Monday, July 14, 2008 Seares: ‘Ibta,’ Jun Pe said By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
THEY didn’t plan it. They just stumbled on the idea last July 9 when Cebu City Councilor Rodrigo Abellana said the opening prayer in Bisaya.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama who led the session suggested that the City Council discuss in Bisaya the expenses in feeding relatives of victims in the mv Princess of the Stars sinking. “To make sure everyone understands,” he said.
That’s unexpected concern, given the messy clutter and long-winded discourse that often block understanding of what they talk about in English.
A verified claim is that if one can’t sleep, he can watch the televised council session. However hardened the insomniac, in a minute or two, the snoring begins.
Maybe not if the councilors speak in Bisaya as they did last week. When Councilor Jun Pe withdrew a resolution, his use of “ibta” (literally, “pull out”) was hilarious.
Junpe as comic
Perhaps not intended humor, but if he keeps it up, he won’t be a tailender in future elections anymore. On the side, he could be a standup comic in one of those ala-Library live shows.
Fractured Bisaya is more funny than convoluted English but it won’t make Bisaya linguists happy. They’d be horrified listening to the councilors mutilate the native tongue against the background of gallery and press-box laughter.
But which offends one’s ear and sensibilities less: assault on Bisaya or on English?
People understand Bisaya better but if anyone thinks the native tongue is free of the verbose and the complex, he’s wrong.
As it is now, half the City Council will need a crash course on clarity and brevity.
