Those of us who’ve been around old-style first-generation Pilipinos know that they all speak English, but that the alphabet they learn in their schools has only 20 characters: no C F J Q V or Z. “C” sounds are made with either “K” or “S,” . . . “F” sounds become “P” . . . and so on. The word for beer is serbesa, which they took from the Spanish cerveza.
Also, kids are taught to pronounce the vowels differently from how we do it here in Murka: for example, the “i” as in quit would come out “queet,” sister becomes “seestair,” and so forth. The soft “i” sound isn’t taught. They can make it, of course, but just as we have to learn to pronounce the “r” in Paris at the back of the throat, the soft “i” isn’t natural.
Ironic that the word for identifying them as a national group has both the “f” sound and the soft “i” although they learn to pronounce it “Peeleepeeno.”
So, there’s this ancient first-generation Pinay lady seamstress at the uniform tailor shop at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Kids come there to get rank insignia sewn onto their shirts, their pantlegs cut to fit, and all that.
This big ol’ blonde kid no more’n 18 comes in to get his whites tailored, and the seamstress points to a stool for him to stand on while she measures his inseam so she doesn’t have to stoop and stretch. He’s wearin old Wranglers cut off well above the knee.
The old gal stretches her tape from the bottom of his Wrangler zipper to his shoetops. He’s lookin straight ahead and doesn’t realize that she’s finished and he can step down. So she tells him:
“Peenees.” And when he looks down but doesn’t move, she says it again, “Peenees.”
Hard to say what was goin on in the kid’s mind, but his faced flashed thru a spectacular spectrum of bright colors, from pink to red to a regal purple before another woman with another customer told him, “You can get down now.”
I donno what he thought THAT meant, but he put his hands over his crotch, turned sideways, stepped off the stool, and pulled down desperately on his shorts.
My wife and her friend (both Americanized Pinays), whom we’d gone there to take home after work ‘cuz her car was in the shop laughed at the poor guy ’til I got ‘em out of there.
Great comment.
+1. At least. Worthy of several more!
>Ironic that the word for identifying them as a national group has both the “f” sound and the soft “i”
—
Hah! It’s like people who lisp can’t pronounce the word: “I have a lithp.” And saying “w” or “L” for “r” (Elmer Fudd syndrome) is called rhotacism, which can’t be pronounced by people with rhotacism.
OMG!!!!!!! USN ’66-70 WESTPAC ’68 USS PRINCETON – LPH-5 I know the drill and Yes this post is a “HOOT!!!”
skybill
great post bocopro. hope to see more in future
Well, with lips like she has, I’m sure she’ll find any number of willing suppliers. Oh, and she has a septum piercing, so you know the sucky sucky is gonna be off the hook. Just prepare yourself for the fallout, when she slashes your tires and tries to stab you to death in your sleep.
Shouldn’t the caption read Engerish instead of English?
Engrish
I travel the world on a Google/Youtube passport and yesterday found myself in a lake separating Estonian and Russia (Peipsi). Thought it sounded a bit like Pepsi so checked the pronounciation … it’s Pee Ape’s Eye
That’s cultural appropriation
Actually, cultural appropriation is the attempt by white people to take part in the “diversity” that gives the US its great strength.
Nuttin’ wrong with peanuts unless you’re allergic…
Maybe she’d like a Coke to wash those peanuts down with.
anyone that has spent any time in Asia will appreciate that link. In particular the first few weeks interacting with Asians who are struggling to learn Engrish – this is not condescending, it is endearing because other than the hardcore commies, the people are wonderful.
Those of us who’ve been around old-style first-generation Pilipinos know that they all speak English, but that the alphabet they learn in their schools has only 20 characters: no C F J Q V or Z. “C” sounds are made with either “K” or “S,” . . . “F” sounds become “P” . . . and so on. The word for beer is serbesa, which they took from the Spanish cerveza.
Also, kids are taught to pronounce the vowels differently from how we do it here in Murka: for example, the “i” as in quit would come out “queet,” sister becomes “seestair,” and so forth. The soft “i” sound isn’t taught. They can make it, of course, but just as we have to learn to pronounce the “r” in Paris at the back of the throat, the soft “i” isn’t natural.
Ironic that the word for identifying them as a national group has both the “f” sound and the soft “i” although they learn to pronounce it “Peeleepeeno.”
So, there’s this ancient first-generation Pinay lady seamstress at the uniform tailor shop at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Kids come there to get rank insignia sewn onto their shirts, their pantlegs cut to fit, and all that.
This big ol’ blonde kid no more’n 18 comes in to get his whites tailored, and the seamstress points to a stool for him to stand on while she measures his inseam so she doesn’t have to stoop and stretch. He’s wearin old Wranglers cut off well above the knee.
The old gal stretches her tape from the bottom of his Wrangler zipper to his shoetops. He’s lookin straight ahead and doesn’t realize that she’s finished and he can step down. So she tells him:
“Peenees.” And when he looks down but doesn’t move, she says it again, “Peenees.”
Hard to say what was goin on in the kid’s mind, but his faced flashed thru a spectacular spectrum of bright colors, from pink to red to a regal purple before another woman with another customer told him, “You can get down now.”
I donno what he thought THAT meant, but he put his hands over his crotch, turned sideways, stepped off the stool, and pulled down desperately on his shorts.
My wife and her friend (both Americanized Pinays), whom we’d gone there to take home after work ‘cuz her car was in the shop laughed at the poor guy ’til I got ‘em out of there.
Great comment.
+1. At least. Worthy of several more!
>Ironic that the word for identifying them as a national group has both the “f” sound and the soft “i”
—
Hah! It’s like people who lisp can’t pronounce the word: “I have a lithp.” And saying “w” or “L” for “r” (Elmer Fudd syndrome) is called rhotacism, which can’t be pronounced by people with rhotacism.
OMG!!!!!!! USN ’66-70 WESTPAC ’68 USS PRINCETON – LPH-5 I know the drill and Yes this post is a “HOOT!!!”
skybill
great post bocopro. hope to see more in future
Well, with lips like she has, I’m sure she’ll find any number of willing suppliers. Oh, and she has a septum piercing, so you know the sucky sucky is gonna be off the hook. Just prepare yourself for the fallout, when she slashes your tires and tries to stab you to death in your sleep.
Shouldn’t the caption read Engerish instead of English?
Engrish
I travel the world on a Google/Youtube passport and yesterday found myself in a lake separating Estonian and Russia (Peipsi). Thought it sounded a bit like Pepsi so checked the pronounciation … it’s Pee Ape’s Eye
That’s cultural appropriation
Actually, cultural appropriation is the attempt by white people to take part in the “diversity” that gives the US its great strength.
Nuttin’ wrong with peanuts unless you’re allergic…
Maybe she’d like a Coke to wash those peanuts down with.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kE2yE_dmkZ4
And thanks for the great comment, bocopro.
I’m a Pepsi guy
https://vimeo.com/1093522065
https://engrish.com
anyone that has spent any time in Asia will appreciate that link. In particular the first few weeks interacting with Asians who are struggling to learn Engrish – this is not condescending, it is endearing because other than the hardcore commies, the people are wonderful.