Language Barrier ..

[Completely 3]

I am sharing some of my experiences in my first year of marriage.. Hope this will help some of the americans and filipinos all over the world.

I was not really good in English language.. I mean I can write a nice email, post a nice article but I am not really confident talking english. I guess because I am with my co filipinos at all times and just speak english at work.

I did work in a lawfirm in Manila before coming to Kuwait to work at TGIF and that is where I met my husband 2004. I was scared to date Americans that time because of the bad impression they have for filipinos overseas.. Until I met my husband changed my beliefs..

!st year of marriage is the most challenging year in marriage I guess. But understanding each other cultures and belief takes a while for us to understand one another. Slang english adds up trying to understand some of the slang words.. Believe me there are times I was alone and writing all the new words I've heard from my husband everyday, when he is not around I do look at webster dictionary but cant find the exact meaning of the words he said.

We had several arguments that made us understand one another.... Sometimes some american speaks FAST, and forget that the person they were with, english language is not the first language... It does not mean that Filipino do not understand, but when someone talks fast all you can hear is blah. blah. blah But learn how to speak in the way that your partner can understand the language.. You can gauge someone ability to speak the way they talk to you...from then, you can analyze how you will make conversation with her. Try to be mellow and listen what she has to say..

And for filipina, always ask "what do you mean? why did you say that?? Always, always ask question if you dont understand.. not say yeah at all times.. even if you did not really understand at all.. Never assume something until you asked him and understand what he has to say....

To be continued ............. but hoping for your comments folks..

[AllRightsReserved 0]

Me and my fiance' made this thing clear. I can write and speak proper english but can't understand slang. So every time we talk to each other on voice chat or when he was here, he talks to me in a slow manner. There are times that he speaks so fast and I would say " what's that hun?" then back to speaking slow. Sometimes it's the other way around , when he teases or jokes on me, I'll mumble words in bicol dialect, he'll ask....what are you talking about hun? I'll say am selling you hun WHAT?????......so we're even! RRRrrrrrruunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

Edited May 4, 2008 by AllRightsReserved

[honey_me 7]

I agree with you . Good that my fiance speaks slow to me.hehhehe. I taught language but its still enough. Hehehe. Minsan makalimutan ko ngshift na pla ako sa native tongue...Having to communicate using my third language with him is one of the best learnings i have.

[pinktulips2012 1]

I am sharing some of my experiences in my first year of marriage.. Hope this will help some of the americans and filipinos all over the world.

I was not really good in English language.. I mean I can write a nice email, post a nice article but I am not really confident talking english. I guess because I am with my co filipinos at all times and just speak english at work.

I did work in a lawfirm in Manila before coming to Kuwait to work at TGIF and that is where I met my husband 2004. I was scared to date Americans that time because of the bad impression they have for filipinos overseas.. Until I met my husband changed my beliefs..

!st year of marriage is the most challenging year in marriage I guess. But understanding each other cultures and belief takes a while for us to understand one another. Slang english adds up trying to understand some of the slang words.. Believe me there are times I was alone and writing all the new words I've heard from my husband everyday, when he is not around I do look at webster dictionary but cant find the exact meaning of the words he said.

We had several arguments that made us understand one another.... Sometimes some american speaks FAST, and forget that the person they were with, english language is not the first language... It does not mean that Filipino do not understand, but when someone talks fast all you can hear is blah. blah. blah But learn how to speak in the way that your partner can understand the language.. You can gauge someone ability to speak the way they talk to you...from then, you can analyze how you will make conversation with her. Try to be mellow and listen what she has to say..

And for filipina, always ask "what do you mean? why did you say that?? Always, always ask question if you dont understand.. not say yeah at all times.. even if you did not really understand at all.. Never assume something until you asked him and understand what he has to say....

To be continued ............. but hoping for your comments folks..

me and fiancee talks a lot... but sometimes if there are things i didn't understand he know it already because i will be silent then, he will ask me why are u silent? i will tell him i didn't understand what you are talking...lol then he explained....details by details. he used to met some filipinos in his place and introduced me even f i am not yet there.. he want me to communicate to others for me to have some friends when i get there soon... hehehe.

Edited May 5, 2008 by stevent

[DavidandJenny 1]

hi,

I agree with you,I keep on asking my husband in all the words that I dont understand and I learned from it.I also practice everyday even just one word and pronounce it in their way.And also talking to other american who talks so fast really challenged me to talk in same way too.You know that we filipinas are so flexible and we can adapt americans lifestyle easily so I believe that we can deal with it.And Im proud to be a filipina especially the values we have....will you also agree with me?........jenny

[Completely 3]

hi,

I agree with you,I keep on asking my husband in all the words that I dont understand and I learned from it.I also practice everyday even just one word and pronounce it in their way.And also talking to other american who talks so fast really challenged me to talk in same way too.You know that we filipinas are so flexible and we can adapt americans lifestyle easily so I believe that we can deal with it.And Im proud to be a filipina especially the values we have....will you also agree with me?........jenny

I agree with you Jenny. I've been married now for 3 years and we have a son. It changed our lifestyle a little bit because when you have kid your time is limited but both of you will still have to talk and share things like you used to.

[o0pink0o 3]

I always ask my husband if ever he said something i didn't understand or heard a word which is new to my ears. I am not the type of person that will just pretend i know something even if i really don't. I would rather ask than be a pretender hehe. My husband and some people said that i don't have a problem in terms of pronouncing words (maybe because we were required to speak english at work since our customers are foreigners so i am able to practice alot at work ) it's just sometimes i have a hard time in talking in english when i am tired, sick and sleepy . But my husband knows my weaknesses and i'm blessed that he can deal with em hehe ( i love you baby ).

My husband is very helpful to me in terms of my weaknesses in English. He corrects me if my grammar is wrong (in a way that i will not be humiliated ) and teaches me slang words and of course proper english. Sometimes we end up laughing with my mistakes hehe but hey i use to laugh at him to when he tries to speak tagalog lol because there are words in tagalog that he can't really pronounce and i find it cute whenever he say "Magallanes" and "Bambang" so i think we are even lol

Edited May 5, 2008 by o0pink0o

[sj5 4]

if i don't understand what he says, i would ask like "i don't get it or i didn't understand what you mean? or what? or say it again please" its ridiculous to pretend when you don't understand..

Edited May 5, 2008 by SJ

[randyman 0]

I agree that the key is to be willing to listen and to accept different ways to raise your children. It is probably good to have the talk about these things though before the baby is born so that when they do come up you are not in a position that discussing the topic could cause and argument.