In defense of the Compostela Municipal Council

Instead of being castigated or made fun of, the Compostela MC ought to be commended for their concern over what to them appears as grammatical gaffe of Sun Cellular tv ad, using this blurb: "It's raining outside, aren't they?" Its resolution which got the nod of the Cebu Provincial Board aims to correct it into: "It's raining outside, isn't it?"

The Sun Digitel Telecom VP takes the criticism in stride, albeit belying any aim to promote bad English, but merely a stab at humor to dramatize the common expressions in using the Sun's techno-facilities.

The Compostela MC resolution is based on the obvious, or denotative and literal structure of the blurb that sounds grammatically erroneous. To the concerned councilors, there's no other qualifier, say, any element of a figure of speech, or clear attempt at humor, or a likelihood of any "sayop nga gituyo" to stress what the expression aims to highlight. What subtle message or witty motivation that the ad really wants conveyed, other than the obvious erroneous grammatical turn of phrase, appears to them of no moment. The MC is just seriously concerned that school children, high school students also, and even those with higher EQ, are bound to accept it as correct usage.

Anyone may doubt if the Compostela MC and the Cebu PB have delved into the nuances of said Sun blurb, or understood its shades of meaning. The blurb could be an elliptical expression, with certain parts or words elided and left out, say, "It's raining (cats and dogs, or these or those things) outside, aren't they (falling like rain)?"

Even if so qualified in whatever varied connotations, said tv ad still appears to the young whose knowledge of grammar is just so-so, as strictly a grammatical boner. Whatever humor is too elusive to discern, and may escape notice to the young and average public. Just as the atrocious Cebuano spelling of 'Bay (or "kaabay" or friend/partner) is being corrupted in tv ads as: "Ato ni bai", which sounds "ba-ee".

It is in that sense where the Compostela legislators' concern lies. One doesn't believe that the "august body" is that shallow, as to overlook the intended humor, or whatever, of the Sun Cellular. That is of no moment to the common observers who are bound to imbibe an incorrect lesson in English grammar, including those whose ken or knack for contextual parsing isn't that keen and reliable.

It is thus surprising that TF'editor Jerry's "To The Quick" (and echoed lightly by punster Nito Jabat's "Have Bat Will Strike") took to task the Compostela MC and the Cebu PB for the "unwanted creation of a mountain out of a molehill", and the dig of "nothing better else to do".

Indeed, there are so many slanted or garbled English expressions and expletives that are aimed at levity, or at humor that are meant as effective means to drive home a point. Or just the fun of it. The problem is the effect on the uninitiated and the young learners who take what is broadcast, or printed, or shown on the tube, as gospel truth. One is aware of such total and misleading attribution of infallibility to the tri-media to be beyond error and the ideal of perfection. There's this faith among the man in the street: "Ang radyo o tv na gud na, o gipatik na gud na sa pamantalaan, tinuod ug husto gyud na!"

And that is where the greatest danger lies, that is, the general public's blind faith in and total reliance on, the media. Time and again, one has pointed out in passing, that other than, say, wrong info or historical citation, or some legal gaffes, there have been a slew of grammatical errors, incorrect usage, or even spelling, wrong use of prepositions and prepositional phrases and idioms, among others, get printed, broadcast, or shown on tv with worsening impunity.

In fact, one lauds the Compostela MC for its official solicitude over a movie and tv ad that tended to impart an obvious grammatical error. Never mind if they be criticized for being too literal, or too predestrian in their perspective. After all, the general public is not that discerning as to differentiate an obvious error to arrive at humor, or at variations or nuances of the figures of speech, from what it literally strikes them at face value.

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