I mentioned a few times on the site now that I have been taking some language lessons recently. Actually, this is third time to start taking lessons to learn how to speak Bisaya. The first time I started taking lessons, after about 2 months my teacher quit, because he had other things occupying his time. The second time that I started lessons, I quit after about two months, because of a lack of time on my part. This time, I am really committed, though, to learning the language. I consider it not just something that I want to do, it is becoming something that I need to do.
Why do I need to learn the language? Well, I want to fit in more. I want to be part of the society here. I want to understand what is going on around me. In short, this is where I have chosen to live, and it is really my responsibility to know how to converse with the local people.
You know, in a number of instances, I have been in groups of people, and I feel left out if they are going on in Bisaya. If I am with one person, even two, they generally shift to English for my benefit. However, if there are a lot of people, you really can’t expect every person there to switch to English, when I am only one out of a large group. It does make me feel bad, but when I think about it, I should not feel bad, I should learn the language so that I will fit in more. I have known a number of foreigners who also tend to feel bad, even get upset when those around them don’t speak English, and that is not right. Think about it like this – if you were in the USA with a group of your friends, maybe at a party, and there was a guy from Mexico in attendance, would you expect that everybody at the party to start speaking Spanish? No, absolutely not. For one thing, a lot of the people probably could not speak much Spanish, which is the same case here. Not everybody can speak English, or is comfortable speaking English.
You know, these language lessons have been interesting for me. One thing that I am finding is that I already know a lot of the vocabulary, I just don’t realize how much I know! When my teacher gives me a list of words to learn for the next week’s lesson, I find that I usually know at least half of the words before even studying! One thing that is great, though, is that the teacher is showing me how to use those words to construct a sentence. That is what I didn’t know how to do well! But, I’m learning it now.
Really, I would say that for anybody who has been married to a Filipina for a number of years, you will probably find that it will be easier to learn the language (Tagalog, Bisaya or whatever) than you expect.
Why not give it a try?
I can relate to Louis's post. I took basic and advanced Thai at the U of Maryland. The first time I spoke Thai to a young college graduate in Bangkok, he said, "oh…your an American!" I have to say I feel better traveling around Thailand with a limited Thai vocabulary than knowing none at all. I commend Bob for learning Bisaya, and if he plans to live there the rest of his life it will certainly come in handy. I enjoy your posts Bob. Keep up the good work!
Hi Louis – If you ever get ready to give it a go, let me know and I'll give you information on my teacher. I got her name from a reader on this blog (Shannon) and this teacher (her name is Bebe) is excellent!
Hi Bob (HI) – Thanks for your nice words!
Hi Louis:
I also laugh at my husband's pronunciation of Bisaya because it's soooo cute to listen to. 😆
Hi Bob: Keep going. Later on you will be like AmericanLola who can give lessons in Bisaya. Who knows ?
Bob (HI) – University of Maryland? I come from Catonsville outside of Baltimore, Maryland and I took classes at University of Maryland Baltimore County. You a fellow Marylander?
Hi Bob
Well done for attempting to learn, what you say is absolutely correct about integrating better into the society if you have a knowledge of the language, people in the end will even begin to forget that you are a foreigner! I find my ability to speak Bisaya makes me a lot of friends and is a cause of much laughter and entertainment amongst friends and relatives, people travel a long way just to hear me speak! In UK I teach French and German amongst other things and I can give you some advice on learning a foreign language. It is better to know say, 500 words and be able to use them fluently, than to know 5000 and not be able to string a sentence together. Know how to adapt, if you cannot think of the word in conversation, than know how to find another way to say it, your listener will soon catch on, use fill in words while you are thinking! Nothing is worse than just grinding to a stop! For example if you are saying "he is rich", and you can`t think of the word (datu) , then say "he has plenty money", ( daghan kwarta siya!). Fill in words while you are thinking might be, "oh lagi", "kuan man", "bitaw"! Hope this helps Bob. Keep up the good work!
Malcolm
Hello Bob – this makes me eager to meet you & your family soon – by that time am sure you can say 'kumusta imong byahe?' (how's was your trip?' when we meet
Hi Bob
Sorry, I have to disagree with you saying that it is "virtually Impossible" for a wife to teach her husband Bisaya. I've only been here for a little over a year and a half and my wife has been the best in teaching me. She does laugh at my pronunciation quite a bit but, that doesn't deter my learning in the least. I think I am fortunate due to the fact that my wife speaks very good English and, this may be the cause of her being able to teach me her language. This is not a one way steet however. She is constantly telling me that I should correct her any time she does not speak proper English. She also speaks Tagalog fluently along with Tosaug and Zamboagon. I'm learning some tagalog from her translating the news and movies on TV.
Just recently we decided that we would use English only at home and Bisaya (at least the little I understand) ouside the home. I've heard before,that the best way to learn a language is for 'total immersion' so, that's the way I guess I'll learn.
If we ever go to the US, she would be expected to speak English there so, it's only right that I learn her langluage while I live here.
Hipe someday we can meet in person and enjoy the looks and comments we might get from people that would overhear us speak Bisaya to each other………would be interesting to say the least.
Hi marygrace – Ha ha… I can already say simple things like that!
Hi Louis! I am from Hawaii. I took the Thai classes at a satellite U. of Maryland campus here in the early 70's. The U. of Phoenix offers similar Master programs at a satellite campus here also.
I know this is an old posting, but I also want to learn the language there, bisaya for instance, and Rose said she will be happy to teach me and help me with that.
I was wondering why you wouldn't want Feyma to help you with that. I know in the past, for instance, my last room mate was from Puerto Rico, and she and her three children, speak great english, especially for just being here for 2 years. But when they are at home and around friends here, they speak spanish, and for good reason. Its more comfortable to speak the native language, especially when there around fellow latino's.
But my room mate Nereida was very good at teaching me Spanish…although I am not fluent at all, I have a great understanding of the language now after living with them for the past year and a half, and have learned much about it. It also helps me out a lot since I live here in South Florida, and there is mostly a hispanic community here.
It was extremely helpful to be living with someone and learn, and able to use the language in everyday usage around the house..is all I am saying. So you should give Feyma a try and let her teach you as well.
Btw, are you still taking classes…I know this post is from 2007?
Good luck,
Danny 🙂
Hi Danny – Thanks for dropping by! Yes, I am still studying Bisaya, and am doing quite well with it too! I can now easily converse in Bisaya in any kind of situation. I know the correct grammar, and how to make sentences for most types of conversation. My biggest job now is to continue to increase the size of my vocabulary.
In my experience, learning something like a language from a family member simply does not work. Firstly, Feyma is not a teacher, and does not have a curriculum that she can use to teach me. Learning a language is more than learning words, it is mostly learning the proper grammar, and Feyma is not equipped to teach that. I am not putting down on Feyma, I would not be equipped to teach English to a non-speaker.
The lady who is my teacher is a professional teacher of languages (multiple languages). She wrote the text books that I am using, and she is an expert.
By the way, having a professional teacher is not expensive either! My teacher charges me P250/week ($5.81). I consider that to be very cheap!
The thing that is great about having Feyma and other family members around is that I can take what Bebe (my teacher) teaches me, and practice it around the house with my family. That is where Feyma comes in as a very valuable aid in my learning of the language.
You may have read, lately I have taken a number of trips around Mindanao, and knowing the language is the thing that has made these trips very enjoyable, more than previous trips that I have taken.
Good luck to you, Danny, if you attempt to learn the language yourself! I wish you the very best, and hope that you enjoy the process, I know that I have! 😀