Saturday, January 17, 2009

Progress

One of my most embarassing moments is the time when I was asked to represent the class for the Impromptu Speaking Contest in Filipino. It was Buwan ng Wika, and everyone in KNCHS was looking forward to the culmination event.

I was surprised that I was picked out, of all my classmates who spoke the language better than I did. I had difficulty speaking in Filipino because in Koronadal, we never speak it. It's off—it just sounds off, like the screeching of tires on pavement.

So, there I was, sitting on a monobloc chair on-stage, waiting for my turn. I picked my topic a minute before I was to begin. The unfolded the piece of paper read, "Ano'ng masasabi mo tungkol sa administrasyon ni Joseph Estrada?"

I had no clue.

I came near the microphone, rattled my introductions, and I started saying something. It was one of those moments when silence was torturous, and I just had to say anything, no matter how unrelated, as long as the words were in Tagalog.

A minute after I started I regained my thoughts, but just as I was about to go on my second point, I totally blanked out. Tabula rasa. My brain was as clear as Absolute drinking water.

Forgetting how "progress" was translated in Tagalog, I said the following words that would scar me for dear life:

Dapat isaalang-alang ni Pangulong Estrada sa kanyang mga programa na ang Pilipinas ay dapat mag-progress.

Good job, Lance. And in case you're asking, I placed last.

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12 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

hahahaha....nakakatawa ka lance! I hope this helps...^_^

"Progress" in Filipino:

pag-usad = progress that usually has to do with physical parameters, e.g. distance (i.e. advancement/to proceed)

pagsulong = progress that has to do with skills, personal characteristics (i.e. improvement/evolution)

pag-unlad = progress that has to do with status, often social/financial (i.e. growth/development)

-JGG

Sat Jan 17, 10:55:00 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Natuwa naman ako sa "entry" mo, Kuya Lance! :P

-Pat

Sat Jan 17, 10:59:00 PM GMT+8  
Blogger Lance said...

JGG—Jeiel, ikaw 'to, no?—salamat sa talasalitaan. Sana nakilala na kita bago ako sumali sa paligsahang iyon. Hindi na sana ako napahiya.

Pat—Buti naman, natuwa ka. Di lang nakakatuwa—nakakatawa talaga ang nangyari. ;)

Sat Jan 17, 11:21:00 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Laking Promil ka yata eh. Laking Progress kasi ako. hahahahaha...

G'nyt! See ya tomorrow! God bless!

-JGG

Sat Jan 17, 11:29:00 PM GMT+8  
Blogger Lance said...

Di lang nadiscover, 'no, Jeiel? :D

Sun Jan 18, 12:47:00 AM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Honestly, Lance. It wasn't hard for me to visualize that scene. :P

Mon Jan 19, 10:28:00 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your experience is understandable and nothing to be ashamed of. Marbelians are by far in a better lot compared to other places besides the tagalog region. We, if not most of us, speak two or more dialects,than the rest of the country.

Tue Jan 20, 05:48:00 PM GMT+8  
Blogger Lance said...

Muragdoctor, I can picture you in that scene, too. Kung sumali ka, di sana ako ang last. :p

Tue Jan 20, 11:37:00 PM GMT+8  
Blogger Lance said...

Anonymous, I'm not really ashamed of what I did, just embarrassed. :D Tama ka gid—ibang klase gid man ang mga taga-Marbel! :)

Tue Jan 20, 11:38:00 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice one, Lance. LOLZ! =p.

Wed Jan 21, 06:29:00 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous mike tan said...

hahaha!!! I can't imagine you doing this kuya lance.. :D

Mon May 18, 09:45:00 PM GMT+8  
Blogger Lance said...

I still feel bad when I think about it. Haha!

Tue Feb 28, 05:19:00 AM GMT+8  

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