"Talkbacks" about English

Due to space limitations, I can only wish to answer all of them. Anyway I enjoyed the varied reactions to our previous column and I'm putting some of the more interesting comments in this section. Sir,

In fairness, you are right. You can't expect Filipinos to speak English properly with the kind of school system we have. I graduated magna cum laude with a post-graduate degree acquired from one of the private universities in Cebu. But here I am still hesitant to speak straight English especially in a public forum for fear of getting criticized for my mistakes.

Since grade school to college, English is repeatedly taught but how come we don't speak the language well. There must be something wrong with our educational system.

Thank you and more power to your column.

Regards, br>
SG P.S. Please tell your editor to make corrections to this email :). Hello Sir,

I read your article in the web version of the Philippine Star. I find it no less slighting to the industry of the Filipino. The title alone "English = Jobs" suggests that English is the ONLY way to land a job. I am presently and happily employed in a hospital in Maryland (USA) as a nurse and I'm sure it was not because I speak English well. I am not ashamed to say that my English is below average but I think it is not important.

In the Middle East alone, you can only count those Filipinos who can speak English correctly but they work for large companies and earn better than most Filipinos back home. It is not true that English is the key to get a job. The language most employers understand is hard work not English.

I hope you will find a space to print this opposite view. Let us give hope to the Filipino that we can still be good in other aspects aside from English.

Suzette Rallona Sir,

With all due respect to your column which appeared in the web version of the Philippine Star, wala akong pakialam if my English is for the dogs. Hindi ko ikinahihiya ang pagiging Bisaya, Ilonggo or Tagalog. Eh bakit ang Japan, Germany, France and other industrialized nations only speak their own native tongue pero yung mga tao may trabajo o negosyo.

Ang wikang Englis ay wika ng ating pagka alipin sa banyagang kano. For nearly half a century of speaking a language not our very own, wala pa rin tayong nakikitang pagbabago sa ating buhay. Sa totoo lang hindi tayo ang nakikinabang dito. English is for human answering machines at the call centers - and that's what you get for speaking English all your life.

Joey Decampo Send emails to [email protected]