Foreigners on Fluent Foreign Tongue
@biancacorreos (199)
Philippines
September 3, 2011 4:58am CST
It was amazing hearing a foreigner uttered BISAYA fluently. By the way, bisaya is a language of Cebu. If you'll going to ask about Cebu? Cebu is in the Visayas Island of the Philippines.
I was at the certain ship that time drinking soda while waiting for the ship to depart, when i overheard a foreigner at the counter. He spoke bisaya when he bought the bottled of water.
I was surprised because he was saying it fluently with a slang accent. It was very impressive to know that foreigner tried their best to learn the language even though it will be difficult in their part.
It now gives me an impression that if we really want to learn a language. all we need to do to have the desire, the persuasion and the determination. I think this three things will surely be very helpful and effective.
How about you my fellow mylotters? What are your views about it?
3 people like this
11 responses
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
3 Sep 11
I didn't know about the Karay-a but I've heard about the Hiligaynon. Sorry for the general term (BISAYA) that I've used. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about the BISAYA language and what it composes. Thanks!!! :)
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
3 Sep 11
Hi bianca!
As far as I know, the bisaya dialect is not just a single dialect but consisting of several dialects that originated from the visayas region. Yes cebuano is bisaya but there are other dialects as well like hiligaynon, karay-a, aklanon and other more.
@arlerambabu (1079)
• India
3 Sep 11
With persuasion and strong determination nothing is impossible.[b][/b]
@arlerambabu (1079)
• India
6 Sep 11
I can speak at least 6 Indian languages, all learnt on my own[b][/b]
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
8 Sep 11
Wow, that's great! How i wish a could learn that much languages...
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
6 Sep 11
Precisely you are correct arlerambubu... With the three aspects you can say nothing is impossible...
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
4 Sep 11
Hi Bianca!
That foreigner probably have been exposed to the dialect for a long time. I agree that a person's determination is a great factor in learning a language. But to be fluent like that, it would require a long time exposure to the dialect. That foreigner must have been in Cebu for a long time or he has a Cebuano friend or something. Maybe even a wife. 
But yeah, it's really amazing to hear a foreigner speaking speaking our own local dialects. I have a classmate who is Polish and even though I'm used to hearing foreigner speaking Tagalog, I still get amused whenever I hear someone foreign trying to speak our dialect.
But yeah, it's really amazing to hear a foreigner speaking speaking our own local dialects. I have a classmate who is Polish and even though I'm used to hearing foreigner speaking Tagalog, I still get amused whenever I hear someone foreign trying to speak our dialect. @biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
5 May 12
Indeed it is still amazing to hear them talk our dialect even though we are used of it. Maybe because of the accent of the one speaking our dialect. And it is much cutier when the one speaking is a child.
And of course having a filipino wife is a factor in learning the language and dialect.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
3 Sep 11
As a native English speaker,I'd think it insulting to go to a country where English was not a native language and try to have others use only English! Out of respect,I'd try to learn at least some of the Language where I was visiting...
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
5 May 12
I understand what you mean as a native english speaker. And I respect your opinion about this discussion. Learning the language of others is also showing respect to the native speaker of that certain place.
Have a good day my friend.
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
3 Sep 11
Hi Biancacorreos,
I think it's good that they have learned the language of the people that they are visiting. If I were to visit another country, I would feel that it was important to learn at least the basics of their language. WE have a lot of foreign people in our country and it can be pretty frustrating trying to communicate at times.
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
6 Sep 11
I would at least want to be able to ask for help if I needed it, read a menu, ask for a bathroom and beyond that, just to be able to converse with them. It's difficult anyway. I had a group of French-Canadians in the store the other day. They were asking simple questions and they did know English but their accent was so strong that it took a bit to answer their questions. Still, they knew enough and it all worked out.
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
6 Sep 11
Its really better to learn the basics of the language of the place you are visiting. By that you'll be able to blend in at some point and you'll not be fooled by the words they have for you. Though it is frustrating sometimes to communicate with foreigners, it never fails to make me interested to listen to them specially if i have never heard the dialect before...
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
5 May 12
Accent is also a consideration indeed. Aside from knowing the basics of conversing of a place, one must be familiar with the place accent. Thus by doing such, miscommunication and misunderstanding could be avoided.
@pepperpopper (376)
• Philippines
3 Sep 11
I find it cute when foreigners speak our language. I mean the filipino language. My sister has been living in netherlands for 3 years now. She have learn to speak dutch a bit. When she was here in the philippines, I see her studying dutch language. I see the process and I think it's hard. We should learn words by words until we are able to compose a paragraph.
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
5 May 12
Learning the language of others are quite difficult at times especially if it is very complex. It is why we need to learn the language step by step and not in a hurry. Some of us hires people just to teach them the language. By doing such, one will be able to know the language correctly thus avoiding misunderstanding.
And definitely I admire your sister for doing her homework learning the language of the place she's working at.
@aabuda (1722)
• Philippines
3 Sep 11
Foreigners are trying their very best in order to know the local dialect in order for them not to be fooled or be taken advantaged by the locals. We can't deny the fact that most of our countrymen just takes advantaged to those who can't understand their language.
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
4 Sep 11
Yes, indeed some of our countrymen take advantage of foreigners. I once notice it when i was buying something on a stall. The salesman sold the product higher than what the product real price. Its maybe for the mindset of our countrymen that foreigners have a lot of money and they can buy anything they are interested of.
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
6 Sep 11
Yeah probably it is not surprising anymore but still it amazed me hearing foreigners speaking the dialect. I don't know why my ears makes it interesting to listen to them. I do agree with what you said that those foreigners who have stayed here have learned the dialect.
1 person likes this
@pahak627 (4558)
• Philippines
3 Sep 11
Well, I heard some foreigners speaking bisaya and they are mostly american missionaries. In our community here in Mindanao, there is a certain religious group that is american based and we know a missionary whom we call Noy Roger. He's an american and he speaks bisaya very fluently with a little trace of accent. He's used to being called Manoy by us. According to him, before they come to a certain region in the Philippines, they will first study the language for about one or two months and even more. They have tutors for this. At their worship place, other americans also come and you know what, they're fluent in bisaya.
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
5 May 12
I think it is really a need for missionaries to learn the language of the place they are going. Not for the mere of knowing the language itself for own benefit but to be an effective spreader of the word of God. We might not know, one of the natives being visited by the missionaries becomes a spreader of faith.
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
6 Sep 11
Learning many languages could make us feel equip because we have knowledge of diverse languages.
And indeed, MyLot could eventually help us learn more languages because of its wide variety of people conversing and having discussions in here. And by MyLot we can ask other members to help us learn their language whenever they are interested of share to us.
@huilichan8 (1378)
• Singapore
3 Sep 11
Yes, I agree that we need to have the desire and determination to learn if we want to learn a new language. Without these, we may give up halfway when we encounter any obstacles.
@biancacorreos (199)
• Philippines
5 May 12
Indeed without the desire and determination one could merely be growing. One could be just stagnant and left without fulfillment and achievement. They can never learn and acquire more knowledge and language if one lack such good qualities.
