Speaking English doesn't mean you're 'betterer'

Others who came to Marian Rivera’s defense pointed out the seemingly high standards set on anything related to beauty pageants only to fall short when it comes to electing government officials. This sentiment has even become a meme and is again being circulated leading to next year’s national elections

How many times do we need to reiterate that speaking English does not mean having a higher intelligence? It is suspect why every time Marian Rivera’s name figures in news, scandals or gossip, her alleged lack of command of good English resurfaces.

While many netizens were happy to know that Marian had been chosen to judge at the 70th Miss Universe pageant to be held on 12 December in Israel, there were some who questioned the said invitation.

Their “concern” apparently is rooted in an old clip where the actress was heard saying a grammatically incorrect answer that combined English and Filipino.

“Ako po ay isang psychology (I am a psychology),” Marian was heard saying in an old interview.

It was a mere second that ordinarily would have been forgotten had it not been said by a popular figure.

Now that she is in the headlines as one of the confirmed judges of the world’s most popular beauty pageant, her naysayers are again “crucifying” her for that one grammar mistake.

Funny, how rabid these people are considering that the pageant allows interpreters for non-English speaking contestants. The Miss Universe Organization has also been staunchly supporting anti-bullying initiatives, and anti-cyberbullying is among its popular causes.

In her defense, Marian said that she is there as a Filipina with her own notable body of work.

“At siyempre, bukod dun, aaminin ko na hindi naman talaga English ang first language ko kung hindi Filipino. At kinuha nila ako dahil sa aking body of work bilang isang Filipina. At ang masasabi ko lang, kilala niyo naman ako. Hindi naman akomapagpanggap, di ba? So, ie-express ko ang sarili ko na naaayon sa nararamdaman ko sa araw na ‘yan (English is not my first language. It is Filipino. I think they chose me because of my body of work as a Filipina. You know that I am not pretentious so I will express myself according to how I feel on that day),” Marian said in an interview.

Apart from her past hit number of TV dramas, the actress is also an ambassador for the non-government organization Smile Train Philippines. She has also established her own flower arrangement business and has expanded into launching her own clothing line.

Others who came to her defense also pointed out the seemingly high standards set on anything related to beauty pageants only to fall short when it comes to electing government officials. This sentiment has even become a meme and is again being circulated leading to next year’s national elections.

On a serious note, shouldn’t people stop nitpicking on other people’s perceived lack of command of the English language? Why make an issue of slip that is already decades-old?

There’s also a seemingly uncalled for double standard happening. Taglish (Tagalog-English) has been in use for quite a long time and, to be honest, it could be grating to hear especially when used to just sound cool or rich.

To be quite frank about it, there’s actually a dire need to reinforce the use of Filipino/Tagalog not just in schools but as among the preferred languages, along with the many Philippine dialects like Bicolano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Chavacano and Cebuano in everyday communication.

It is amusing to hear people try so hard to speak in English with fake British or American accents. It is appalling to see people flaunting their English, which sometimes is erroneously used, in an obvious bid to impress or set themselves apart from the common folk or proudly Filipino speakers. It is insulting to insinuate that not being able to speak English is being uneducated or bakya (lowbrow). It is rude.

It is time for us to do away with the thought that speaking good English is a sign of higher intelligence. It is not. There are many types of intelligence; it is the same erroneous notion that being academically superior is being intelligent.

It is time that we get our priorities right, and that is to love and speak our very own beautiful language called Filipino.