The Importance of Language in a People.
By eileenleyva
@eileenleyva (27560)
Philippines
December 9, 2010 7:45pm CST
In the news recently: California hospital singled out Filipinos and banned the Filipino nurses from talking in Tagalog. The news further related that in 2006, the Filipino nurses were told that they were being watched on cam, in case they blurt out something in Tagalog.
That hospital must learn one thing: there is a big difference in expressing oneself in the native language. Tagalog has truly no direct translation in English and when Filipinos talk in the language, they function fast and well. This could even spell the difference between life and death. Did that hospital want the Filipinos to be cautious of their language all the time instead of their work?
Example: Tagalog: I-torniquet mo para di na magdugo!
English: Apply a torniquet so the bleeding will stop!
For a Filipino, there is already a sense of urgency in that command. For a Filipino to think about the English translation when he/she is already presented with a situation is something detrimental. Those who issued the ban must know that Filipinos has that natural instinct to relate to a fellow Filipino. But the Filipino knows how to adapt fast to others. A Filipino will speak in English if he/she is talking to an American or an Englishman.
That hospital must learn one thing: there is a big difference in expressing oneself in the native language. Tagalog has truly no direct translation in English and when Filipinos talk in the language, they function fast and well. This could even spell the difference between life and death. Did that hospital want the Filipinos to be cautious of their language all the time instead of their work?
Example: Tagalog: I-torniquet mo para di na magdugo!
English: Apply a torniquet so the bleeding will stop!
For a Filipino, there is already a sense of urgency in that command. For a Filipino to think about the English translation when he/she is already presented with a situation is something detrimental. Those who issued the ban must know that Filipinos has that natural instinct to relate to a fellow Filipino. But the Filipino knows how to adapt fast to others. A Filipino will speak in English if he/she is talking to an American or an Englishman.9 people like this
21 responses
@TheAdvocate (2392)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
This is clearly discrimination on so many levels. I understand from the news that it is only Filipino/Tagalog that is banned, but all the other languages are not. Why are we being singled out? A few months back they also featured Filipinas who were being discriminated in another state and reprimanded whenever they spoke Tagalog. Why are they so paranoid about it?
I cannot understand how a first world country who celebrates diversity could be so intolerant. How is it harmful to speak in your native tongue especially if you are among your countrymen? There are just things that do not translate well.
2 people like this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
10 Dec 10
Okay, you say that Tagalog has become a global language, but there are many people who cannot speak. I cannot speak Tagalog. I know many of my friends cannot speak it, and some of them are Filipino or of Filipino ancestry. I have heard is spoken before, and I cannot understand a lick of it. I have a cousin who is half Filipino, and she knows some of the language, but she is not fluent in it. She told me a few times that Tagalog was more difficult to learn than English.
I am not saying that Tagalog is a bad language. It is a beautiful language, but not all people know how to speak it.
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Tagalog had become a global language actually, so Time Magazine shows in the major languages of the world. I think the Americans are concerned why their children, whose nannies are Filipinos, can speak the language and they can't.
The current US Ambassador Harry Tomas can speak Tagalog!
I called the embassy once and the staff answered me in Tagalog.
And yes Advocate, we had been under America for almost a hundred years. America must know us better than just be threatened by Tagalog.
I called the embassy once and the staff answered me in Tagalog.
And yes Advocate, we had been under America for almost a hundred years. America must know us better than just be threatened by Tagalog.
@shattered (1728)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
If they are talking to non-Filipinos it is reasonable to require them to speak in English. But they should not be prohibited from communicating in their own language amongst themselves.
Filipinos are well versed in English and that is the general rule not the exception.
As long as they are not bad mouthing their patients, employers, supervisors and co-employees they should not be penalized. They should speak Tagalog only when they are speaking someone who understands and prefers to listen in Tagalog.
That does not require a rule, that is merely good manners and required by etiquette.
To impose a rule and penalties in general without setting the parameters would violate the Constitutional mandate of free speech and free expression.
2 people like this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
10 Dec 10
I don't have a problem with people speaking their native language. The thing is, here in the U.S.A. everyone, no matter what country you are from or what ethnicity you are, when you are in public or in the workplace, you need to speak English. I don't care who you. If you want to speak your native language at home or with friends somewhere, that is fine, but at work and in public, speak English. I would not speak Spanish to someone in public who does not know it. That would be mean and rude (for the record, I speak English, Spanish, some French, some Italian, Middle English, and I can communicate with cats).
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
10 Dec 10
Well, I agree that everyone should know a second language, but when you are in a certain country, and you know what that language is and how to speak it, then speak that language.
Now, California, truth be told, the two main or basic languages spoken are English and Spanish (because those are the two languages taught in schools). I think that people should know more than one language, but here is an example: Say I am going to Greece. I know that the language is there is Greek. Well, before I go to Greece, I buy books, tapes, cds, and I take classes at the local Greek Orthodox Church in order to learn how to speak Greek because I don't want to go to Greece and not know how to speak their language.
To me, it is rude to speak a language that someone doesn't know in front of them because of trust issues. If you speak a different language in front of a person, they will not want to trust you or they will question your motives.
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
rogue, you are a force to reckon with. But you know what I think, the Americans must have an elective in its school curriculum. They must know how to speak other languages because they would understand what other people are talking about. As Advocate mentioned up there, our medium of instruction is in English. We were even required to take a few units of Spanish. Our young pupils are singing Korean and Japanese songs. Our call center agents can speak a little French, Bahasa, and Fookien. I think the Americans must cope with the languages of the times. English is powerful, but knowing other languages is an advantage.1 person likes this
@greenpeas (998)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
@rogue13xmen13: these Filipinos dont violate any trust. They are speaking English while on work, so there are no reasons why they should be banned from speaking Tagalog while they are out of work. I see Latinos talking Hispanics openly in front of other non-Hispanics UNQUESTIONED, so this rule is plain hypocrisy.
Oh BTW...Many Americans are questioning Spanish language becoming mainstream. I don't have any argue against Hispanics, so its kinda buffling why some people talk smack against other languages while they dont see that this language is still discriminated by other Americans.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Dec 10
hi please do not take this wrong but I live in California in the US
a
nd English is our language. I feel anyone who comes here to work should learn and speak English. I have many filipino friends here in our country but they learned English as they are American citizens so if your nurses had already learned English so they would understand the language here and not be fooling around learning it after they already worked here they would know the English words for any emergency situation. I have worked as a nurses aide in our hospitals and met people of other nationalities but they all shared one thing in common , they learned and spoke English after all they are in America and that is our national language. if I were to go to your country to live and work I darned well would learn your language too as it would make things so much easier all the way around; what the heck is so hard about learning to say apply a tourniquet to stop the bleeding? seems pretty simple to me.once English is learned they will still function fast,seems a slap in the face for America for foreigners to insist on not learning English. you live here, you use our stores so speak English.
nd English is our language. I feel anyone who comes here to work should learn and speak English. I have many filipino friends here in our country but they learned English as they are American citizens so if your nurses had already learned English so they would understand the language here and not be fooling around learning it after they already worked here they would know the English words for any emergency situation. I have worked as a nurses aide in our hospitals and met people of other nationalities but they all shared one thing in common , they learned and spoke English after all they are in America and that is our national language. if I were to go to your country to live and work I darned well would learn your language too as it would make things so much easier all the way around; what the heck is so hard about learning to say apply a tourniquet to stop the bleeding? seems pretty simple to me.once English is learned they will still function fast,seems a slap in the face for America for foreigners to insist on not learning English. you live here, you use our stores so speak English.1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Hatley, I have no argument about the learning of English. Those nurses know how to speak it and understand it. My argument is - when a Filipino talks to a fellow Filipino in the native tongue, there is innate camaraderie that takes place. They just know what to do. They understand each other. If you ask them to speak in English, it becomes awkward. There is a difference in the Tagalog intonation and the usage of words that make it different from English. The example that was given up there, the English is easy enough to say when it is spoken to someone else. You speak English to a fellow Filipino, he will raise his brows instead of apply the tourniquet quickly.
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
10 Dec 10
Hello my friend enleyva Ji,
It is purely injustice by Hospital Staff, if they are so mean minded, they should stop recrruiting such people,but no one should stop to converse in mother-tongue. You are very right the Job will speed up in such cases. But lety's imagine from hospitalm side and decide remaining neutral. There may be sometimes which might be the result of using un-parliamanatrian language.
May God bless You and have a great time.
1 person likes this
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
11 Dec 10
Hello my friend eileenleyva Ji,
I think problem should be taken tom UNO, who should decide and find out the truth. I always belief eitherb problem should not be broughtb out OR it should be dealt till end at highest forum. Let that country not recruit any Filiponoes.
May God bless You and have a great time.
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
I think the admin had problems about Filipinos badmouthing them, thus the ban on Tagalog.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
10 Dec 10
I guess an employer can legally set standards like that. But in my opinion, as long as they are speaking among themselves, and not in front of anybody, ie nobody is being excluded, why does it matter what language they use? If they can function in Tagalog, great, as long as they can switch back to English when necessary.
1 person likes this
@mrgeebee (133)
• United States
10 Dec 10
People should not be penalized for speaking thier own languages, but me personally,I have a problem with someone talking in another language while I am present . As a predominitly english speaking person , nothing bothers me more than whn i am in a store and theyre speaking punjabi, chinese or whatever,its just not polite . However if your in your own country , feel free to speak your language . I happen to love chinese and japanese . I have a chinese friend who will automatically switch to english upon seeing any american . I have walked in on her conversing with her mother and they both switch to english. At least i know its not about me . If i were in a hospital and in need of urgent care and it was loaded with phillipinos ,save me , i dont care whar you speak.
1 person likes this
@irene66 (1669)
• Philippines
11 Dec 10
Yes, If they ban other languages used by immigrants then they should ban all. Not just Tagalog. The question here maybe is that the patient and other staffs are somewhat uncomfortable if the Filipino nurses mix Tagalog with English even in giving instructions to their colleagues. They have the feeling they are telling things against them
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
12 Dec 10
I think that in an urgent situation like what you've mentioned that the employees should be able to speak in whatever tongue is the most natural for them so that the situation could be taken care of in as rapid a manner as is possible. However, were it a situation where there were patients in the room that wouldn't understand what was being said around them, they should try to stick with English for the comfort of their patients.
1 person likes this
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
10 Dec 10
Hi eileen leyva: I understand that it would be comfortable for the Filipinos in this hospital to talk in their own languaje. Maybe they are just being intolerant. I mean if you want to communicate with your own languaje while working this won't make any problem and in fact this would be better to work and understand the instructions. The only problem I found is that an English Native speaker doctor won't understand what you are talking so he/ she could ignore something important but that's not a reason to make a ban like this and it might be a kind of discrimination.
ALVARO
1 person likes this
@free_man (7330)
• United States
16 Dec 10
Hi Eileenleyva. I think that hospital has a problem there are some people that can't see past the end of their noses . Too bad that hospital don't have common sense. Of course it would be better if they were left alone about speaking their own native tongue so they will work faster and probably save someones life.
1 person likes this
@Sanitary (3968)
• Singapore
13 Dec 10
That's not fair. WHen a country has got only one language such as english, with no other dialects, its people won't know the difficulty behind the knowledge of knowing multiple languages. Let's see when those people are exposed to many languages in their life, will they be able to stick to just one, or they will rattle off in the language they feel most comfortable in. To me, this incident in the hospital is a case of racism and being biased.
@krishelleya (58)
•
11 Dec 10
hi eileenleyva,
for me I feel hurt for that banned, And I know that Filipino nurses was so hurt with that banned. One info I want to share to all if they don't know yet, Filipino Nurses before they are hired in North America or other foreign country are mandatory to take first the International English Language Testing System and if they don't passed and qualified in that test they will not be hired. And also English is our mode of instruction and our daily newspaper here is written in English. Is not wrong to speak Tagalog during break time and also if the person you are talking is also a Filipino. Are they violating any rules from talking in Tagalog?..
1 person likes this
@Cutie18f (9551)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Well, I get your point and I also see the reason for the banning. If I were a patient and the nurses are talking in a language I don't understand and they are talking about my condition, I think I'd feel insecure, paranoid, and insulted. I am also a Filipina and I'd been taught that it is not good to speak a language in the presence of another person who cannot understand and does not speak the language. However, I know how it would greatly help people to use their own language under critical conditions, but then again, we do not want to offend anyone or make anyone think bad about us.
@greenpeas (998)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
It is understandable that businesses in the United States needs their employees to speak in English when communicating WHILE ON THE JOB. But this hospital singled out Filipinos to speak English EVEN DURING THEIR BREAKS while other foreign-speaking employees like Hispanics and Hindus WERE ALLOWED TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE. What's even insulting, some of their fellow employees were delegated to spy on them and even installed cameras even in their cafeterias. This is clearly a way to harass these Filipinos, violated their rights and plainly subjected them to bullying and harassment.
I hope the hospital will suffer the maximum penalty possible for doing these against our hardworking kababayans there. It is strange they singled out Filipinos in a state where there's plenty of Pinoy immigrants living and contributing to the state's progress.
They should have learned that Filipinos are tolerant even in the face of intimidations. But once they are pushed too far, they will push harder and fight harder and turn into a Pacquiao. You better wish you dont bully a Filipino because if you start a fight, we will be the one who will end it, with you on the ground.
1 person likes this
@romzz05 (572)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
I really dont like it when two people talk in different language I dont understand whenever I'm around. Its like they are hiding something from me or they want to make me feel out of place. So in a way I understand that in a work place especially if it deals with people the staff will speak just use one language. The problem in this situation is if its true that they just focus on tagalog then that is sign of discrimination. My former boss don't want me speaking tagalog and I'm here in the Philippines.
1 person likes this
@sanjay91422 (2725)
• India
10 Dec 10
Sometimes they put such funny rules in departments. I can understand that a person must have the English speaking and writing skills to work in that country and that must be the only criteria to work there. Why to stop them from speaking their own language? It is something irritating.
People speak or express their views in many languages and if they don't understand it then they should learn it. A person can express themselves with a body language gesture and one is always fine with it.
It is also a way to speak. If the two persons who are talking in that language are comfortable with it then why should a third party have problem with it?
1 person likes this
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
There's nothing wrong to the policy of the hospital requiring English as a medium for communication but singling out Filipinos is totally inequitable. Filipinos are law abiding citizens, impose a rule for a good cause we'll follow. In this case they are not fighting to obstruct the rule but asking impartial justice. No tagalog? Okay it's fine for it's a move to achieve better service(still debatable) but enforce the law generally and don't be so biased.
@crisdel12 (78)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
This is totally unfair. If they banned the Filipino nurses from speaking Tagalog, they might as well ban the Mexicans from speaking Spanish, the Chinese from speaking Mandarin and all non-English languages from being use in the hospitals. They should consider the fact that there are times that a foreigner needs to use his/her own language to convey ideas in a quicker manner to a person who can also understand his/her own language. If a Filipino is talking to an American then he is obliged to use English, if he is talking to a Filipino he should have an option to use Tagalog or English.
1 person likes this
