The discussions and instructions in this book are intended for those who already have sufficient but not necessarily superior knowledge of or familiarity with the English grammar. Also who have more than few amounts of memorized English words or terms but still hesitate to speak or write with self-assurance. Naturally, the reason is lack of self-confidence. The general solution would be to study, to read, to listen, to learn and learn. For knowledge builds confidence. Particularly, the deficiency lies in the speaker’s or writer’s concern about how to start, link, or end his sentence. We will call the mediums needed for this task “molders” (in this book also called connectors, framers, and shapers, to be discussed in the succeeding pages).
In this reference we are not going to study—
- word meaning by the dictionary way which is in the appearance of “base term” or “core word,” ordinarily done by most people when seeking out the English of some Filipino words, such as the following: mag-ensayo (rehearse), marahas (harsh), lampas (beyond), katakawan (gluttony), ikulong (encarcerate), lubusan (altogether), sanlibutan (universe), etc. Such forms of words, or learning word-meanings in such appearance is called basic or base-form in this book—basic in the sense that it simply involves the primary frames and applications of the parts of speech. By primary, we are referring to the typical and limited knowledge in the English language of amateur Filipino learners and users. We are also referring to their use of such. This will be discussed throughout. The reader is advised, or assumed, to have enough assets of vocabulary particularly in such form;
- the grammar—the reader is encouraged to have a fair review of usage with his available materials or references.
But we will—
- assume that we have adequate knowledge of English grammar and usage; in addition, an average amount of vocabulary. Then, we will discover our omission considering a thorough and efficient way of studying the English language for translation purposes;
- find out, learn, and gather the most active or busiest terms (molders) in English which we will utilize for us to join up those available suspended words in our mind that we cannot organize into complete sentences so as to express them out straightly;
- familiarize ourselves on the phrasal terms in English with their formats and meanings which might be the needed and even permanent patterns of translation for our Filipino expressions.
To acquire the strategy, the following information should guide us–
A. The three major prototypes of English term as to aptness
- 1. Permanent. These are models of English construction which are the appropriate and accurate patterns of translation we might need for our Filipino specimens. We need not make different forms by ourselves no matter how outstanding we are in grammar and use of the dictionary. They have compulsively evolved. Reconstructing or rewriting them is discouraged.
We may be familiar with some such expressions through reading and listening since they are constantly transmitted in various mediums.
A number of examples are given in this guidebook. We only need to pattern our articulation from them no matter if there may be other ways we can express our thought, because the risks might be that our self-modeled composition would be faulty, cumbersome, awkward, roundabout, stilted, or even hilarious.
Examples:
na … an find (something)
Nagagandahan ako sa iyo. — I find you beautiful. (Permanent form)
You’re beautiful the way I see you. (Unnecessary self-modeled rephrasing although correct.)
ka- your
Ang mga taong kaedad mo ay masayahin. — People your age are gay. (Permanent)
People of the same age as your age are gay. (Unnecessary recasting although correct.)
- 2. Peculiar. Some models are peculiar. It means they are exceptionally or specially designed by the native speakers of English on their own and may be used without compulsion. On the other hand, we Filipinos can state the expressions without necessarily copying the natives’ form as long as we conform to the rules of grammar and usage, though with the same risks as those mentioned above.
Peculiar form may be mostly (a) informal or (b) popular. Informal means more appropriate in spoken than written form. Popular means widely applied by a great member of certain group (language group) but universally not used or not considered standard.
Examples:
kailangan have got to
Kailangan kong umalis. — I‘ve got to go. (Informal, not preferred in formal writing; suitable only for casual conversation.)
I have to go. (Standard or formal)
or
I need to go. (Standard)
talaga sure
Talagang matamis ito.
or
Walang kaduda-dudang matamis ito. –This sure tastes sweet. (Peculiar popular; preferred for casual setting, such as in conversation.)
This certainly/undoubtedly tastes sweet. (Standard )
sure — certainly (popular)
Some are (c) absolute peculiar, having no Filipino counterpart, but may be taken as formal.
Mayroon akong konting pakiramdam ng takot. — I have this little sensation of fear. (Formal)
This is a peculiar usage in English indicating a feeling of very near and present existence or reality of idea, reaction, etcetera of the speaker.
We say “peculiar” only when something belongs to or is associated with a particular person, place, time, thing, etc. The first translations of each set above are American peculiar. On the other hand, we also have some peculiar English expressions, such as again? for na naman? Americans, however, do say it, not again instead of again? They usually say it in the declarative form while we apply the interrogative way (see Closing notes, page 289).
Sometimes, the peculiar form is good to follow. You can analyze as you read on.
- 3. Standard. Among the options of construction, they are the highly desirable frames to follow. They are established by common consent, and should be followed by everyone. Standard form may also be (a) formal and (b) informal.
Examples:
dahil sa in (In, here, means “as a result of.”)
Dahil sa pagpapanik, tumakbo siya sa bangin at nahulog. — In panic, he ran toward the cliff and fell off. (Formal)
Because of panicking, he ran toward the cliff and fell off. (Local form by the uninitiated; agreeable but may sound unnatural depending on the circumstance in which it might be said or written; not highly recommended)
On account of panicking, he ran toward the cliff and fell off. (Grammatically correct but too formal and inappropriate for the setting, and a bit waste of ink and saliva; not highly recommended)
kapag oras na when it comes time to
Kapag oras na para uminom ako ng gamot ko, gisingin mo ako. — When it comes time for me to take my medicine, wake me up then. (With emphasis or slanting on the turn of incident. See the meaning of “slanting” on page 150 of the book.)
or
When it is time for me to take my medicine, wake me up then. (Simple form without emphasis or slanting.)
If it will be already the time for me to take my medicine, wake me up. (Agreeable but sounds offbeat; not recommended)
kapag mag- if it gets to be
Kapag mag-alas otso na, umalis ka na. — If it gets to be eight o’clock, you leave then. (With emphasis or slanting on the turn of incident.)
or
If it will be eight o’clock, you leave then. (Simple formal form.)
If eight o’clock will come already, you leave. (Tolerable but not of fine touch.)
medyo pretty
Medyo mabuti ako dito. — I am pretty good here. (Informal)
Note: Permanent and Standard are compatible ideas. They can go or apply together in one or same sampling. For example, You are my age is Permanent; it can also be Standard. Do not think that because it is Standard it cannot be Permanent or vice versa. [You can analyze so.] Conversely, the peculiar English specimens found elsewhere in this reference are labeled as peculiar only in relation to us Filipinos, meaning, we call them peculiar because we do not get to observe them being used or said in such a way here in the Philippines. In America, they are not considered peculiar because they are ordinarily applied by the citizens there. But maybe when these peculiar expressions get to be regularly uttered here, then eventually we would not treat them as peculiar.
Words, according to Joseph V. Landy, come in three flavors: learned (highly literate, fancy, formal); familiar (literate, informal, plain); and slang (illiterate, breezy, vulgar). Here is Landy’s samplings:
Learned – Familiar – Slang (in this order)
minor – child – kid
valor – courage – guts
nutriment – food – chop
liquidate – kill – bump off
ameliorate – improve – beef up
Some Filipinos mistake the term “slang” for the peculiar twang or nasal voice much like that of an uncultured American or British. It is a misunderstood notion. “Slang” does not pertain to the accent but to the choice of words that are usually used by people with little or no education. It is also called “shoptalk” and “vulgate.” Most peculiar expressions in English are slang. You are being discouraged to use such expressions. Aim for the first and second flavors.