Originally Posted in Soc.Culture.Filipino
My situation here in Japan is even funnier.
When talking with my Canadian friends, I would involuntarily insert Japanese words to my English knowing they’d understand them anyways. To those who can’t speak Japanese, I avoid inserting Japanese words and Filipino-invented words (namely “C.R.”) to my English.
When talking with my Filipino friends, I would involuntarily insert Japanese and English words to my Filipino knowing they’d understand them anyways. I’ve also imported the Ilonggo “kwan” and the Cebuano “dili”.
When phoning my Filipino parents back home, I would speak near-perfect Filipino with minimal English and zero Japanese.
When talking with my Japanese friends, I only use Japanese with English words that they’ve already imported into their language, rightfully changing the pronunciation to suit the Japanese pronunciation of imported words. (e.g. Tennis becomes Te-ni-su).
With my Korean friends, I speak the same as I would with my Japanese friends. They speak near-perfect Japanese anyways and like the Japanese, they probably wouldn’t understand English words if I insert them.
Language here is confusing but hey, it’s fun. 😉
Enrico in Tokyo 
I can totally relate…Filipino, Japanese, American, Chamorro, Chinese and Thai… yan ang mga kasama ko sa work dati.Minsan nga nag-joke ako na sana turuan na lang kami ng boss ko mag sign language, baka mas magkakaintindihan pa kaming lahat.wala lang… I just thought na i-share ko din experience ko sa iyo.have fun blogging… 🙂
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Thanks Mr. Unnamed. Working in a multi-lingual, multi-cultural work environment certainly is fun eh. With the world “shrinking”, I hope more people will be able to experience this. 😉
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Same here … eventhough I still can’t speak Japanese fluently, the use of japanese words in daily conversations comes naturally. <> Minsan nga lang nakakalimutan ko na zenzen wakaranai ng nihongo pala kausap ko. <> 😀By the way, thanks for dropping by my blog. Just read your comment few minutes ago. <>Kumusta na pala dyan sa Japan?<>? 🙂
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Hello Odette, I know exactly what you mean about the involuntary insertions of Japanese words. I do that all the time. 🙂
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hi mr.rico,i just read your article accidentally by searching a free filipino japan language.ksi gusto matuto ng nehonggo bgo ako mka punta dyan,kasi isa ako sa mga volunter trainee ng OISCA japan.but i could’nt find there web.hope you can help me..thanks and god bless you…
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Sorry Jan, hindi ko nga rin alam kung anu yung OISCA eh. Sorry. 😦
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Hahaha! Hey Rico, I was one of your english speaking friends, so I know we talked about this often.I am experiencing the same thing in Canada… my girlfriend is Korean-Canadian, but we both speak Japanese so that gets inserted here and there! My korean doesn’t seem to be catching up to my japanese though 😦I am at home these days and I kinda wish I was doing bura bura.~Rob
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Hello rt… too bad you dont get much practice with your French nowadays, eh? Or do you? Maybe when you move to California, you’ll find some French-speaking friends so you can really confuse yourself with the languages that you know. 🙂
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