[Ubuntu-PH] ubuntu-ph: Proposal: Merge of Tagalog to Filipino Translation

[JC John Sese Cuneta]

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First off, sorry this will cut-off the threading/flow of the thread, I
changed my email for Ubuntu related mailing lists and I do not know
how to continue the thread under a new email.

So anyway...  in my opinion and as a suggestion, we should completely
switch to "Filipino".  As was mentioned by Erwin, "Filipino" and
"Tagalog" are actually two different languages.  To mention a few of
the key differences:

Filipino:
* have 28-letters, it is called "Ang Bagong Alpabetong Filipino".  ñ
(enye) and "n͠g" (endzi) are just two of the letters added
* was the language /created/ by Pres. Manuel Quezon to finally solve
the issue about which Philippine Language should be chosen as the
National Language (it was originally called Pilipino, it was only
later that it was changed to Filipino)
* is the language that is "evolving" today, not Tagalog.  (And as
such, if we translate into "Tagalog", we will have serious problems.)
* is 'majority' "Tagalog" but is and must evolve (as per Manuel
Quezon's directive) to encompass all Philippine Languages.  (For
example, a Cebuano word that doesn't exist in Tagalog, will become a
Filipino word [note: not Tagalog].  Or, a word, phrase, or sentence
(including sentence rules) that is better in another Philippine
Language, may be adopted to the Filipino Language.  It also includes
word changes, like in Batangas-Tagalog (which is the closest to the
original Tagalog ;) ) say and write "Nakain" while Maynila-Tagalog
"Kumakain", for "eating".  If a better rule in word changing exist in
another Philippine Language, it may be adopted as well.
* already evolved, although it's slow, and Tagalog's evolution as a
Language is close to being dead - even it's original writing form -
the Baybayin, died after the time of Dr. Jose Rizal (it was what he
was referring to in "ang hindi magmahal ng sariling wika..." Baybayin,
which is used not just by Tagalog but by most Philippine Languages,
including Cebuano, Kapampangan, Ilokano, etc.  But originally Tagalog.)

Sadly, the Commission on the Filipino Language / Komisyon sa Wikang
Filipino (formerly: National Language Institute / Surian ng Wikang
Pambansa) has been slow in fulfilling the dream (and the solution) of
Pres. Manuel Quezon.  Not to mention, we lack Filipino vocabulary for
technical, mathematical, and scientific areas - we are left to create
our own and transliterate on our own.  I even heard about "instola"
and "instolasyon" for "install" and "installation" respectively.  (But
I'd rather believe it's legitimate than believe "kompyuter" has been
accepted/adopted - a transliteration!)

In that, we really have no choice between Filipino and Tagalog.  The
only path forward is to use Filipino and drop Tagalog.  This will also
prevent redundancy in translations, it is already not easy to
translate into Filipino, it will be close to impossible to translate
"correctly" and "properly" into Tagalog.

I think that's what the powers-that-be in Ubuntu should understand.

Not to mention, "Filipino" is flexible when it comes to technical,
mathematical, and scientific vocabulary (blame CFL/KWF for that), we
might as well take advantage of this "freedom" and help in the
evolution of Filipino and help Manuel Quezon in ending the "National
Language" war which was re-ignited again (yeah, thanks to CFL/KWF
again [in fairness, maybe they don't have enough budget, I'll give
them that]).


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