By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
After all those depressing, inflammatory, and blood-boiling news about unbridled corruption, impeachment revelations, climate-related destructions, uncontrolled slide of the peso, and other unwanted aberrations, let us dwell this time on a new Philippine export. More correctly, it is new but old
By itself, it does not redound to greater profit to business people, nor substantially add to the country’s Gross National Product. This export had slowly taken root in the last few years. Several countries from Europe, Africa and Asia are just too glad to buy this important commodity, if you can call it such.
The export: Filipino English. This export is sometimes described as a quiet revolution, an invasion of sort-of the positive type. Of course, with the export we are also sharing our culture for the world to appreciate. In another parlance, we are in a way, exerting cultural influence.
Am sure the United Kingdom and United States, the 2 bastions of the King’s language, are not exactly happy about this development, simply because they are the original users of the language. But I guess they are now reluctantly buying the product.
It is not difficult to surmise that, at the beginning, both countries derided it, as they believe that non-native English speakers like Filipinos have a queer way of pronunciation when they speak it. In short, they felt that their language is mangled in a way, and was not given justice of its usage. However, the Filipino English continues to be praised by other non-native English speakers and ironically, similarly praised by many Americans.
It is believed that with our Filipino English export, we are actually exporting clarity, kindness, politeness and patience liberally laced with humor. The Los Angeles area in California is leading the way in quietly embracing it, convinced of its usefulness.
Some people dared to compare the Filipino English with that of the American original. The Filipino version is described as easy to understand, practical, flexible, rea- life use, and makes sense; while American English is complicated, confusing, too many rules, full of exceptions, and harder to learn
In L.A. The invasion is now creeping into their politics, corporate world, government offices, schools, hospitals, restaurants, services, malls and others. These are very evident in social media posts, memos, political discourses, customer services, school newsletters, hospital advisories.
The export is really rolling happily, almost unhampered. The L.A. experience is a concrete testament to this; it visibly brought subtle transformation leading to softening of interactions, and unprecedented politeness according to some experts there.
The users of Filipino English in L.A. further stated that it had a way of turning mundane administrative instructions into a love letter to your soul. The instructions became clearer, kinder, and more respectful. According to some, such memos “are like speaking to me smiling.”
It was somewhat magical, in a sense. People liked it. A communication practitioner, mesmerized by the Filipino English, illustrated “it entered the system like a benevolent virus”. Smoother communication was attained; people became more productive, have higher morale, relationships became more harmonious, and work became less stressful.
Here is the reason why. Concerned offices in L.A. engaged the services of Filipino freelancers based in Manila (who are highly-educated)—for script editing, and content writing.
Now see this effusive comment of the Filipino English. It is “wrapped in politeness, sprinkled with warmth, decorated with humor”. They had also observed its calm tone which they find very soothing.
Following the Filipino experts lead, their memos, avoided abrupt commands giving people the feeling of being seen and respected. Phone calls, voice mails, political campaign ads, and many more are now influenced by the Filipino English. It is now reshaping how people communicated, embedding the next level politeness.
It maybe unimaginable but the ongoing transformations are leading Americans to seek Filipino English teachers to teach them for the purpose. Same with many countries like France, and some African and Asian Countries.
If only we can translate the positive vibes (seen by others in our Filipino English), to our own daily lives, to our politics, and to our social media engagements, things will look prettier and more progressive for our country and for all of us.
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