Seminar - Komperensyang Pangwika 2013 at UA&P

Last August 14 (Wednesday), I attended a seminar sponsored by the Linguistic Society of the Philippines (LSP) and the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) called “Komperensyang Pangwika”. It has the theme “Wika ng Nakaraan, Wika ng Kasalukuyan: Mga Isyu at Diskursong Pangwika”. It was organized by UA&P’s College of Arts and Sciences in Celebration of the Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa 2013.

I was at UA&P two years ago for the LSP’s two-day National Conference. But instead of taking the MRT to SM Megamall, I decided to take a bus straight to Ortigas. I was quite delighted that at least one bus line still goes straight up EDSA (given that bus from Cavite and Batangas now have go to the Integrated Bus Terminal at Coastal Mall). I got off Megamall and took a taxi to UA&P which was somewhere behind Megamall.

I arrived at the seminar hall at around 9:00. I was greeted by a group of students in Filipiniana attire. The lecture hall was already packed. A pretty girl miraculously found a seat for me and escorted me there—on the second row to the front!  I was seated right behind the lecturers!

Dr. Dungo (left, standing) responding to the presentation of Dr. Salonga (seated, back to camera)

I missed the first lecture, which about call centers in the Philippines by Dr. Aileen Salonga of UP-Diliman. (But I remember that this was her topic in last year’s LSP National Conference on “Language and Power” held at the Ateneo de Manila.) If I remember correctly, it is about the change in the identity of the Filipino call center agent in the service of foreigners, often from developed nations. I arrived in time for the response of Dr. Nannette Dungo of UA&P, who valiantly tried to deliver her talk in Filipino (I later found out that she is an English professor).

Dr. Vibar speaking on historical linguistics. Pretty heavy stuff.

The next lecturer was Dr. Arwin Vibar, also from the UA&P and a board member of the LSP. His topic was about the description of 17^th century Tagalog according to the Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala, the first published grammar of Tagalog, written by a Spanish priest, Blancas de San Jose in 1610. (Amazingly, it’s available for download here [Spanish].) It’s a very complicated topic, involving 17^th century Tagalog and Spanish (he even showed pictures of the ancient manuscript)—which is pretty hard going for non-linguists. (I observed not a few glazed-over eyes in the audience.)

During the break where we were served cookies and orange juice, Dr. Vibar approached me and correctly remembered that we have met before. (He gave the same topic at the LSP Conference two years ago. I probably remembered that I asked a question about the new translation of the Roman Missal.) We talked about a point in Tagalog grammar called “case grammar” which Father San Jose amazingly was able to detect.

(Case grammar is a paper in itself. Let’s just say it’s the difference between forms of Tagalog verb; for example, nagbigay, binigyan, ibinigay, etc.—all of which can be rendered ‘gave’ in English, depending on the noun. We Filipinos know when to use each form without knowing the terms agentive, causative, locative, etc. There are as much as twenty-one cases!)

After the break, Dr. Leodivico C. Lacsamana (who also talked with me briefly during the break) of the UA&P gave a response to Dr. Vibar’s lecture. He talked about a few points on Tagalog grammar that Father San Jose missed in his scholarly tome.

Prof. Talegon, who spoke on J3j3m0n, is also the seminar director.

The final topic was about “Jejemon”, the convoluted texting style of Filipino youth today, by Vivencio Talegon, Jr. of UA&P. When he asked the audience if anybody knows about 1337 (pronounced “Leet”)  and I displayed a bit of hax0r cred by explaining what it is. (I’m not that kind of hacker—so if anyone messes with your Facebook account, it’s not me!) The lecture was responded by Moreal Camba, also of UA&P, who said that Jejemon is a form of resistance and solidarity of young people.

Prof. Camba responding to the presentation of Prof. Talegon.

At the last open forum, I raised a question on the lecture of Dr. Vibar and “missionary linguistics”. Since MTB-MLE (Mother Tongue-Based Multilinguial Education) is upon us, children will be taught in their “mother tongue” until they’re in Grade 3, when Filipino and English will be introduced. (That is another paper in itself. All I can say now is that MTB-MLE is a Good Thing.) Since we are just beginning in this venture, I reasoned that writing materials in other Philippine languages is a “missionary” effort. Dr. Lacsamana answered that even as we speak, a group of “experts” are ensconced a hotel in Manila (he won’t say which) who are writing textbooks for other Philippine languages.

I went away from the seminar with a handsome certificate and richer in the knowledge of our National Language.