Proem

In 1968 I started may Masters' in Engineering degree at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok, Thailand. The language of instruction was English. I had many Thai and Chinese classmates and other Asian nationalities. I asked them, how come they could understand English? They answered that during undergraduate engineering they took the option to learn it using the English language even though the degree was available in their language. They then proceeded to take the Master's Degree in the English language. In fact when they encountered difficulties in English, they will read the Thai or Chinese translation of our textbooks.

The Whorfian Hypothesis

Benjamen Lee Whorf was one of the founders of the science of sociolinguistics. The Whorfian Hypothesis states, "A language is not simply an encoding process for voicing out our ideas and needs but rather a shaping force that guide our thinking and our behavior." (W.A. Haviland, "Cultural Anthropoly," Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc., N.Y., 1975, p. 96).

This means that your reasoning and thinking sequence is influenced by the language you use. Modern science also says that the neuron connections in your brain are wired according to your thinking process. An average child can wire his brain's neurons up to 8 languages. At the onset of puberty, the wiring is already finished. This is the reason why you can recognize the peculiar English pronunciation of the Chinese, Japanese, etc.

Our Situation

The mother language of a Boholano is Sugboanon Bisaya. Early on, the Boholano child's brain is wired for the Bisayan language. When the child enters school he encounters English and Filipino and the child's brain is rewired to accommodate these languages.

These three languages becomes 3 separate "language programs" in the brain.

The problem is, only the English language program is supplied enough data to produce a college degree. Recently, the invented Filipino language is allowed a degree program but only in that language. However, the Sugboanon language program in the brain is not supplied enough data for a college degree. Why? The reason is only colonial mentality of our officials.

The Sugboanon Bisaya has enough words that can educate a child up to a college degree or even Post-Graduate degrees. At present, our stock of words is ready for the education, commerce, liberal arts, and civil engineering. (Note: I know because I'm presently collecting the terms in civil engineering - JBT). So why not allow the Bisayans to earn their college degree using the Sugboanon language? Of course the language use must start from Grade I and vertically parallel with English.

The Advantages

The mother language is the language of the soul. It can preserve the culture and tradition of the people. Patriotism and love of country is enhanced. The best advantage is the attitude to stay in one's country, especially those of brilliant minds.

Nowadays, supposing you have 1,000 graduates in nursing. All of them have the desire to go abroad because they were educated in English. Supposing 800 passes all the different examinations, then we have 200 nurses who are below par. The problem is, who will teach the next batch of nursing students? You have no choice but to select from the 200 non-passers for foreign selection. Since they are below par, what would you expect of the students they teach? Eventually we will have the situation, "If you know, then you do it; if you do not know, then you teach!" Are you still surprised why our educational system is deteriorating?

Now, suppose you also allow nursing to be taught in Bisaya, at the same level of quality by using our own words and coining new words. The graduates will not go abroad. Even though at first they may be few, it has the advantage of retaining the brilliant minds.

Eventually the Bisayan-Nursing graduates will become better and better because their teachers are better.

It is Complementary

Teaching the Sugboanon parallel with the English language is complementary. There are situations that can be expressed in Sugboanon but could not be expressed in English and vice versa. This puzzle is not possible in English: "Adunay Bol-anon ug Amerikana.

Buot sila nga magdungan pagtabok sa tulay nga usa ra ka tawo ang makaagi. Unsaon man nila pagtabok? = There is a Boholano and an Amerikana (American?). They want to cross together a bridge that can only carry one person. How can they cross together?"

Tubag: Isul-ob sa Bol-anon ang Amerikana og motabok. (The Boholano will wear the Amerikana (Coat) and cross.)

Our Legalistic Culture

Have you ever wondered why the Filipino culture is very legalistic? It is because our brilliant minds nowadays belong to lawyers.

The topnotcher doctors, nurses, engineers, etc. are already abroad. The topnotcher lawyers are here in the Philippines because their legal knowledge are not applicable abroad. So where can you get the brilliant minds from the other professions to pit wits with brilliant lawyers?

Even in Tagbilaran City we have topnotcher lawyers but you could not find topnotcher doctor, nurse, engineer, etc. because they are abroad.

So the best solution is to allow other degrees to be taught in Sugboanon Bisaya so that some brilliant minds in the other professions would not go abroad.