Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Speak out: What’s being celebrated on Oct. 12?
By Dr. Jose Lucero Bonpua Jr.
The Museum of Sacred Art Inc.
Oslob, Cebu
WHEN I was studying at the Escuela Diplomatica de España in Madrid, Spain years ago, I often heard from my Spanish classmates of the “Dia de la Raza.” My friends from the Spanish-speaking world also used the same title.
It was last Dec. 2 when my eyes caught the large title, “La dia de Hispanidad en Cebu,” in that day’s Sun.Star issue. First, I ignored it but on second thought, I decided to react.
The Spanish language has a lot of precise rules, aside from being a beautiful language. I cannot accept the definite article of “la” to describe “dia” because in Spanish, all names of days, rivers, months, etc. are masculine; therefore, the appropriate article to use in this case is “el” as in “El Dia de la Hispanidad en Cebu.” Here, as you’ll notice, I added “la” before “hispanidad” because it’s the right way.
While in Spain, the United States and Mexico, I found it unique and unusual to refer to Oct. 12th as “El Dia de la Hispanidad” because from what I’ve remembered, it was always referred to as “El Dia de la Raza,” that is to say, “The Day of the (Spanish) Race.”
In retrospect, it seems it’s high time to reintroduce Spa-nish in Filipino schools.
(December 8, 2004 issue)
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