While Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) written by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry in 1943 now has over 300 translations in different languages worldwide and is now considered the world’s most translated book (not counting religious works), there have been surprisingly only two translations of his book in the Philippines (Filipino and Bicol). El Diutay Principe is only the third edition featuring a Philippine language. The Little Prince is a classic French novella about a pilot who gets stranded in the desert after a plane crash and encounters a little fellow who asks him to draw a sheep for him. Through the course of their meeting, the pilot rediscovers the true meaning of life and what people should value the most. When I came across the book in 2013, I found that I could relate very well to the negative image given to “growing up” in the book. When the idea to translate the book into my mother tongue was presented to me, I didn’t think twice. I thought, ‘a lot of people my
According to the book Riquezas (published by the city government of Zamboanga): "Zamboangueños often refer to their language as well as themselves as Chavacanos."
While in Zamboanga city, I met an old Trycicle driver who came to Zamboanga city in the 1970s. He was originally from Cebu. This person agrees that the term Chabacano does refer to the people living in Zamboanga city but he believes that Chabacano isn't really a language, it is a dialect.
For most of my life, I have never heard people in Zamboanga city calling themselves Chabacanos. My mom who is based in Pagadian city in Zamboanga del Sur, does tell me that for people who live in the different provinces of Zamboanga peninsula, we (people in Zamboanga city) are called Chabacanos.
However, this was the first time that I have even heard of that! Personally, I always say that I am a Zamboangueño. I'm not sure when it all started but it looks to me like during the second half of the 20th century, people in Zamboanga city started calling themselves Zamboangueňos instead of Chabacanos. Therefore, you will probably hear more older people call themselves Chabacanos compared to younger ones.
Should people in Zamboanga city have a monopoly over being called a Zamboangueňo? Well, when I think about it, it does make sense that we call ourselves Chabacanos instead of Zamboangueňos because the term Zamboangueño implies that you live in the Zamboanga peninsula which does after all consist of three different provinces along with Zamboanga city.
Is Chabacano a Language or a Dialect
A linguist I met online told me that he observed a lot of old people would say that Chabacano is not a language, but a dialect. I think that for people my age, we were taught in school that Chabacano, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, Kapampangan, etc are all languages and not dialects. For us, a dialect is a variation of a language like the Tagalog in Bulacan or the Tagalog in Laguna, for instance.
Old people saying that Chabacano is a dialect and not a language may be because that was what they were taught in school. I think for them the term language only applies to Filipino, Spanish, French, etc. Therefore, the question of whether Chabacano is a dialect or a language depends on who you're asking. If you're asking a millennial (like me), I will definitely say that Chabacano is a language simply because that's what we were taught in school.
While in Zamboanga city, I met an old Trycicle driver who came to Zamboanga city in the 1970s. He was originally from Cebu. This person agrees that the term Chabacano does refer to the people living in Zamboanga city but he believes that Chabacano isn't really a language, it is a dialect.
For most of my life, I have never heard people in Zamboanga city calling themselves Chabacanos. My mom who is based in Pagadian city in Zamboanga del Sur, does tell me that for people who live in the different provinces of Zamboanga peninsula, we (people in Zamboanga city) are called Chabacanos.
However, this was the first time that I have even heard of that! Personally, I always say that I am a Zamboangueño. I'm not sure when it all started but it looks to me like during the second half of the 20th century, people in Zamboanga city started calling themselves Zamboangueňos instead of Chabacanos. Therefore, you will probably hear more older people call themselves Chabacanos compared to younger ones.
Should people in Zamboanga city have a monopoly over being called a Zamboangueňo? Well, when I think about it, it does make sense that we call ourselves Chabacanos instead of Zamboangueňos because the term Zamboangueño implies that you live in the Zamboanga peninsula which does after all consist of three different provinces along with Zamboanga city.
Is Chabacano a Language or a Dialect
A linguist I met online told me that he observed a lot of old people would say that Chabacano is not a language, but a dialect. I think that for people my age, we were taught in school that Chabacano, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, Kapampangan, etc are all languages and not dialects. For us, a dialect is a variation of a language like the Tagalog in Bulacan or the Tagalog in Laguna, for instance.
Old people saying that Chabacano is a dialect and not a language may be because that was what they were taught in school. I think for them the term language only applies to Filipino, Spanish, French, etc. Therefore, the question of whether Chabacano is a dialect or a language depends on who you're asking. If you're asking a millennial (like me), I will definitely say that Chabacano is a language simply because that's what we were taught in school.
Zamboangueño is an ETHNICITY. We're the SUBANON at that time of Spain's Arrival who accepted Christianity, Hispanized and Accepted the Spanish Crown.
ReplyDeleteWhereas those SUBANON at that time before the arrival of Spain, who accepted or converted to Islam, are today's called the KALIBUGAN or KOLIBUGAN Ethnic.
Both Zamboangueño Ethnic and KOLIBUGAN Ethnic are the Offsprings of SUBANON ETHNIC, who are at that time were either PAGANS or ANIMISTS.
Zamboangueño is my Ethnicity, and Chavacano is our Ethnic's Mother Tongue.
Regarding the Dialect issue, Chavacano Language is a Language of its own right. because Dialect is actually knwn as Sub-Language which still belongs to a Mother Language.
ReplyDeleteIf languages are multually-intelligible with each other, then they are Dialects of the same Language. But if NOT Mutually-Intelligible with each other, then they are LANGUAGES of their own.
Regarding Monopoly of Zamboangueño, it is a Yes for me.|
ReplyDeleteIt is an Ethnicity.
When I was young, I often used the word "Zamboangueño". I am a Zamboangueño and I speak Zamboangueño.
When people talk to me in Foreign language, I often told them to speak Zamboangueño, and their response was "Perdon, Cebuano o Bisaya kasi yo, puriso tini yo huya conbirsa kay mi accent".
When was that? I'm 37 now, it was when I was in my Grade School.
At young age, I am already aware of my Identity as Zamboangueño, will do everything not to be influenced by Tagalism, especially in school back when filiponko was still called as tagalok. tagalog teachers back from IMperal Manila often using the phrase "You learn must tagalok to become a real filipino"
I replied with: That's Bullshit!
I am already Filipino CITIZEN before I could speak even my Zamboangueño Language.
That teach send me out! That's fine! As long as I will NEVER vow down!
Chavacano/Chabacano is a creole language, not a dialect. Its lexifier is Spanish and has a relatively small percentage of words of local origin.
ReplyDeleteIlocano, Cebuano, Tagalog, Ibanag, etc. are languages and not dialects. My own parents tell me that their own languages are "dialects" for some reason when that's simply not true.
As others have said here, whether or not dialects are mutually intelligible among one another is what determines whether or not it is considered a language or dialect.