You, you and you, the both of you. Come, let's join us.

We've all had our share of funny stories about how we as Filipinos speak the English language. I also go into sleeps. There you go. Sleeps. It's a slip alright. Who doesn't? (Defensive.) Even as I write my blog, I have to constantly do a spell check and most importantly, my sentences have to sound cohesive and grammatically correct. I'm not really a writer to begin with. Writing is just my passion and it relaxes me when I'm able to put down my thoughts in writing. I've had several hilarious HUH moments with the different conversations I've had with people. These are all for real.

The use of the word reach out. We say we want to reach out to someone when another person is unable to communicate one's self well or when one needs to be emotionally secured. But to replace the word outreach for reach out? This can be quite tricky.

him: Melissa, alam mo kung ako sa inyo, dapat sumali kayo sa mga reach out.

me: Sir, ano pong ibig ninyong sabihin?

him: Eto yung pupunta tayo sa iba't ibang communities tapos bebenta natin yung services natin as a group.

me: Ah, outreach!

Somehow I got his drift but I had to verify what he meant lest I reach out to a bottle of vitamins to sharpen my senses. Batang may laban kaya ako.

At another time, I overheard another conversation with this same man and he was asking something from a colleague whom we shall call Rosebud to protect her identity.

him: Rosebud, puede bang makihingi ng pliers?
her: Sige Sir. Sandali lang.

Rosebud goes to the back of the office and searched for a pair of pliers in the toolbox. She goes back to the front and hands over the pliers to him.

her: Eto na Sir yung pliers.

him: Hindi!!! Ang hinihingi ko pliers. Yung pinamimigay. Kasi magma marketing ako at pamimigay ko yung pliers nyo.

her: Ah, FLYERS!!!

him: Oo!!!

Rosebud turned her back trying to suppress her laughter. Not to mention, she couldn't wait to share this story with me.

Another common mistake is the use of the word "regardless". Well, I know of a few people who love to write it as "irregardless". The word "regardless" in itself is enough to cancel out whatever conditions or situations there are. I know of somoene who drafts his emails this way ... (I am writing it using the same font, size and grammar.)

boy pyansa,

i specifically (though he pronounces it as SPISIPIKALLY) instructed you that irregardless of what the others are doing, you have to do what i instructed you to do because i gave you specific instructions. please explain why you did not specifically follow my original instruction when this was already discussed in our meeting and this was the agreement with the others and i specifically told you over the phone. irregardless, you have to follow the specific instruction.

regards, (o di ba, kahit sinabon ka na, may regards ka pa)

xxx

Since it's a Friday, I'll make this blog short and easy to read. Most importantly, funny. I'm sharing several pictures that I got from my sister Marissa. These are pictures of hilarious Pinoy signs. We've got to give everyone the credit for trying. It may not be grammatically correct but context clues sure do work. Remember, there are rules to be follows in the English language. Be discipline ourselves.