Dialects
Searching for Roots
- Next-generation Filipino-Americans are eager to connect with their kin in the Philippines.
- Tourists and Foreigners with Filipina spouses want to learn Filipino culture and tradition
According to past surveys, millions of Filipino immigrants worldwide preserve their culture by reliving traditions and through using their native language and dialects.
In the US, recent discussions with second- to third-generation Filipino-Americans prove that this still holds true; some even expressed their interest in visiting relatives in the Philippines.
In a similar study, foreigners with Filipino spouses and tourists alike want to immerse themselves in Filipino culture by relating with those around them while in the Philippines.
“I never really understood my husband until I got to meet his family in Batangas,” says Cynthia,
whose assessment of Filipinos are, “[... the most] fun-loving and care-free people I’ve seen. I even learned their funny sounding Tagalog accent.”
In the survey, George stated, “My [Filipina] wife was surprised that I could a speak little of Ilonggo...” He indicated that this incident improved their relationship, “[Now] we are closer since we understand each other and could express ourselves in more ways than one...”
Linguist experts explains, “These clearly show that the crucial factor for people from different cultures and/or nationalities is language... Language provides a medium for culture-specific concepts and notions as well as a means of embracing their cultural diversity.”
Learn Filipino Languages Series from Dialect101 (www.dialect101.com) offers a fun and easy way to learn Philippine dialects while on the go.
It features:
• Hundreds of frequently-used words and phrases ranging from basic items to complex expressions
• Interactive learning experience through its click-and-play interface
• Autoplay function for people always on the run
• Categorized by context/usage for easy access
• Has search function to find the right words when you need it most
• Useful and fun facts on the language, its place of origin, and tourist destinations.
For more information simply go to the iTunes Store and download the application for only $5.99. Click here to download.