The Galaxy According To BalatStar

all five horizons revolve around my soul

pet peeve alert

24th-Jun-2009 10:50 am

The lady sitting beside me on the shuttle home was talking quite loudly on her cellphone, so I couldn't help overhearing her conversation. (Well, it was more like even if I wanted to NOT overhear, I was forced to.) Apparently she was talking to her child:

"Ano'ng wina-watch mo dyan?"
...
"Cartoons? Anong cartoons? Don't watch Tagalog cartoons ha."
...
"Sige, basta don't watch Tagalog cartoons. Sa Disney channel ka na lang."
...
"Let me talk to Yaya."
...
"Yaya, anong channel ang wina-watch niya?"
...
"Disney channel? Okay. Wag mong ipapa-watch sa Hero ha? Tagalog na nga tayo e. Baka di na lalo matuto yan."

I swear I wanted to smack her over the head. And does she really believe she was actually speaking in Tagalog? No way!

Why do most Filipino parents seem to believe that English-speaking children are automatically smarter children? I hate, hate, hate, hate it!

***

So I was reminded of one of my ex-officemate's daughter. At 3 years old, she can speak straight-ass Tagalog, even better than most Filipino adults I know. Now, THAT is cool.

***

It's ironic how I'm writing about this in English. Let's just blame it on the wonky educational system that trained me how to read and write better in English than in Filipino, all right? Okay. XP

Comments

24th-Jun-2009 04:21 am (UTC)

tangengot

some pinoys even think that sporting an american accent equates to having a high I.Q.

nakakapikon talaga. meron nga diyang mga pa-english english pero mahahalata mo namang walang laman pinagsasasabi.

24th-Jun-2009 04:28 am (UTC)

balatstar

hay, don't even get me started on the whole american accent affair.

i had an officemate who spoke with an american slang and claimed he doesn't know how to speak tagalog because he went to school in the states. but we found out he only spent 2 years of high school in the US but lived most of his life in laguna. hello?! two years won't make you forget your native language. *rolls eyes*

24th-Jun-2009 05:01 am (UTC)

tangengot

*does the eyeroll with you LOL*

ugh. nakakairita talaga e no?

24th-Jun-2009 07:54 am (UTC)

dreamlessness

nakakagalit nga, pero iniisip ko rin: baka sinasanay talaga nung nanay yung bata na magsalita ng inggles na walang halong tagalog, hindi naman ibig sabihing ayaw niyang matuto ng tagalog yung bata. kaya inilalayo niya sa tagalog o taglish na impluwensiya.

...kaso parang hindi e, kasi taglish ding magsalita yung nanay XD "anong wina-watch mo" anak ng tokwaaaa.

24th-Jun-2009 12:20 pm (UTC)

balatstar

eksaktamundo!

24th-Jun-2009 01:38 pm (UTC)

urbi_et_orbi

If I had kids, I'd want them to watch both. What's wrong with knowing both languages? I'd make him watch anime in the original language, too. Maybe he'll learn how to speak Japanese and I won't have problems being in Japan *coughulteriormotivecough*

24th-Jun-2009 10:35 pm (UTC)

balatstar

Yeah! Let's make them polyglots via cartoons! :D

24th-Jun-2009 03:16 pm (UTC)

annasibs

this is also a huge pet peeve of mine. nakakainis!

i don't watch hero because i like my anime in its original language. disney channel is an awful choice for kiddie viewing, imo. every time i watch the disney channel, i always feel a few IQ points slip away from me.

25th-Jun-2009 07:56 am (UTC)

reiichiru

Tagalog na nga tayo e. Baka di na lalo matuto yan.

--> Nakakabobo pala maging Tagalog?

Why do most Filipino parents seem to believe that English-speaking children are automatically smarter children? I hate, hate, hate, hate it!

--> Me, too.

1st-Aug-2009 03:21 am (UTC)

kmja

odd thing, i was just thinking about my daughter when i read this post!

ang lalim mag-tagalog ng anak ko. >.> nakakagulat! naririnig nya kasi sa yaya nya na galing samar. ang sarap tuloy kausapin ni kaida, buong buo ang mga tagalog phrases and very polite. no slang!

meantime, i've thought her to understand english, but she still answers back to me in tagalog. ._.

yun lang. XD [/proud mommy post]

1st-Aug-2009 08:18 am (UTC)

balatstar

Ang galing!! Bihira na lang ang ganyan e, lalo na dito sa Manila.

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