Post #1595321

2025-12-27 18:03 UTC

@pedestrians1st But that's the problem with English, you need it. We don't need it in all Philippine languages (except Philippine English of course), Austronesian languages, and in East Asian languages. Our native languages are gender-neutral and/or genderless (they're not the same). But English is neither. - In English: What is your order, sir/mam/mamser? <- easiest way to be polite - In Philippine languages and dialects: Ano po ang order nila? <- very formal and very polite speech level (highest level). Now, if we bring in the culture factor, almost all Pacific-Asian (not Asia-Pacific which includes Oceania) cultures are deep into being polite and using polite speech, not to mention being formal in certain situations. English lacks polite speech levels, and it's formal speech system is different from the way we Pacific-Asians think it should be. Thus, like in Philippine English, we have to find ways to bring our local languages and cultural requirements into English. Like in the example above, mamser must be used. 1/2 @considermycat

Replies (1)

@youronlyone@c.im 2025-12-27 18:03

@pedestrians1st 2/2 It actually became an issue a few years back when a FilAm visited the Philippines, went to a fastfood chain, and was called mamser. The FilAm went hysterical and was even recorded calling the crew to stand in front of her while she berated the poor crew from head to toe and supposedly educated the crew about "pronouns" and LGBTQ. Guess what happened? The country's top LGBTQ voices spoke against her. There was one resounding reason: if you don't understand how things work in the Philippines, keep your cool. The FilAm misunderstood the "mamser" and she went hysterical and publicly shamed the crew. She apologized and was reported to have returned to the US where she _allegedly_ started calling Filipinos racists and anti-LGBTQ. There was absolutely nothing discriminatory about "mamser" or even "sir/mam" in the Philippine culture. It is polite formal speech and polite speech that is very common in our genderless and gender-neutral native languages and cultural rules that was brought into English, a language that is strictly gender-based. The FilAm failed to consider that and went ballistic and tried educate Filipinos about her own foreign culture and sensitivities. (When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Meaning, don't bring your foreign culture and act like you're superior than them.) @considermycat

Open ##1595322