Why English?

In any discussion on language, we need to rem-ember the function of a national language, that aside from communication, it should unify us rather than divide us. We should realize further that knowledge of a language other than our mother tongue is an asset, not a liability, a strength not a weakness.

I have just returned from a week of lectures in Davao sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. I spoke before students at the Davao High School and my English had to be explained in Cebuano – not Tagalog – to the students. At the Ford Academy of Arts, where the high school students have a better comprehension of English, no Cebuano explanation was necessary; I had an exchange in English with the students. At the college level – Ateneo de Davao, University of the Philippines, Immaculate Conception University and Davao Doctors College – the comprehension was good but the teachers told me, particularly at the Davao Doctors College where 80 percent of the students are taking up nursing, that the English of the students needs to be improved.

In a recent discussion with former Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, he said that the language of the region should be the language of instruction in the primary grades, with Tagalog and English already introduced. This will hasten, he said, the learning process.

In other words, when the Filipino finishes college, he will be trilingual if he is not Tagalog, and bilingual if he is Tagalog.

This should not pose too many problems. Countries like Switzerland and the Scandinavian nations are trilingual. And many countries in South America are bilingual – remember that Spanish, like our English, was introduced by colonialism in Latin America.

The problem with the Tagalog champions is that they themselves are already trilingual, they know English, they write in English and they now will deny English proficiency to other Filipinos.

Why English, not Tagalog?

English is the lingua franca of the world. Why do you think we have so many Filipinos working abroad and doing so well? They speak English, it is that simple.

The problem with us is that we are not monolingual. Many islands, many languages. And our leaders did not have the foresight of the Indonesian leaders who, since their freedom movement in the 1920s, were almost all Javanese, with their highly developed language. But their leaders, like Takdir Alisjahbana, saw the necessity of having a language that would be easily understood all over Indonesia, a language that would make all Indonesians equal, and not a developed language that would be imposed over other languages.

That was Bahasa which was the language of commerce in the ports. It was accepted and now, Bahasa is a truly Indonesian national language. But though the Indonesians have intellectualized it, they still need English and their educational policy now emphasizes the use of English – not Dutch – which is their colonial language.

Necessity again.

Now take our leaders like Quezon who in 1935 made Tagalog the national language and imposed it over our other languages. Can you imagine if the capital of the Philippines at the time was Cebu – then the Cebuano leaders would have imposed Cebuano as our national language today.

What are the realities? You cannot teach the hard sciences in Tagalog; you have to do this in English because it will take years before Tagalog is intellectualized. And then, we have to spend billions for a translation program that will enable us to read in Tagalog the latest advances in science and the humanities, a translation program which the Japanese have perfected.

Even with their successful national language, the Indonesians admit they are far behind in translation, for which reason they have opted to promote English.

As Fr. Rodrigo Perez III of San Beda suggested way back, Tausug should have been our national language. It would have made all Filipinos equal. Besides, it is close to Bahasa and it would have made it easier for us to understand and to be closer to our neighbors, particularly Indonesia.

The solution? Develop English, not neglect it, for as long as we need to send our people abroad, for as long as Tagalog is not yet intellectualized and scientific enough. Give it time to grow as indeed it is growing. Enough of these language discussions that will benefit only certain people with vested interests in language. The development of English helps us all.

Our writers in English will have a wider, more intelligent audience not only in the Philippines but all over the world. We must join the world if we are to progress.

Let us be unashamedly elitist, if elitism means that we will produce the best professionals, the best scientists, teachers, doctors, civil servants and compete with the best in the world. If English is the language that will enable us to do this, then let English be.

* * *

F. Sionil Jose, National Artist for Literature, writes entirely in English. His work has been translated into 28 languages, including Tagalog and his native Ilokano.