LANGUAGE: CROSSING BRIDGES FOR MIGRANTS


By Jay-Mie on 23rd Aug 2020

Migrant Writers of Hong Kong
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What's in a language?

This is a very short story of crossing language barriers.

"Ayi! Cho san, lei ho ah?" I greeted the auntie at the market as I come. "Oh, mui mui! Ngo ho ho ah, ngo ho hoi sam, ngo kin dzau lei la, lei mai mat ye ah ika?" She answered me in response.

This auntie is the same auntie who smiled at me on my first market day almost 3 years ago after my arrival in Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper. My employer told me, to be careful, the locals here will take advantage of you because you cannot speak our language. So that day, I took with me the booklet from my OWWA language training for reference. But even if you have that, you must learn to speak it well also. Words with the right sound, one mistaken pronunciation or intonation would have a totally different meaning. It's quite complicated. And so, I met this auntie at our market, the only one who can speak good english in that market.

When i was young, we move from place to place beacuse of my mom's work in Pangasinan, our home province. Pangasinan itself, is a home to many dialects aside from it's main which is Pangasinense (others call it Pangalatok). Although, in my place of birth, we speak Ilocano. I'm a rooted Ilocano. But I was forbidden to speak the dialect since I was adopted.

When we moved to San Carlos and studied in a school where my classmates speaks mainly Pangasinense. I adapted it and learned their dialect. Well of course, again, speak the way it should be spoken. I remember my mom also told me, same words like my employer did. They will take advantage of you if do not speak their language. And so when she knew that I learned the language, she always let me do the talking in bartering with the vendors at the market and even when paying fares in jeepneys and tricycles.

On my first year in Hong Kong, I was left home with my ward and Ama (a term for male's mother) and auntie Dora, the chinese Ama whom my employer hired to take care of her after giving biirth. Both of them, do not know written and spoken English. I was pressurred to learn Cantonese in a very short span of time. I thought the that learning to speak basic Cantonese would help me to have a good relationship with my local elders.

After almost three years staying in Hong Kong, I can say that I have at least lessened the gap of the language barrier.
Now, the locals will not take advantage of me anymore and I gained a littl of theirm most valued respect.

Much love and God bless💗🙏

#mystory