There is a gaping "intellectual divide" in Pinoy society and it is almost analogous to the language divide that also pervades.


On one side is an elite sector of society who is proficient in a language that gives them access to a huge world of knowledge, ideas, and thought processes. That language is English. And although there is a lot of non-value-adding English-articulated content in Western media, this content is balanced out by an equally huge volume of intellectual, academic/scholarly content.

On the other side is the majority sector who are proficient only in a language or set of dialects that gives them access only to Filipino-produced knowledge. Unfortunately the scholarly/intellectual part of this knowledge base is severely stunted and dwarfed by the content produced by the Philippine media. This more widely-available content is largely mind-regressive in nature and has the effect of subtracting from the collective intellect of Pinoy society.


Just like Pinoys are migrating overseas to dip into the deep financial resources of the progressive world to enrich their bank accounts, our youth need to look beyond Pinoy-produced knowledge to enrich their minds. It is only proficiency in English that will enable our youth to break free from the intellectual prison that is Pinoy society.


Check out this article for more insight into the key to freeing ourselves from the intellectual constraints of Pinoy society!!

Excerpt:


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Other countries are experiencing the same pains as well. The evolution of modern knowledge based on the english language is so fast that other languages cannot keep up with it. So i dont think developing the "knowledge base" of Tagalog will solve the problem. Besides, introducing this development will earn the ire of the cebuanos, ilonggos, ilocanos, and visayans who may demand the for the "knowledge base" of their regional dialects as well. Language has always been a problem in our country even before the spaniards came into our country so i think the introduction of the foreign language that will dominate and hopefully wipe out every major (minor, and gayspeak) local dialects will achieve national unity (which is not there in the first place). Let us not mourn for the loss of a language that caused divisiveness instead of unity. Try speaking in tagalog when you're in Cebu and you'll know what i mean.

So instead of challenging the dominion of the english language, why not welcome it. (As Raul Manglapus once said, "If you can't prevent rape, then relax and enjoy it"). Other Asian countries (even Japan)are racing to develop English in their education system while we on the other hand are limiting it. Possibly, many people dont realize how significant this asset has contributed to our ailing economy that's why they're thinking that way. You can develop the knowledge base of a language and hopefully compete with English if it is spoken in many countries. I am referring to other major languages like Spanish, French, and Cantonese. But we see no hope in Tagalog because i dont see many foreigners speaking it. Tagalog will no surely limit not only our knowledge but our social awareness as well. Period

I like to see this phenomenon in a broader spiritual perspective; take a look at the following major signs:

1.)The creation the nation of Israel;
2.)One World Government (U.N)
3.)One World Language (English)

Still to come....
4.)The City of Babylon as the major economic center of the world
5.)Apocalypse
6.)2nd Coming

__________________
I only entertain old and rich matronas (sorry chicks.....im only looking for hens)

Alin ang bumilanggo kanino?

Hindi ang wikang Filipino ang bumilanggo sa karunungan ng ating mamamayan kundi ang wikang Ingles na pinipilit nating angkinin na hindi naman sa atin. Kaya tayo nagiging katawatawa sa ating mga pananalita dahil ito ay hindi angkop sa atin. Kaya naman ang karamihan ay katawatawa sa kanilang sarili sa pilit na paggaya nito at ang karamihan ay kayang paglaruan at kinokontrol ng mga magagaling sa wikang Ingles.

Bakit ibibilanggo mo ang sarili mo sa isang wika na hirap na hirap ka naman? Kung ikaw ay isang tunay na marunong kaya mong ibahagi ang karunungang natutunan mo sa wikang Ingles at ibahagi ito sa nakakarami sa sarili mong wika. Sino ba ang nakikinabang sa wikang Ingles, iyon ay ang mga tunay na matatalino at mayaman lamang ngunit ang wikang karaniwang iyong naririnig at nagagamit ang siyang wikang magtuturo ng tunay na karunungan sa nakakaraming mamamayan at mas mapapakinabangan ng karamihan.

Bakit wikang Filipino? dahil ito ang ating wikang Pambansa, ang ating wikang Pambansa ay hindi ang Ingles, kundi ang wikang Filipino. Ang wikang Pambansang ito ay nilikha upang pagbuklurin ang lahat ng Pilipino. Ito dapat ay hindi na natin pinagtatalunan dahil matagal at ilang ulit na itong pinagtatalunan at namamayani pa rin na ang wikang Pambansa ay ang wikang Filipino.

Ang Wikang Pambansa ang salamin ng mamayang Pilipino. Kung papaano ang trato niyo sa wikang ito ganoon rin ang trato niyo sa mga Pilipino. Kung ayaw nyong mabigkis sa wikang ito hinding-hindi rin mabubuklod ang mga Pilipino, Kung wala kayong paggalang sa wikang ito wala ring gagalang sa inyong pagkatao. Kung hindi nyo gagamitin ito bilang pang-intelektwal na wika ang pagtingin nila sa inyo ay laging mababa at mangmang.

Ang pagkakaisa ang mithiin ng wikang Filipino dahil ang pagkakaisa ang tunay na magdadala sa atin sa pag-unlad.Hindi uunlad ang wikang ito kung pinipigilan tayo ng mga magagaling sa wikang Ingles sa paggamit nito at kung hindi uunlad ang wikang ito hindi rin uunlad ang Pilipinas dahil hindi sila kayang pag-isahin ng iisang wika lamang.

Kung tayo ay hindi pa nagkakaisa tayo ay hindi pa rin handa para sa globalisasyon. Ang bawat isa ay magkakanyakanya na siyang nagyayari sa ngayon. Ang mga intelektwal at mayayaman ay lumilipad at lumilipat lamang ng bansang paglilingkuran habang ang mga dukha at mangmang ay naiiwan sa karukhaan sa bansang sinilangan.

Masyadong nakatuon ang ating pananaw sa malayo gayong nasa sarili nating bakuran ang mga ginto.

Ang paglaya ng wika ay paglaya ng kaisipan, paglaya ng saloobin at paglaya ng karunungan ng ating mamamayan na siyang maghahatid sa atin sa pag-unlad.

Kung hindi mo nagagamit ang iyong Wikang Pambansa sa buong Pilipinas at sa pang-intelektwal na pananalita e sino nga ba ang tunay na malaya? Mananaliti kang mangmang at bilanggo sa sarili mong bayan.

__________________
I have two horns the left and the right. My brother is not a pig!

Your only argument is that we use Tagalog because it is our "national language".

Can't you come up with a better argument than that?

Fact remains: Tagalog (or "Filipino" or whatever you wanna call it) is thin on intellectual/academic content. So it follows that those who use it exclusively are limited to whatever knowledge is expressed in it.


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If that's the case, Spanish and French are richer in "intellectual and academic content" than English.

Does it follow that English language users are less in knowledge than their Spanish and French counterparts?

What do you think?

Is that a serious question or are you just nitpicking trivialities?

And besides, what makes you think the Spanish and French languages are richer in intellectual and academic content?

The point I originally made (which you seem to missed) is not that English is the language of intellectual access but rather Tagalog is stunting our society's intellectual advancement.

There's a big difference between the two angles to the point.



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It's a serious question. I am not nitpicking you.

I am just using the logic of comparing a "superior" language over another "less intellectual" language.

If you compare English with Filipino, what's preventing me from comparing English with another language in the same vein?

You mean you don't know?

Remember, we are talking here about "intellectual and academic content" (according to you).

Technically, Spanish and French have deeper vocabulary base and richer idioms than English. About 80% of English entries in the dictionary are borrowed from Spanish, Latin and French etymology. Two-thirds of the greatest classics in world literature, philosophy, religion, social sciences and are originally written in Spanish and French spread over a span of 500 years.

English only became popular late in the 19th century with the rise of the United States as a world power.

I didn't miss your point. On the contrary, you're the one making a wrong point.

You are implying that using Tagalog instead of English is stunting our intellectual growth. You have no scientific basis in making this claim.

It is the poor, antiquated educational system that is failing us, not the use of Tagalog.

Just look at Japan as a case study. Only 5% of the Japanese population are English literate and yet their technological advancement is one of the highest in the world. The Japanese didn't have to depend on a foreign language as a scapegoat for their success or failure.

Look at China, which is technically considered as the world's largest economy. Less than 2 percent of its people are English literate and yet their economic growth is tremendous and is the world leader in terms of production output in at least 10 leading industries in the international market. They didn't need to depend on a foreign language for them to become a global industrial power.

I understand your contention but I do not sympathize with the way you degrade Filipino as "stunting." In all of Asia, the Filipinos are consideredthe most English literate but look where we are. Despite our dominance in English and our special friendship with the US, we still lag behind in all areas of economic growth compared to our less English literate Asian neighbors. That's enough to tell you that mastering English (and degrading Filipino) is not the answer we are looking for if we want redemption.

Japan and China may not have an English literacy as high as the Philippines but that doesnt prove the English proficiency is not a formula for economic success. Let me remind you that these countries are already heavily industrialized before the western countries and america experienced accelerated technological advancements after the 60s. Technologically advanced as they are right now, you cannot deny the fact that all technologies that contributed to their industrial success are Western based. Name one major technological feat that came from Japan? Even their world-renowned bullet trains was developed by the French and Brits. Hijo, Asian languages are poor in academic content that's why it's lagging behind Europe and America and we cannot rely on it for success. Now before you tell me to look at Japan, please answer my question; "Where do you think you will end up if you study Nipponggo?". In fact, both countries are aggresively introducing english in every learning institutions because they know that english literacy will maintain their competency in the global economy.

I expect something more from this thread; like somebody showing why English became a success. Is it because americans and brits conducted successful imperialist campaigns during the 19th century? Is it because america seems to be a "cultural sponge" absorbing cultures of other countries and passing it off as their own(like what hollywood is doing to martial arts entertainment)? Or is it because everytime somebody attempts to establish nationalism in his country, he cant seem to do it without displaying "isolationist" tendencies that will wreck the economy?

__________________
I only entertain old and rich matronas (sorry chicks.....im only looking for hens)

Nothing. But then unlike those non-English speaking countries that you cite -- Spain, France, and Japan, etc. -- the Philippines is a scandalously backward society. Which means those nations -- China included -- are able to create useful knowledge indigenously, and therefore have the prerogative to express the knowledge they create in their own language.

Compare that to Pinoy society -- a society with a dismal track record of creating knowledge indigenously. We are reliant on foreign technology and thought in general for our society's survival not to mention its progress. Our system of governance itself is foreign. So we do not have the luxury of cultivating a national language and shoving it down our people's throats.



So how come the United States is currently the leading exporter of technology and culture at present?

It's how the language is used. Tagalog is mainly used for making mediocre movies and music and a handful of textbooks that are useless to the advancement of science, technology, economics, and finance.

Compare that to English and the languages of other advanced nations where an immense base of technology, science and other neat stuff that can solidly contribute to a society's and an individual's advancement is articulated.



And your only argument to support our continued effort to show Tagalog down Filipinos' throats is that "it is our national language".


Where's your "scientific basis" for this claim?


Exactly right. They do not have to depend on a foreign language because they have a strong capability to create knowledge indigenously

Compare to that of the Philippines. While Japan and Korea have turned their bicycle manufacturing industries into todays auto industry powerhouses, our jeepney fabrication industries (they are not even proper manufacturing operations) and the design of the jeepney itself is still 1940's technology and methods.


Are we? All indicators point to a rapidly decreasing competency in English while the rest of our nations steadily and relentlessly upgrade their English language proficiency -- further eroding what's left of this "competitive advantage" that increasingly exists only in the fantasy world we are increasingly living in.


So what's your proposal?


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Actually it does prove that English proficiency has NOTHING TO DO with economic success.

Again, look at Japan. It was TOTALLY DEVASTATED after World War 2, and they had to pay war reparations and borrow heavily to rebuild their country.

Question: did they need ENGLISH for them to rise from the ashes of war into one of the world's biggest economy prior to the year 2000? NO! That's my point.

In comparison, from 1950s when the peso was almost of the same value as the US dollars, the economy of the country had spiralled prior to the Marcos regime (and it went down further from that point on). It was during those times when the Philippines had enjoyed the enviable "competitive advantage" of having the best English education in Asia and the special friendship and support of the United States which was our number 1 trading partner. Our scholars even had fellowship with the leading American Universities. The US gave us military and economic aid, more than enough of what we need to pump-prime our economy. Japan did not have these advantages, but we were left lagging behind the Japanese in terms of economic prosperity despite our "superiority in English."

Now can you disprove this case study in history?

This, alone belie your contention.

Again, they DID NOT NEED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY for them to be industrialized, regardless of when Western countries accelerated their development.

Affter the Industrial Revolution, England dominated the technical world. Then America developed things one after another. After World War II, Japanese technology soared and produced many things with dramatically changing technologies and achieved the highest GNP in the world. Did they need ENGLISH PROFICIENCY to do that? No.


Now China is lining up for the top spot in global technology. Not only China, but also India and South Korea are superior to Japan in the IT field. These countries prospered because of their WORK ETHIC and ATTITUDE, not proficiency in English. Another case in point is the folding up of major IT companies last year in Australia, a major English speaking country because they could not compete with the skill level and labor efficiency of Indian programmers. And yet India is only 10% English literate. If English was the yardstick of success, why did the 100% English speaking proficiency of Australia bowed out to India?

Can you explain this?

You people don't know how to debate. When you say "superior," or "better," or any sort of comparison the characterisic must be defined. What are we comparing? Literacy (rate)? Productivity (GDP)? Certain industries (annual profits)? For example, India is superior to Japan in terms of international call center revenues because of its English-speaking workforce, but it is definitely not better off in terms of IT industry profits. Japan earns billions more than India in terms of IT revenues.

The real issue has to do with why traditionally non-English speaking countries around the world are investing their citizens to learn English. The simple fact is that access to English will allow their economies to grow at higher rates than before due to increased trade and investment.

Obviously, work ethic and other qualities allowed them to progress in the past. English language proficiency in their work force will allow these countries to grow even more.

It's that simple. I wish people would stop obfuscating the issue.

And by the way, the thread premise reads "pinoy society" and not "pinoy language."

Mr. Benigno, kindly clarify your assertion. Are you complaining about pinoy society or language?!

This argument is irrelevant.

The topic has to do with ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AS TOOL FOR ECONOMIC SUCCESS.

We are not talking about where technology came from. Even then, let's discuss it briefly to enlighten you.

Frenchman Jean Joseph Étienne developed the first practical internal-combustion engine (1860), and later in the decade several inventors, most notably Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler (both Germans), produced gas-powered vehicles that ultimately dominated the industry because they were lighter and less expensive to build. French companies set the design of the modern auto by placing the engine over the front axle in the 1890s .

Surprisingly, the Americans NEED NOT STUDY GERMAN OR FRENCH in order to improve on the technology which Henry Ford used in 1914 to mass produce cars in the United States.

So the industrial success of a country is not dependent on its language but on the skill, determination and industry of its people.

On the other hand, Japanese and Germans need not be proficient in English for their product to be in demand in the world market. What they did was improve on the technology, research the market and institute strict quality control to gain headway against their English-speaking competitors. By year 1999, Japanese and German car brands were selling about 3 million vehicles per year. As a result, only three big U.S. auto makers out of its 26 major manufacturers now produce only 66% of the cars sold in America. In the early 1990s, over $140 billion worth of motor vehicles and parts were produced in the United States by American companies but now, only a third of them are existing and doing good business.

This goes to show that even when we consider that Americans were the first to mass-produce automobiles, foreign companies dominate its automobile market. This shows you how irrelevant it is to discuss where technology came from. It has nothing to do with the economic success of a particular country and it has nothing to do with being proficient in English to become industrialized.

Sugargame was arguing that an English-speaking country has more chances of economic success. However, his arguments are founded on wrong premises, and that's what I am questioning.

He has not presented any empirical proof showing that PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH is the key to economic success. I simply pointed out countries which don't have English-proficient workforce that became successfult not because they are looking at the language as a tool, per se, but on the skill, work ethic and determination of the people.

So if I do not seem to know how to debate, its because I was only answering someone who started off a wrong debate proper.

That's a good point.

The one who started this thread doesn't seem to correlate the subject matter with the title of his thread.