By Oriana Cuenca
Featured image: @CcIaseeds on Twitter
English may be considered the second official language of the Philippines, but for some, it is actually their first language. Like for me. And it shows, when you consider how many people, especially in Metro Manila, sound like they grew up in the States.
But there are so many things people get wrong about us. Here are 11 things Englisheros in the Philippines want you to understand.
ALSO READ: 14 Things South People Have Been Dying to Tell Their North Friends
11. The struggle with Filipino and Spanish numbers
Kinse? Singkwenta? Kwarenta? We’re pretty sure those are numbers but we’re not sure which is which. No matter how hard we try, we just can’t remember the Spanish-Filipino numerical system. We will go into a mini panic if the shopkeeper gives us the total “kinse lang” or “dalawang daan.” We’ll hand over a bill and hope for the best. We’re also very thankful for all the friends who would translate these numbers for us!
10. The same goes for the time
You can really feel the Spanish influence in the country when you ask some for the time. It’s either “eight forty-one” or “alas otso kwarenta’y uno” with no in-between. Like with numbers, we just can’t seem to remember how to tell the time in Filipino no matter how many times people try to repeat it to us.
9. We can understand Filipino
It’s not that we can’t understand Filipino. We can. And it’s kind of amazing, the understanding that happens when having a conversation with someone who doesn’t speak English. Both understand what the other is saying, but both respond in the language they’re comfortable speaking in. It’s a common sight here in the Philippines seeing an English-Filipino conversation but uninitiated foreigners tend to marvel at how we manage this!
8. “Minekaniko ni Moniko ang makina ng manika ni Monika“
Everybody seems to take delight in our struggles. Someone always has a long, complicated Filipino tongue twister they just know we can’t pronounce correctly. While Moniko is one of the most common, variations also include “Sinusi ni Susan ang sisidlan ng sisiw“. Don’t forget the frustratingly succinct “Nakakapagpabagabag.“
7. We appreciate it whenever people switch to English when talking to us (even when they don’t have to)
Not all Filipinos speak English all the time as we do, but most can still hold a decent conversation. We would never force someone to speak to us in English but we really appreciate all the friends, family members, waiters, and salesladies who would drop into English whenever they’re talking to us.
6. Please don’t force us to roll our R’s when we speak Filipino
Laro becomes larho. Flores becomes Flohres. Marupok becomes marhupok. Filipino is known for its rolling R’s reminiscent of the Spanish language, but our R’s are always cushioned by an h sound. English has no equivalent for the crisp sounds of Filipino, so we’re stuck with the most conyo sounding pronunciation of “parang” ever.
5. Yes, we’re Filipinos
Our citizenship and ethnicity are always questioned. “Did you grow up in the States?” and “where are you from?” are questions that are part of daily life. Sometimes people don’t even believe we were born and raised in the Philippines. We’re Filipinos, too!
4. We’re used to getting overcharged
It’s harder to haggle when you don’t have that crisp Filipino accent. Shopkeepers automatically assume we’re all loaded (we’re not) and give us the same prices they’d give blonde tourists. Divisoria and Baclaran are frustrating experiences when your English accent bleeds through even when you speak Filipino. Non-Englishero parents and friends often advise us not to say a word and let them handle the bargaining.
3. Not all Englisheras and Englisheros are Conyo. Vice versa.
Conyo: the stereotype La Sallians and Ateneans have been tagged with for decades. While the word conyo brings to mind overpriced coffee and Apple products, conyo is essentially just a way of speaking Taglish. And that is the difference between a conyo and an Englishero. People who speak conyo mix Filipino and English. Englisheras and Englisheros only use English with an occasional Filipino word when Filipino is more appropriate.
2. There is a lot of miscommunication
Some of us do speak Filipino but it’s not the best in the world. Explaining concepts and describing specific items are sometimes a challenge. We can hold a casual conversation in Filipino, but we might have trouble asking where the silver wire (alambre) is, or which grocery aisle we can get the radish (labanos, apparently).
1. Being an Englishero living in the Philippines doesn’t mean we shun our nationality or our country
Yes. Being an Englishero or Englishera living in the Philippines doesn’t mean we shun our nationality or our country. We were just raised to speak in the English language. After all, when our laws are in English, our business is conducted in English, our research papers are written in English, can you really blame our parents and schools for wanting us to embody English as well?
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The Philippines ascribes a certain privilege and prestige to when you speak good English. Sometimes it’s better service at a restaurant. Sometimes it’s getting away from petty violations. This is the English privilege, and even we who reap its rewards say that it should not be the reality. The very existence of the Englisheros and the English privilege is proof that our country venerates the American tongue far more than we’d like to admit.
While I write this article as a fellow Englishera, I still hope that the next generation of parents will proudly teach their children Filipino. There’s nothing wrong with speaking English, but English should just be a language, not a privilege.
