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regionalresolutionextinctionfederalismelectiontyrannysilenceletterrevivalsolfedsolfed2storymediatagalizationlocalEnglishschoolmulticulturalismregionalismhopemartialsakarWelshRandyDavidJedPensarProfessor AgcaoiliJoeMax|
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| REVIVING DEAD LANGUAGES |
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| There is a saying, "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure." What we're doing here is trying to prevent the loss of our languages. We don't wait till they become moribund before taking any action. While Hebrew and Latin have biblical and historical significance and therefore, important not only to the people in regions where they used to be spoken, but in the whole world, our native languages unfortunately don't have that stature those two languages enjoy. So, once dead, the chances of their being revived are nil. Instead of feeling secured and confident by leaning on the idea that they could anyway be revived in the future if ever they become extinct like Hebrew, we should be working for their survival now. If "curiousity kills the cat", being too optimistic kills the language of the defender. Cab Erns How sure are we anyway in our belief that the future inhabitants of Cebu, who, taking for granted have become Tagalog-speakers, would try to revive the language of their ancestors? What would they get out of it when they already have a language they were born with? To please their dead ancestors? If you know, for instance, that your ancestors spoke Cornish, but you, however, can not speak that language, would you be one of those now working for its revival? In my case, I doubt that I would still do that. I can only do it with the language I have been born with. So, future Tagalog-speaking Cebuanos (God forbid!) are not likely work for the revival of the language that "used to be indigenous" in their region. Cab Erns Let's capitalize on this and make hay while the sun shines, Edwin. Let's make Gloria realize that she lost in Tagalog-speaking provinces such as Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and the whole southern Tagalog region. That way, she will severe her affinity with Tagalogs and will stop being overly nationalistic. Her mother, anyway, is a Pangasinense and her husband, an Ilonggo, and she herself learned Cebuano as a child in Iligan City where her grandmother used to live. Using all these facts, we can for sure draw sympathy from her for our languages, all of us in UNT. So, I see no better time than now. Next time around we might have a purely Tagalog president. Now we have a multi-lingual one. Let's capitalize on this when our delegation under Dr. Evangelina Lacson meets with Gloria. We have to do this as early as possible, because Dr. Lacson is already old, and, frail as she is, who knows how much longer she's going to live. Look what has happened to Nick Joaquin. Apung Nene is the one I know who can approach Gloria and talk with her on this issue. (And also Dr. Angeles of AUF since Gloria is a trustee of his university.) So let's grab this opportunity of a lifetime. It might not present itself again. Apung Nene and Gloria are our best bet. Talk about this with Josie, go to Dr. Lacson at her home in Magalang and remind her about what she had told me on the phone regarding this matter. Time is of the essence |
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