Monday, September 12, 2011

Since When Is The Miss Universe An Exam For English Class?

Shamcey Supsup's answer to her final question wasn't bad. It was nowhere bad. In fact, it's gotta be right up there together with Ukraine's and Angola's. Still, it goes back to this fact that English isn't her first language. That may have slightly played a factor in making a huge impact in the end.

Notice the candidates who had interpreters. They paused, and let the interpreters speak for them. That short gap in between speaking allows them to think of their next set of words carefully. That 1-2 seconds of transition is long enough to help counter the pressure of a candidate. Shamcey, who I am pretty sure was trying her best to avoid doing a Venus ("Major major"), answered it very well. However, it got me to think, would her answer have been any different if she had an interpreter?

The thing with this country is that we're too proud to admit we need one. We always like to show the world that we can compete with them, even if we can't. We have this thinking that we are far less superior so we try our best to counteract that by any means necessary. To be honest, it doesn't make anybody look bad if we answer the Q&A in Tagalog. I mean, it's our mother tongue. The rest will understand that. The sad part is, the people who don't our no other than the Filipinos themselves.

I can already imagine people saying, "Bakit naman kailangan mag-interpreter? Ang galing galing natin mag-English eh!" The Miss Universe competition isn't a contest of who speaks the better English. I'm sorry, did you get that memo? Angola won, with the help of the interpreter. Previous winners have been crowned, ALSO with the aid of translators. What's the deal?

Until a candidate we send is smart enough to realize one little change in tactics is enough to stomp over this WRONG idealism we have, we stand no chance not only in a competition like this, but also a society in general. In the future, I would love to see a representative ask for an interpreter and go all the way as the winner. The effect it will have in the way we think will dramatically change. Then we don't have to pretend like we're such a 100% problem-free nation, because we're not. We have some issues we need to deal with.

In case you didn't get where I was going for this entry.. It was in no way targeted towards Shamcey's answer, or how she handled herself. I'm very impressed with her answer, as a matter of fact.