BISAYA, OR NOT TO BISAYA?

Just wondering how many of you old Geezers have actually learned enough of the local lingo to effectively get by. Was it hard, did it hurt, how did you do it, is there anyone local that gives lessons you would recommend?. I keep getting a blank stare from my Missus when I ask where should I begin, Tagalog or Bisayas, is it like the difference between Aussie and Kiwi, or Canadian and Yank? The rule is that a language is both spoken as well as written (Tagalog), a dialect is just a spoken language, so I'm not exactly sure where Bisayas fits in.

 

Bisaya is a dialect of Cebuano ( which is I believe the 2nd most spoken Language after Tagalog) So tells me my SIL who teaches Both Languages.

 

English is sufficient here but I think after 4 years or so, if a person has a Filipina wife and you get involved with the local people somewhat, you really cannot help but pick up a fundamental understanding of the Cebuano-Visayan language just by immersion. Since I never took formal training I really have never detected much difference if any between Cebuano and Bisaya except for the way you say a few of the same words; for example “wala” vs “wa”. In Siquijor they tend to use less Cebu slang and they are more loud and expressive when speaking than Dumaguetnos. If you ask me, there is no difference but I only speak street bisaya/Cebuano in a limited sense. There are also Tagalog expressions thrown in. You can go ahead and use the words and grammar that you do pick and when you get stuck on vocabulary just use the English word. Nobody will care; they do the same thing. When I came here a relative told me it would take about 4years to pick it up; I have been here 3-1/2. It is nice to understand what people are saying even if you are not really fluent. I can say that the more you learn, the easier it is to learn more.


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Id like to know what the cheeky buggers are saying

 

I suppose learning Tagalog would best, apparently after that all the other languages/dialects/slangs/become quite simple.

 

That my friend depends on where you will live or are Living, Not that may in Negros that speak Tagalog and up north ilonggo is the Language, They mostly all speak and write some English that is why all Forms are in English and the Business Language is English. All the years I have been here, I have never found a Local that even spoke their own language well enough to teach it, so I gave up

 

Seems like a linguistic slop pot, eye of toad , tounge of newt, throw it all in and Wala!!, You picked an interesting word there, Cebuano-Wa Bisaya-Wala and Tagalog-Wala. Wala baki dire, (Bisaya for no toads here haha)

 

Rye has captured the major issues in learning the local language. It's my understanding, from various sources, that when speaking Tagalog/Filipino in a Tagalog area, the accent of a native Visayan-speaker is disrespected. "You speak well for a Cebuana," my friend was told in the NCR. And, "He [a Silliman professor] speaks the best Tagalog of any of us." That's my excuse for not learning Tagalog here. As for Visayan/Cebuano, it's not a language of education. Not supposed to use it above Grade Four, though many do. Why have I not learned it? I might answer, "It's hard to learn and then you can't say very much." I get some laughs from that.