase sa kanyang maliit na mundo at hindi ito naglalarawan sa realidad ng pagkatuto dito sa Pilipinas.

    Unang una, maraming paraan upang matuto, hindi lang ito sarado sa loob ng eskwelahan. Maaari tayong matuto sa pamamagitan ng pakikipag-halubilo sa ating mga kaanak sa probinsiya o pakikipag-usap natin sa mga tao sa kalsada, at kadalasan, sariling wika natin ang ginagamit natin sa pakikipag-talastasan. Marahil tama si Soriano na ang wikang Filipino ay ang linggwahe sa kalsada; siyempre, nasa Pilipinas tayo eh. Pero para sabihin na hindi ito linggwahe ng mga edukado, doon siya nagkamali. Napakalimitado ng konsepto niya sa edukasyon at pagkatuto. Hindi lang ang pagkatuto sa wikang Ingles ang batayan nito. Maraming tao sa buong mundo na lumaki at natuto nang hindi kinakailangan mag-aral ng wikang Ingles, at marami ring tao na ang kinalakihan nila ay ang wikang Ingles, ngunit walang pinag-aralan.

    Kung susundin natin ang pangangatwiran ni Soriano, edi maski ang mga palaboy sa kalsada ng Amerika at Europa, basta’t marunong mag Ingles, ay mga edukado.

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  123. I have snot coming out of my nose after reading this riot of a post. Thanks, Migs! :D

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  124. "Making fun of an article which clearly shows a good message which you people don't quite understand."

    clearly shows a good message? which people don't quite understand?

    i don't quite understand your clear statement but i am not making fun of the article. this thing here is serious. so serious in fact that you are saying just about anything in defence of james.

    "...because I bet he has more nationalistic balls than you have. In fact this boy will kill for our country..."

    james will kill for our country? and you know this for a fact? wow.

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  125. "ay" is not a linking verb. It is a linker.

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  126. "I get what people here are saying. But what would trashing James Soriano really accomplish? What would trashing me accomplish?"

    you get what people here are saying? really? then what would not thrashing james accomplish?

    and do yourself a favor. don't insist on being petty by calling people petty.

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  127. @Cy. I never trashed him. I never commented on his upbringing. I never attacked him on a personal level. I am infuriated by the fact that he said, rather he implied, that Filipino is not the language of the learned. That he insulted the language that identifies us Filipinos. His article elicits reactions - opinions, that is why you are here, i am here. we discuss about it, time will pass, and so this issue, and nothing's gonna happen. nothing will change. He is right to tell us that knowing how to speak in English gives us an advantage, but it is not enough to call one 'learned' solely because of proficiency in English. I can voluntarily offer English courses to those who wish to learn the language, but that wont make them educated. I had a classmate in college, he was perfect in English, but failed in every single subject. But according to Mr. James, my classmate is educated. I had a classmate in high school, she was not so good in English, but aced every subject, graduated as Cum Laude, now working as a computer programmer and doing really good in her job - according to sir james, she is not educated, because she can't speak English as good as Sir James.

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  128. As an ordinary Filipino who used Tagalog mostly in my everyday life, I am one of those who were insulted by Mr. Soriano's article. What benefits did he get by writing this? Given that he is one of those elite who lived life with comfort, I think an EDUCATED man like him was supposed to be considerate about other people's feelings. He may be fluent in his mother language but that doesn't make him superior in any way if that's how he feel about himself.

    Yan lang po ay aking saloobin.

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  129. I'll just cite some generic comments that somehow make me lose faith in the thought processes of the general populace.


    GENERIC COMMENT #1: GOOD JOB MIGS! YOU OWNED JAMES! ANG GALING MO AT IPINAGHIGANTI MO KAMI!

    Mga Halimbawa:
    Rey August 27, 2011 7:59 PM
    You smacked Soriano in the face real good! Kudos!

    Anonymous August 27, 2011 8:04 PM
    Nice one!! Wow hes from Ateneo? Now we know why he cant even write a satire:)

    Anonymous August 27, 2011 8:11 PM
    Soriano was owned!.PAAAK!

    R J Keefe August 27, 2011 8:13 PM
    Bravo!

    Anonymous August 27, 2011 8:19 PM
    Salamat po for the effort. Parang ipinag edit mo ang mga nanggigigil na readers LOL.

    These comments reek of crab mentality. Instead of focusing on the message of the article (which is English as the primary language in many establishments such as the courtroom, hospital, etc. for those who actually care about understanding the point), you focus on the fact that you were "made to feel ignorant". Is it really that important for you to feel "redemption", that you were able to "bring down" Soriano? If yes, then that's just sad. It actually reminds me of the time when many were branding Christopher Lao as "bobo" and "tanga", because many ordinary people were excited at the prospect of feeling "superior" to an educated person, even for once in their lives. Same thing you're doing now with Soriano. Quite pathetic, if you ask me.


    GENERIC COMMENT #2: ANG YABANG NAMAN NI JAMES PARA SABIHIN NA ANG INGLES AY PARA LAMANG SA MGA EDUKADO, AT ANG FILIPINO AY PARA LAMANG SA MGA MAHIHIRAP. NA-OOFFEND AKO.

    Mga Halimbawa:
    BriddgetteHalliwell August 28, 2011 3:27 PM

    bartman August 28, 2011 4:28 PM

    Caesar August 29, 2011 6:21 AM

    nivlajudoka August 29, 2011 7:51 PM

    Don't be so onion-skinned guys. Soriano is merely pointing out his observations. If you don't like the fact that English is being used as the primary language in the country, then why don't you think about what you can do something about it? In fact, what James says is fact. Most of the educated (read: cultured) citizens are fluent in English, and most of the uneducated are not. Of course there will be exceptions to the rule, blah blah blah, but that's the case with almost all rules. My question to you is: "If you are offended by the current situation, what are you going to do about it aside from gripe and complain and talk nonsense?"

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  130. Salamat sa blog na ito. Parang nakapitik na rin ako kay James Soriano.

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  131. @ badger badger - you got it aaaalllll wrong...

    "If you don't like the fact that English is being used as the primary language in the country, then why don't you think about what you can do something about it?"

    NO, we never said we didn't like it. We were never against the use of English. Read our comments again. And try to understand. Just TRY, I know it's hard for someone like you.

    You are the one who is pathetic. You are the one who talk non-sense.

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  132. Blasted him right in the middle of his sorry face..

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  133. @badger badger
    "many ordinary people were excited at the prospect of feeling "superior" to an educated person, even for once in their lives.."

    You think the guy rightfully belongs to the educated class at all because of his current educational background perhaps?
    Suit yourself..

    If he is indeed as "educated" and respectable at that, he would be sensitive enough or at least a little better at writing his thoughts..

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  134. Love this. Ito rin kasi ang una kong napansin sa article, wrong grammar and bad composition.

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  135. Sang ayon ako sa kayya. Mali kasi ang lipunan na kinalakihan natin, na bakit laging English ang gamit sa mga establihment kung puede namang Filipino?

    Ang sinasabi niya kasi, kung hindi pa sana siya nagkaron ng privilege na makapag aral e di mahihirapan siya intindihin ang mga nakasulat at naririnig nya sa mga establishment na pinpuntahan niya.

    So indirectly, he is attacking the govt with its lack of enough power to have its people enjoy the right of education. And if we or the govt really want Filipino to be like a language of its own, bakit laging English English English English ang mababasa, maririnig, at mga salita sa mga lugar na nabanggit nya sa article nya? So kailangan pala marunong ka talaga sa English or else mahihirapan ka intindihin ung mismong establishment na nasa bansa mo. Kung titignan natin ung concept kung bat nya nasabi to sa article nya, malalaman natin may mali kung bat nya nasabi yan. Mali ang drive to orient the Filipinos to have Filipino as their national language, kasi lagi na lang English, lagi na lang mahalaga na English... etc

    Basta hirap ipaliwanag pero naniniwala ako na meron siyang nais ipabatid at ipahatid, sa malalim na paraan nga lang niya ito ipinahiwatig. Parang Noli at El Fili lang yan., matalinghaga..

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  136. Kung iisipin nating mabuti, MB ang nagbabasa nito "usually" put emphasis kasi kahit sino puede magbasa, pero may mga usual na nagbabasa- ay mga learned persons. Sa paraang yan masasabi niya gusto niya sabihin, hindi para ipahiya ang wikang Filipino, pero to promote something new para mabago ang orientation natin sa sariling wika, Napakadali sabihing mahal natin ang sariling wika, pero sa practicality, kahit ako nahihirapan iomit ang English, pero yung mga arabo at hapones, kaya nila dirediretsong wika nila, kasi sa ganoong paraan sila namulat. Naniniwala ako na hindi nya gusto ipahiya ang wika natin, bagkus nais lang nya ng pagbabago. Katulong, manongs, tindero, drivers, to have an education when they were young dahil un ang dapat, at ang mga learned (nkapag aral) na kahit learned na sila e mag Filipino pa rin, at ang mga pasilidad sa atin e gumamit ng sariling wika at hindi laging English.

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  137. I came by this blog through FB. I admit I do read a lot of English stuff, but tend to translate and speak some of it in Tagalog, but when this came out, it insulted me. Many people are still faithful to speaking their native tongue, but jackasses like James Soriano try to bluff their way out this under the guise of what certain people tend to label as satire, "his own opinion," what have you.

    Certainly the Bulletin people didn't even bother to polish this article even more. Migs, you did well with this post. Nailed it right in the head.

    to the anon from 8/27 10:35pm and Bartman I know what you feel. Magsulat ka ba naman ng ganito sa Buwan ng Wika! Hindi purkit mataas ang pinag-aralan mo at nagtapos sa kung saang paaaralang may pangalan na ibig sabihin kay mo nang magmaliit. Kung kinahihiya mo ang wikang kinalakihan mo, eh para mo na rin iniputan ang nakaraan mo at ang kultura ng bansa.

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  138. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  139. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  140. Naniniwala ako ito ay isang malaking hamon para sa atin, na kung mahal natin ang sariling wika, ipakita natin ito. Hindi sapat na sabihing mahal lang.

    Kung tama ako, ang miss saigon e hindi gnawang Filipino-dahil ba sa mga learned persons ang market nito (general perspective). Kasi puede namn gawing Filipino, dahil posible naman.

    Ang resume, business letter, pag interview sa mga posisyong may educational degree, sinusukat ba ang galing ng isang tao sa pkikipagtalastasan ayon sa wikang Filipino? hindi, English ang standard.

    Sa mga pasilidad na pormal at event na pormal o pormal pormalan, Filipino ba ang mga paskil n nasbabasa natin? hindi, English pa rin.

    Sinabi lang naman nya kung ano ang naobserbahan niya. Dahil kung Filipino nga lang naman ang mga salitang nababasa niya e di sana hindi lang ito pangkalye... Bakit hindi natin ilagay o isulat at ipakilala ang wikang Filipino sa mga kapormalan? Puede naman pero hindi natin gnagawa. Nasa Pilipinas naman tayo.

    Silence, keep off the grass, turn right, turn left, etc, hindi naman mga technical terms ang mga ito, pero hindi natin itranslate sa Filipino. Yan ang tingin kong dahilan bat nya ito nasabi.

    To him Filipino is pang kalye, then lets act to prove him wrong. Ang tanong may magiging pagbabago ba? Pahihintulutan ba o gagawin ba ng mga taong may kapangyarihang gawing Filipino ang mga English context na puede namn gawing Filipino? Pero kanya kanya ng pananaw, yan pananaw ko and I respect everyone's thought.

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  141. i agree with james soriano......hindi siya magsusulat ng walang basehan.......matuto dapat ang mga pinoy na remespeto sa kung anuman ang opinyon ng isang tao.....igalang ang sinabi......bago makialam sa buhay ng isang tao ay tingnan muna ang sarili kung wala bang dapat punahin.......bago mag ayos ng isang tao ay ayusin muna ang sarili....kung pumunta ka ng ibang bansa hindi ba ang salita mong bibigkasin doon ay english kasi iyon ang worlwide na language..hindi naman pilipino...

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  142. ipagmamalaki mo pa ba ang pagiging pilipino kung puro korapsyon ang nangyayari sa gobyerno.....holdapan, patayan, kidnapan...krimen dito, krimen doon....pati nga mga naninirahan sa bansang pilipinas hindi nagkakaintindihan......katoliko at muslim.....tingnan ang gulo sa mindanao..mga MILF, MNLF.....hindi nagkakaisa ang mga naninirahan sa bansang pilipinas.....kaya tama ka james soriano....ipagpatuloy mong ipahiwatig ang hindi mo nagugustuhan tungkol sa pilipinas..

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  143. James Soriano... Either you are a genuine article and that you want nothing else but for the Filipino People to realize the current status of our Beautiful Language and that made you write that bombastic article of yours in Manila Bulletin... or... PUKINGINA MO MAMATAY KANA GAGO KA KUPAL KAPA KAPAL NG MUKA MO MALI MALI NAMAN GRAMMAR MO SIRA-ULO PAG NAKITA KITA SA KALYE SASAGASAAN KITA NG PADYAK HANGGANG MALUMPO KA! ULOL!

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  144. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lkKkPcuZnbM/Tl6GIwU_q4I/AAAAAAAAABg/55DHi7300lQ/s1600/31_08_2011_009_003.jpg

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  145. Mga kapatid, wala akong balak makialam sa inyong pinagtatalunan. Nais ko lamang ipahiwatig ang aking pagkaaliw sa pagbabasa ng inyong mga komento.

    Gayunpama'y sana, kung magko-komento tayo tungkol sa ganitong usapin at nais nating ipaliwanag at ipaintindi sa iba ang ating panig, mangyari lamang po na ilagay natin ang kahit anong pangalan, kahit ano, kaysa mag-komento tayo na naka-anonymous.

    Ito ay malaking paraan upang maipakita natin na totoo tayo sa ating pinaniniwalaan at ipinaglalaban, na ipagtatanggol natin ang ating mga ideya ng responsable dahil pangalan at mukha natin ang naka-paskil katabi ng kahit anong komentong ating ilalathala.

    Ito ay para malagyan ng mukha at pangalan ang bawat komentong papasok sa mga blogs, para malagyan ng mukha at pangalan ang mga taong may hinaing tayo sa kanilang mga binitawang salita.

    Mahirap na puro Anonymous na lamang ang mga nagpa-paskil. Ansaket talaga sa bangs.

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  146. "Nice one!! Wow hes from Ateneo? Now we know why he cant even write a satire:)"

    this statement seemed really absurd when i first read it. but now im not so sure. it now seems that every atenean who writes about the issue do believe that what james had written is a satire.

    im sure there are ateneans who believe otherwise but i dont think any of them could be bothered to say so. i have never met an atenean who would criticize one of their own openly.

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  147. What do you expect from an Atenista? Puro cono (pronounced konyo) mga estudyante dun.

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  148. ang husay ni ginoong bassig. kung may nakita man akong magandang naidulot ng artikulo ni james soriano, iyon na yata yung nag-aalab na madamdaming komento sa blog na ito. mistulang nabuhay ang pagmamahal sa sarili nating wika, na siya lang namang nararapat. ;p

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  149. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=107956789309643&set=o.239238972780045&type=1&theater

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  150. Re: "my first study materials as a toddler were a set of flash cards my mother..."

    I'm not a grammar genius...but I vaguely remember subject-verb agreement from my high school English lessons. Correct me if I'm wrong, but "a set" is considered singular. I couldn't quite figure out what was wrong with this sentence, until it hit me. "My first study material as a toddler was a set of flash cards my mother..." Subject verb agreement. Don't get me wrong, I loathe the message of James Soriano's article. Kaya lang, this might be a case of the pot calling the kettle black?

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  151. hi sir migz! I would just like you to see your opinion on this. Thanks.

    http://mb.com.ph/node/332639/wika-bilang-gunita

    A follow-up by James Soriano :D

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  152. Wow, really nice job proofreading that one! Taob! :)

    It'll be awesome if someone can also do the same detailed editing for this one:

    http://mb.com.ph/node/332639/wika-bilang-gunita

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  153. I think it Mr. Soriano's article, whether a blatant hate of the Filipino language or a satire on the regressing state of the language was the point, would have been more effective if he wrote in Tagalog/Filipino. I'm not learned enough in both Filipino and English but i just think it cool to read the thoughts of a man supposedly having English as his mother tongue write using his non-native dialect.

    Ano sa tingin nyo???

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  154. Ang lahat ng tungkol sa sinulat ni James Soriano ay malaman dito www.arvin95.blogspot.com

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  155. Ito ang isa sa pinaka-nakakahiyang pangyayari na pwedeng maranasan ng tao. Ang itama nang harap-harapan pagkatapos nyang ipamayagpag nang buong yabang na isa syang MAGALING sa isang larangan. Tsk tsk. Kung sino man ang nagta-tanggol sa taong ito ay dapat din ITAMA sa ganitong paraan.

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  156. http://thebrownmandiary.blogspot.com/2011/09/ass-for-ass-editing-james-soriano.html

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  157. So, are you a "dual-thinker" - do you think both in English and Tagalog?

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  158. Pretty harsh huh? No wonder a lot of Netizens, bloggers, and iskos protested to the high heavens the arrogance of the message. Claiming that Filipino as the language of the yayas and the drivers, and the manong street vendors is the ultimate insult to our identity.

    In retrospect, though, I felt guilty a little bit because I, myself, have trained my children to speak only English in our house when they were young. The difference though with my kids and Mr. Soriano, is that my kids have learned to embrace our language as they grew up, and not act supercilious if other people can't speak English with a twang.

    To be adept at a language you weren't really born with is not a crime. On the contrary, I think learning English is necessary all for practicality's sake. What is despicable and laughable at the same time is while you, James, think that English is your mother tongue, it is questionable that it will ever accept you as its own son.

    Tsk. Tsk. Big mistake.
    http://mariamarauder.blogspot.com/2011/09/big-mistake.html

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  159. Wow, ang galing nyo po, pero para saan? It's not like we can dictate someone how they feel about something. Media guys always make small issues bigger. Not all of us actually reads the newspaper really. Mahal eh, ipambibili ko na lang ng bigas. I'm not stereotyping, pero ang mga Pinoy talaga mahilig makealam. Eto nga ginagawa ko diba. Nung sinulat ng bata, Filipino is not the language of the learned, ano reaksyon natin? Expletive here and there. Mmm Hmmm...

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  160. I for one agree with Soriano's point that the English language has a lot of merits since it is prevalently used around the world. In a way, English is placed on a higher pedestal when compared to Filipino. Let's face it, when one is proficient in English, other people can't help but be impressed no matter how shallow or senseless his/her sentiments are. Take my case as an example, everytime I recite in class my classmates are impressed by the fact that I can speak fluently with all the correct grammar, colorful vocabulary and proper sentence construction. I, on the other hand,feel that I fall short when it comes to logic and content. But does that stop them from branding me as someone who's good in English? The same goes when it comes to writing. The more flowery and highfalutin the words use, the "better" you are in English and the more impressed they are. Putting those things beside the point , the fact of the matter is that when you're good in English, people give you their respect. This is why we painstakingly go through hell just to learn and master it. Also, I would like to point out that he is right when he said that Filipino is what we used when we communicate outside the office and classroom. Sometimes, it tends to get a bit frustrating when those people, who are not used to speaking English, inadvertently scoff/berate you for using it. I can't help it if I was brought up in an environment where English was the language spoken since time immemorial. Heck, I'm Visayan but even I'm the least bit adept in my native dialect. And I do agree that sometimes Filipino can get a bit too hassling. Oh, who could forget those El Fili and Noli days when I had to whack my brain countless of times just to keep it working. I'd had numerous cases of nosebleeds and migraines while I was aimlessly forcing myself to make sense of what I was reading And don't get me started with Filipino composition.I still shudder at the thought of all those sleep-deprived nights with a truckload of drafts piling around my room. And speaking formal Filipino in front of class? Let's just say that I never thought that I could choke on my own spit lest the air I breathe. All I can say is that it can really be a pain in the arse sometimes.

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  161. I think Soriano was just relating his sentiments. I,for one, have my own few reasons that would explain my distaste for Filipino. But I guess what his mistake was because of the manner on how he wrote his article. Truth be told, it sounds condescending and arrogant despite it being mostly true. It places him in the position of being more superior to others. And the fact that he seems proud to admit it makes him sound like an self-righteous elitist. What with his background (the fact that he's from Ateneo is a testament that he has money), it's no wonder that people consider him cocky and egoistic. AND I JUST CAN'T STAND THOSE TYPES OF PEOPLE! He should have taken into account that not everyone is privileged enough to obtain his kind of education, so he should tread carefully so as not to offend and degrade.

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  162. Bobo ka kung sa tinitignan mo ng ganyan ang wikang Filipino.

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  163. Yikes! This is so "NAKAKAHIYA" on James Soriano's part!

    HE WAS HUMILIATED BY HIS OWN ARTICLE! And MB cared to publish this!

    our very own kababayan disrespected the filipino language by his own foul and wrong grammar article!

    ENGLISH PALA HUH!!!

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  164. @arl

    Well excuse me if I made it sound that way. You can't force me to like Filipino. Whatever the reason is for my disinclination towards it; it is not tantamount to disrespecting it. (you got that? or do i need to slam that tidbit back again to that thick head of yours just for you to get it?)

    In fact, I, myself, am impressed (yes, and i admit jealous) with those who could express themselves well in Filipino because that's something that I fall short ever since I was kid. Even until now, my bad Filipino has continued to plague me whenever I converse with someone here in Manila (in case you've forgotten, I'm from Visayas). I'm having much difficulty conversing in Filipino that I usually have to revert back to English just to drive my point home. It's either that or I sound like a blubbering idiot for my weird intonation and wrong grammar with every attempt to speak Filipino. Now who wouldn't be vexed by that?!

    Even some Tagalogs still have difficulty with Filipino despite the fact of their familiarity to it! Sometimes, they even see it as troublesome!

    Seriously dude, you should use that brain of yours before jumping into conclusions about other people, especially to people who you don't know. I advise you to think twice before sputtering derogatory comments; that just goes to show how uncouth and ill-mannered you are.

    If your comment was really directed to me then let me just say that you are an even bigger idiot for that foul mouth of yours. Haven't you heard of manners? I guess your parents and teachers might have missed teaching you that seeing how big of an a-hole you turned out to be.

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  165. Hahahaha! Bull's eye! Go, go, go, Migs!
    I remember my high school journalism days copyreading articles.

    Anyway, no matter what, he still a Pinoy that speaks English as his 2nd language.

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  166. Ingles ang unang wikang tinuro sa bahay, Ingles ang wikang ginamit sa pagtuturo sa kanya sa paaralan, kaya ayan, naging utak kano. Ito ang malungkot na nangyayari sa ating bansa ngayon, una pang itinuturo ng mga magulang ang wikang ingles kaysa pilipino. Malaya na tayo sa mga nanakop sa'tin pero sa isip at sa salita, patuloy pa rin silang nananaig.

    ***MICHAEL BROWN, ito ay usapan ng mga PILIPINO. Hindi dapat makisali ang dito ang isang kanong tulad mo.

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  167. Hello Migs, you're the man! =)

    Perhaps we can just donate a set of flashcards for James anyone?

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  168. Binasa ko ang isinulat ni G. Soriano. Ang kapansin-pansing kamalian na kanyang nagawa sa kanyang sulatin ay nang tawagin niyang "preposition" ang "linking verb" na "ay". Maliban dito, lahat ng kanyang sinulat kung pagbabatayan ang teknikalidad ng gramatika ay maituturing na tama o katanggap-tanggap. Walang dapat pagtalunan pa sa iba pang mga bagay na sinasabi ninyong mali. Dapat siyang palakpakan dahil natutunan nya ng madali ang wikang banyaga para sa maraming Pilipino.

    Ang layuning nakapaloob sa kanyang sulatin ay malinaw. Hindi niya itinuturing na wika ng mga natuto ang wikang Filipino. Itinuring niyang ito ay wika ng mga tao sa kalye, ng mga mabababang uri ng tao (na nagpapatakbo ng kanyang mala-senyoritong buhay). Ito ay isang ganap na paglapastangan sa wika ng bansang nagbigay sa kanya ng tahanan. Ito ay malinaw na pagyurak sa pagkatao ng maraming Pilipino na nagmamahal sa pambansang wika. Isa siyang walang utang na loob sa bayang kanyang sinilangan. Walang bansa kung walang wika. Kaya paano mo maihihiwalay ang wika sa isang bansa? ang paglapastangan sa wika ay paglapastangan sa Pilipinas.

    Tama ang mag-aral tayo ng Inggles. Ito ay magagamit natin sa araw-araw, sa pagtatrabaho, sa komersyo, sa lahat ng larangan ng buhay. Ngunit dapat nating isipin na hindi lahat ay kayang isalba ng wikang Inggles. Maaaring natuto ka at gamay mo ang wikang iyong ipinagmamalaki, ngunit hindi mo iyan magagamit sa dakong hindi kilala ang wikang iyan, kaya anung halakhak ko lang kung mapunta ka sa mga dakong hindi kinikilala ang wikang iyong nakagisnan. baka doo'y pulutin ka sa kangkungan at sumpain mo na ang ipinagmamalaki mong wikang hiram.

    Minsan gusto nating ipagmalaki natin na magaling tayo sa ganito, sa ganire, sa ganun.. Pero huwag mong masyadong ipagmalaki na magaling ka sa wikang Inggles na ang kapalit ay ang pagyurak mo sa Filipino. Hindi ito ang inaasahan sa isang tulad mong lumaki sa PIlipinas.

    Isa ka sa mga tinawag ng ating bayani, na sumisingaw ang kabulukan mula sa balat mong sunog sa araw, kasing-amoy ng malansang isda.

    at sa lahat ng mga nag-komento tungkol sa teknikalidad ng kanyang sulatin, wag niyo na iyang bigyang-pansin. Hindi ito ang dapat pag-diskusyunan.. Ang dapat nating pag-usapan mga kaibigan, ay kung paano natin mababago ang ganitong uri ng isipan na kumakalat na parang kanser sa ating lipunan. Saan na patungo ang mga kabataan kung ganitong uring isipan ang itinatanim ng mga magulang? Marami akong kilala ngayon na lumaki sa isang maykayang pamilya na hindi nakakaintindi ng tagalog, samantalang sinasabi ng ilong nya na isa siyang taong dapat magsalita ng tagalog. ikinakahiya na ba natin ang sarili nating wika? nakikita ko na ang kahihinatnan ng ating bayan, umaandap-andap na ang dati'y nagniningas na mga pusong makabayan. napapalitan na ng kulturang hilaw, na hindi pwedeng tawaging "atin" sapagkat yao'y hiram.. hindi pa ba tayo nagtanda? ipinaglaban natin ang ating lupa mula sa mga banyaga, pero heto tayo't pilit na yumayakap sa kanila? walang masama kung matutunan natin ang kanilang wika, kultura, gawi, at iba pa... ngunit huwag sana nating kalimutan at KAMUHIAN, higit sa lahat, YURAKAN ang ating pagkatao bilang mga Pilipino.


    - wag na tayong mag-away away... umupo tayo, mag-kape.. mag-usap.. ukol sa ikaaayos ng bayan..

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  169. Never read his article, till now. Dimwitted thinking and writing don't interest me much. Your edits though, were much more informative and very amusing. :-)

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  170. Atenistas and their illusions of grandeur! I often wonder what kind of world they all live in.
    A native English speaker, by definition, is someone whose mother tongue (first language) is English. As well, a native English speaker is a citizen (and passport holder) of any one of these countries USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand. This is the universal definition of a native English speaker in the ESL/TEFL/TESOL world.
    This means that for as long as you speak fluent English whilst having Filipino citizenship and a Filipino passport, then you are considered as someone who speaks English as their second language. If you believe otherwise, then you are just one arrogant f*ck.

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  171. kahit saang banda nyo tingnan yung artikulo, kitang kita mo pagiging arrogante ni Mr. Soriano...wag kayo magpapalusot na satire ang ginawang paraan ni James:

    "It might have the capacity to be the language of learning", BUT IT IS NOT THE LANGUAGE OF THE LEARNED. >>>ayan o letra por letra nakasulat sa artikulo...saan jan ang satire...Mr. Soriano, wag masyado mataas tingin sa sarili ha mamaya hindi mo kayanin ang paglagpak mo..at sino ka para sabihing ang wikang Pilipino ay wika ng mga hindi edukado???

    May mga katrabaho akong Australian Engineers, na maituturing na "Native English Speakers"...hindi ganyan katulad mo ang pag-iisip nila...kaya kung ako sa iyo, ayus ayusin mo mga pinagsusulat mo at wag mo ipagmamalaki kung san ka nanggaling..!!!!!

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  172. I would like to thank the person who made these corrections, for showing and telling Mr. Soriano that he is not good in English. :)

    Though he uses this language in his daily living, from his childhood to aging, he still do not understand English -- grammar. KUDOS!

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  173. Hi Migs! Thank you for representing me. I find your note however, totally appalling (If offensive is not enough) but for the sake of giving this arrogant a- (never mind) what he really wanted, I salute you big time (If standing ovation is not enough) A smack in the face indeed. Salamat po!

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  174. Hi Migs, I never really liked it when so many people reacted to what that nobody 'wrote' manily because:

    http://johncalica.tumblr.com/post/9410701827/cheap-tricks-the-anatomy-of-infamy

    However, I must say that yours is the best reaction, ever! Hehehe.

    Happy New Year! It's been a while since I visited this blog! Great new posts.

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  175. I knew this even before I went to school.

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  176. ULTRA KILL!

    Migs Bassig just pwnd JAMES SORIANO.


    ALLIES to James Soriano:




    "Fucking NOOB."

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