Its important to realize that when you leave your own home country, that you understand that your new home, has many differences, and living in the Philippines is a major cultural shock, as the food, the way of life, the customs and beliefs are so big, that sometimes at the beginning I struggled, and after all it was the reas0n I left the UK to experience something new, and challenging, and fun.
The very first day I landed in Manila I was shocked, as in my total ignorance I expected a form of Spanish to meet my ears, as I had done no research before my first vacation here. Instead I was met with many English speaking people at the airport, but all seemed to be speaking in an American accent, of course I now know why it seemed that, and I was surprised and relieved, as at least I would have no problem communicating, English is English, right? WRONG.
My first challenge came when picking up a prearranged taxi, no matter how many times I gave my name and destination, three or four people around me looked at me with glazed eyes, repeating it just made it worse, so i resorted to the written form, not understanding why I was not being understood.
After a couple of days, I knew that my English accent was hard for the locals to get, so I slowed down my speaking, and that increased the understanding, but still led to fits of laughter by me and my Filipino friends, as pronunciations of the word “BEACH”, was heard by me as another similar word like a female Dog. So every time I was asked to go to the BEACH, I just had a shocked look on my face.
Even slowing down my words still sometimes causes strange things, like last night I took my mobile phone to a small stall and asked for “load” for the phone, I was offered cigarettes, after three attempts a friendly local translated my need for my phone to have credit, the stall holder laughed and tried to give me Marlborough cigarettes, the next stall holder had no problem.
This often happens when ordering food, COKE will transform into SPRITE, NO RICE will transform into two portions of Rice, and although it can be frustrating, I do have a laugh, as its my fault for not learning the local dialects.
A friend who owns a large business here, explained to me that in most cases they will understand, but go into a panic when serving a foreigner, as they assume we will go into a tirade of anger if they get it wrong, so they panic and not really listen, hence a lot of the problems. Also of course, an accent will become even harder for the locals when the foreigner has a few drinks, of course that’s not me, heavens as if I would.
All my friends understand me now, and some complain that because of me when they are at work or schooling, they slip into a British accent and that causes roars of laughter, I ask is the British accent funny, most reply its like Harry Potter. I remember, befriending a tricycle driver, after weeks of talking to him, I realized he never replied to anything I said, I assumed he just was not friendly, or too shy, but he told me, after I challenged him, that he was ashamed to speak English in case he sounded stupid.
I told him the stupid one is me. I don’t understand his language, but he understands me. We have been firm friends ever since, even if I don’t go to the “BEACH” with him.
About John
Carefull you dont give him a nose bleed John ! lol
John: I’ve been to the UK enough times that the accent doesn’t normally give me too much trouble, but I’ve noticed that when a group of Brits in informal, sometimes it throws me for a loop, especially the Cockney and some of the Scottish accents.
As an American, my accent is somewhat generic, though I slip into southern drawl a bit if I’m around Texans or rednecks… I don’t even know I’m doing it. Here, people sometimes have trouble understanding me because I speak too quickly (and for some reason the taxi drivers never understand me when I say Old Balara).
Hi John
My son has told me I will have to change the way I speak when visiting. It does not help having a mild Yorkshire accent, lol.
To John Miele.
Some Brits have trouble understanding other Brits so don’t worry about it. Some accents are very strong. Ee by gum I can’t allus understan t’other Tykes.
All the best
Marjorie
Hi john i know what you mean ,my sisters inlaw cant understand me when i say hello on the phone they say i speak to fast when i used to talk to my now wife when there she would look at me with a dumb look on her face then i would realize she didnt get past the firstr word i said ,sometimes even i have trouble understanding you poms especially if your accent is broad thought i would get one in for the colonials hehehehehehe remember you sent us here as prisoners anyway i am half pom anyhow mt relis live in the south and the midlands but i wont be going to visit to bloody cold glad to see it isnt only me people dont understand
cheers chris
Hi John – You’re just a little late to the party, by about 250 years!
Back then, the British owned Manila & Cavite (and supposedly all of the Philippines, but not really) after having defeated Spanish defenders during the Seven Years War. Unfortunately, these events were unknown when the Treaty of Paris was signed, so the Philippines reverted back to the Spanish Crown.
Why, British influence even made it up to the Ilocos region, with Ilocano governors appointed by the British. All was happy until the Spanish returned.
So, had communications in the mid 1700s been better between the Philippines and Britain, the King’s (now the Queen’s) English would be spoken here. You’d be right at home!
I’ve run into the rice incident at a foodplace nearby where I live; behind ADDU. I noticed they were over friendly, and kinda poured over each other when I walked up. I felt I was getting the ‘special treatment’, and this registered to me that they were in an anxiety because I know many foreigners have left a bad mark on ones who come (yelling at service- something I don’t even understand). I was somewhat annoyed to be looked at like that, and wished it’d be eased off. I asked only 1 cup of rice, and they gave 2, but I just accepted it. Then they put it in a banana leaf plate thing, but then quickly took it out and switched it to a normal hard plastic plate. I felt bad because I don’t like being looked at as a tourist or someone who’d yell at people. I know they were just trying to please me in fear or something, but, I just get extremely uncomforable when I’m looked at for someone I’m not.
Jawz, yes that is the problem in many countries. English speaking people expect everybody to speak English, and when they don’t, they tend to speak louder. This upsets the locals. We Canadians tend to speak slower so we are understood better. You understand that, eh?
Jawz- i think this time you are way over analyzing things ! lol I have long given up trying to figure out the reasons behind why people treat me the way they do- especially when its in a easy going not at all dramatic setting – coz it might be they are in a bad mood, or are having a bad day, or are attracted to you, or are nervous, or need to go the the bathroom- or or or !!!! haha
Assuming that someone is seeing you as something that you are not just erects a barrier between you and them- and hinders them seeing you for who you are.
I find that if I start joking with people- ALL people- almost all of the time you will make those barriers- both real and imagined- disappear. Be proactive and you wont have to wonder why
Haha, its the only thing I could think of, well, that makes sense. It was a bunch of ladies, so if its something about how I look, could be possible. And, it was a Filipino food place, so, mayeb they don’t get lots of foreign costumers and they were excited. But, I been there a few times, and they do the same thing. The service begins to stumble over each other in an over-friendly greeting. I just roll with it but it feels awkward. When they switched my food to a non-Filipino style plate that it was originally in, that made me think it maybe was them nervous. I end up stuttering almost around my girlfriend’s parents and official gov’t people cause I end up nervous to please em.
Of course though, I’ve been told I over analyze sometimes, so maybe its something different?
You know Jawz, to some filipinos who are basically in survival mode and dont get to meet or experience many foreigners- its as if you had a small eatery and some alien from another planet came in !! Just imagine the flap you would be in ! lol Especially when you have heard that some of them can explode in anger without the slightest provocation. You dont want to be rude, but you dont want to be patronizing. You dont have the slightest idea of how to treat them- so you over-react in a too friendly way, stumbling over your co-workers in your nervousness. You say jawz that you end up acting all nervous- but imagine just how much more nervous they are. And even in their own culture they have nowhere near the social skills that you have learned [ i mean in terms of interactions with alien species !!! lol ]
Jaws,
Here is a different angle on the situation where they served you on a plate rather than what they may serve a Filipino, the same food. Give this some thought, maybe ” They ” are going out of their way to please You ! Maybe they felt eating from a conventional ( to us ) plate would make you feel more comfortable, more at home to consume your rice or meal in a way that is most familiar to You !
Give them their chance to Please You and going by my own experiences I think they will ! If you patronise the same places, after a while they get to know you and maybe you can come right out and say to them you would like to try it in Their traditional way.
I believe many people there seldom if ever have an opportunity to interact with a foriegner, especially a Kano. They have seen us in movies or on TV or on DVD although a lot of it is acted out overdramatization. You may be curious about them, they are just as curious about you or for that matter any other Kano that may frequent their place.
My experiences in my visits at least to me and in my mind are quite opposite of some of your experiences so far that I have read here.
I don’t like to frequent restaurants at their peak serving times but either just before or just after. One place I wnet to ( The Iliganon, Iligan City ) I went there for lunch with a couple of my Filipino friends. Obviously the owner spotted ” The Kano ” ( me ) right away and introduced herself in what to me was easily understood English. After we finished our meal she came over to chat and an hour later we are still there chatting, laughing and I had a great time ! For me this was almost better than the meal we had !
Another popular local restaurant I have been to several times now ( Zoey Cafe, Iligan City ). The very first time I walked into the place I felt as if I had walked into a place that was in my own home town here in the USA. I can not exactly pinpoint what gave me this feeling, it may have been a combination of things. I am sure I was immediately spotted as ” The Kano ” but that never really bothered me. Once again, a pleasant conversation with the owner, a few good laughs and I absorbed the pleasant ambience of the place. I have been back there at least 6 times since I first entered the place. No language problem that I can recall but of course I was not all that familiar with some of the words on the menu LOL but thats OK with me.
Maybe this could be of some help to you in feeling a bit less self concious and it is what I keep in my own mind when I am in a foriegn place. In this case we’ll say Filipinos since that is where we are discussing. To me, when I am in a place full of Filipino as far as I am concerned, as long as I don’t look at myself in a mirror in my own mind I don’t look any different than the people I am surrounded by.
I don’t understand most of you brits either. Sorry, but listening to brits talk for me is paramount to taking sleeping pills.I think Richard Quest of CNN made me this way LOL
John, Britainians i can handle, but I have two Irish friends that hang out at a local eatery down the street from me. now THAT is a challenge to understand sometimes. One night when i walked down to get my Viyan, the two Irish lads were chatting up a couple of local gals, a Norwegian and german were chattering away in their version of English, and after standing a moment, i looked at the owner, and we both just busted up laughing at the scene. like i told her, it’s getting bad when I understand a Bisayan business owner better than any of the others sitting here speaking in English. Keeps life interesting sometimes!
Yes, John, going to the “beach” always makes me laugh too. There is another word that Filipinos often pronounce so as to change its meaning dramatically.
I enjoy hearing that the bed “sheets” need changing. I would hope so.
Eating a “sheet” cake sounds very unappetizing.
These little things keep us all from taking life too seriously.
John;
Try life with a Boston Accent, where we drink be-ah vice beer, we also speak very fast. But 21 years in the U.S. Navy helped me learn to tone down my speech, and being stationed with people from all over the U.S also helped. When working with your Royal Navy, classes on English started again, between our slang, and your slang its surprising anyone can understand anyone. But never the less it was fun and interesting. My brothers all think I’ve lost my Boston accent, my friends disagree.
I was just fixin to say that my last 10 years in Dallas make all yall sound funny!
Filipinos do have difficulties with english accents, it seems. When a friend of mine from Taiwan, Richard – originally from Birmingham, England – visited us in Davao, on one occasion, he was in the yard playing with our nephew & nieces, when our nephew came into the house & said to me, ” Uncle! Richard! noise is coming from his mouth, but their(sic) not words, even Iglesh(sic)!” Man, I laughed! I said, “No, Boogie, that’s Brummie, not English!”
Still, I can tell you from my navy days that any Brummie is much easier to understand than a couple of boys from Dildo, Newfoundland, after they’ve been at the rum. On the most sober of days, you couldn’t understand a word Edwards said, so we used Arch Dimmer to translate. But, once he’d had a few…
Ian
Sure I don’t know what you mean Ian lol
John M
I spent a few years visiting my parents in the Highlands of Scotland, and when the Whiskey flowed I could not understand much at all, so after a few more drinks I did not care. Hope you had a great time in the UK this week too.
Majorie
Your Yorkshire accent is beautiful, do not try change it!!!
Chris
Everybody is so polite in the Philippines, even if they have no idea what you said, they will not tell you, as they feel its rude, so they bridge the gap by a guess to what you said, hence the difficulties occur. The eyes are the important thing, as they glaze over, you know that you have not communicated well.
Paul
According to some of the local history here in Mindanao, it looks like the British were here for a few years, they got so confused by all the different tribes languages, they enforced English to be spoken at meetings. But as you said the Brits were only passing through, as usual.
Jaws
I agree with all the guys above who have commented on your experience.
Richard
I have to agree with you on Richard Quest on CNN, he so annoys me too. We are not all like that…..honest
Dave Keiser
So agree, The Irish accent has the ability to sound to non trained ears like the words never quite get formed.
Peter
The word “beach” has called me so much laughter, when my friends from Europe come over. Love to watch their faces.
Paul Thompson
Your country is blessed with so many variations, its impossible to determine where you may come from.
Mike
The Brum accent is out on its own.
I saw no mention of what I term Tanduay english. I tease some of my relatives that their english language skills are in the bottom of the Tanduay bottle because some do not attempt speaking until one bottle is consumed. There is also videoke english where the linguisticaly challenged cannot speak a word of english but can give a full rendition of any popular song without missing a syllable.
Hi John
Interesting to here that I’m not the only Brit who is accused of speaking ‘slang’ English. I do not have trouble with understanding other people’s accents even when they speak a very poor form of the language but unless I pronounce every single letter to the precise detail they have difficulty understanding me.
I was in SM supermarket a while back and I asked an asistant where the jam was he looked blankly at me so I said it very slowly about 6 times still no response so I asked him where the JUM was his reply ‘are you mean jam’ exactly as I had pronounced it the first time!
Another time I was in a restaurant and asked for a Coke after about 15 minutes still no Coke I politley enquired of the waitress if the pipes had gone rusty her reply ‘No sir we don’t serve rusty’.
I was talking to a school teacher one day when she asked me where I came from I replied ‘England’ she looked thoughtful and then asked me if they spoke English there! Moral of that story is to introduce myself as British as most Filipino’s don’t know England exists although one person did ask what ‘State’ England was in ‘Bloody awful’ I replied.
Hi John,
Your story reminded me of an event from my early childhood which I had almost completely forgotten about.
When I first attended school it was at King George the Fifth Elementary School in Peterborough, Ontario. Canada. Peterborough was a pleasant enough colonial backwater. The school flew the Union Jack and the Queen’s portrait in full regalia held pride of place above the centre of the blackboard. Every morning we had to stand and sing “God Save the Queen”. On those days which coincided with the anniversary of some great British victory in a colonial war such as the Boer War in South Africa or the Mau-Mau War in Kenya we also sang ” Hurrah for the British Grenadiers ” as well.
Now I was in my second grade and the whole class took turns reading a page of text from our textbook so that the teacher could hear our pronunciation. After it was my turn to read, the teacher commented that I spoke certain words with a distinct British accent. She then said, ” Well..there’s nothing wrong with the Queen’s English.”
About halfway through grade 2 our family moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada and I was enrolled in a new school. To my surprise the new school flew the Canadian flag from the flagpole and I was expeceted to sing the Canadian National Anthem,” O’ Canada “.
Now my new teacher was shocked that I spoke some words with a British accent and called in a speach therapist to ” correct ” my pronunciation. I told the speach therapist that ” There’s nothing wrong with the Queen’s English!”.
Well this kind of smart-alecky back-talk soon got me sent to the Principal’s Office at a time in society when corporal punishment was seen as the best solution for problem children. The Principal gave me a choice, speak like a Canadian or get the strap! So after that gentle and thoughtful discussion I subsequently lost my British accent.
Now in afterthought I realized I got off easy compared to some of my classmates. These were the ones who thought it was a smart idea to use the American spelling for words like ” color or flavor ” instead of the British / Canadian spelling of ” colour or flavour “.
They ended up being sent to the Principal’s Office and were never seen again!
Tom Ramburg
Tom, I find that a very, very special type of English lol
BradleyC
I say “coke2″ but no one understands me, so I the say “coooke”, then they say you mean COKE.
Remember British humour does not travel, I spent 30 mins in a queue to buy a pen and some paper. The delay was just that so many people behind the counter, wrapping, signing the receipts, writing things in a book, and talking.
So I said thanks so much for the 30 minutes in the queue to buy this, I really enjoyed that time in my life. The reply, NO PROBLEM SIR, THANK YOU”.
Randall Jessup
Shame on you, go back to the British section.
Viva La France
I really enjoy reading your blog. I am American, but spent a lot of time in the UK as well when I was younger. I have been here in the Philippines for almost 3 years now, and it is quite refreshing to read your posts and the comments. I don’t have any expat friends here in Marikina from anywhere, so I am alone with my Pinoy family, lol. The language barriers are funny, trying, annoying, and just part of life for us “for-ring-ers” lol.
Cheers friend, hope to see some new posts soon!
Ricky F.
Ricky F
Thanks for the kind words my friend, In hope you continue to enjoy your stay here, I know sometimes our language and cultural differences can lead to misunderstanding and the occasional temper. lol.