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Chapter VI: Philosophy of Time Introduction: FILIPINO TIME in the popular usage is synonymous with unpunctuality.

But being unpunctual or being too early in some instances shows that the Filipino has a different time orientation. This is shown in his I. Language II. Behavior III. Concept of Time I. METALINGUISTIC ANALYSIS Linguists agree that Visayan, Tagalog, and Ilocano are linguistic relatives they share common features. They also agree that although the Visayan speaker clearly distinguishes the past, present, and future, he is more concerned with modality or aspect than with tense. English Verbs V.S Cebuano Aspect System English Verbs *Time Oriented *Well defined tense system: it refers to the time of action *English verbs are consistently inflected for tense. * English aspect is marked most of the time not by verbal agents alone but by certain relational particles or by other form classes. The Result: English speaker chooses his verb carefully from the view point of tense. Cebuano Aspect System * Not time oriented * Cebuano, an aspect system: it deals with the nature of the action from the point of beginning, continuing of concluding. * Cebuano verbs are in a similar manner invariably inflected not for tense, but for aspect. * It is marked by a systematic set of affixation. The Result: The Cebuano speaker picks out this form that of aspect. Therefore, there is a strong tendency for the Cebuano speaker to be careless in his English verbs, tense wise; he is apt to be exercise caution in the choice of his obligatory aspect, the way it is in his native language. Ex. Nagkanta siya sa programa English Verb: He/ She sang at the program, or He/ She sings at the program Cebuano Aspect System: Nahibawo siya nga mukanta ang iyang anak , in english: He/ She knows that his/ her son/daughter will sing, or He/ She knew that his/ her son/ daughter would sing. Anderson observes that the Cebuano Visayan is not careful in observing his tenses: The Cebuano student has no clear way of distinguishing between English non-past and English future....If the Cebuano fails to understand the difference the two tenses, he may use s non-past form where English would use a definitely future form. Grammarians and linguist vary in their analysis, for them many Cebuanos fall into the trap of using a foreign language as the norm. So they project their own biases.

Ex. VISAYAN AFFIXES: Finished Aspect /ni-,/mi/,/ming-/ /nag-/ /gi-/ /na-/ /gi-/ /nahi-/ TAGALOG AFFIXES: Finished Aspect /nag-/ /nagka-/ /nagsi-/ /nagsa-/ /nagpaka-/ /naka-/ /naki-/ /naging-/ /naghi-/

Unfinished Aspect /mo-/ /mag-/ /-hon/, /-on/ /ma-/ /i-/ /mahi-/

Unfinished Aspect /mag-/ /magka-/ /magsi-/ /magsa-/ /magpaka-/ /maka-/ /maki-/ /maging-/ /maghi-/

ILOCANO AFFIXES: Finished Aspect /nag-/ /nagka-/ /nagki-/ /na-/ /-in/ /-in-/

Unfinished Aspect /ag-/ /maka-/ /maki-/ /ma-/ /-en/ /-an/

The lack of Visayan time orientation can be observed in the use of the particle na. Its nearest English equivalent is already now or in the case of negative statements anymore & any longer. Na can be used somewhat to express a perfect tense or a fixed condition as in Bingi na siya (He is already deaf). But if na is used as now or already, previously, a sentence like Ugma mugikan na ako (literally, Tomorrow I will leave already) sounds peculiar to Western ears, for the past (as expressed by na) and the future (will go) co-exist past (as expressed by na) in the same judgement or thought. Example of na used in different tenses could be multiplied The same to Tagalog. II. BEHAVIOR The Filipino wants to be in harmony with nature through equilibrium-maintenance (pagkakapantaypantay, di pagkakatalo). If this balance is upset, the Filipino expects suffering and other forms of misfortune. Filipino believes that human activities are derived from the concept that nature is essentially based on a binary system of relationship. Harmony is the theme of the universe. For them man needs just the right amount of contradicting elements from the nature in order to function normally, Too much of one element causes an imbalance in the mechanism of the body and this brings about disease and discomfort. On the other hand the westerners has a mastery-over-nature orientation. Nature for him is a tool which is to be exploited. They try to make nature serve them by altering the flow of the weather and his genes. They can make the night as day. They make time and the other way around. But the Filipino instinctively knows that the NATURE is wiser so that he does not tamper with her ways. Filipinos are not clock-consciousness, that is not part of their philosophy. While on the other hand Westerner have a

great preoccupation with records, diaries, accounts, calendars, time graphs, or general interest for the past (history, archaeology). III. CONCEPT OF TIME Time may be divided into two 1. Cosmic time 2. Human time 1. Cosmic Time It is the time that can mathematically be calculated by the earths movement around the sun. Western Concept Westerner cosmic time is linear as revealed in language. The Indo-European languages are characterized by the stress they put on the past, present, and future tenses. The tenses are even subdivided further. For instance, the past may be divided into imperfect, perfect, pluperfect, and historical. Their concept of cosmic time is linear because of their preoccupation with tense. Time is compared to a river which flows to the sea of eternity. The Western concept of linear time is necessarily associated with space. In other words, time is conditioned by the spaced linearity of past, present, and future. For the Westerner time wasted is gone forever. Filipino Concept For the Filipino time is cyclic, or rather spiral, and dynamic. The Filipino looks at it in its spiral movement. Filipino believes that there is always tomorrow, a philosophy which is reflected in his maxims. For instance, Paglipas ng dilim may araw pang darating or May araw pa bukas. Although time is cyclic for the Filipino, he also knows its value. Thus a fisherman knows the chances of night fishing. The Filipino philosophy of time becomes clearer when vied from its psychological angle that is human time. 2. HUMAN TIME While cosmic time can mathematically be calculated by the earths movement around the sun, human time is not subject to mathematical calculations. Human time is not oriented to space but to mans consciousness. *While the Westerner marks the time with a calendar or a watch the Semite marks in his consciousness. This Hebrew concept of human time also holds true for the Filipino concept of time. The Filipino remembers the past in terms of consciousness and not in terms of linear time. Ex. Q: What time do you turn on your radio in the morning? A: Westerner: At 4:00 in the morning Filipino: When the cocks crow for the second time at dawn. The Filipino remembers events in terms of meaningful association, such as, when my father is still alive. COMMENTS The Filipinos way of using existence as measure for time occurs not only in rural areas but even in cities like Manila where factories and offices run by the clock. And although many carry watches in making appointments, compromises are made for the sake of human time. PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY Since Filipino philosophy follows the lines of Oriental thoughts, the Filipino philosophy of history would also be that of the Indians and the Chinese, that is, history in recurrent cosmic cycles. Chapter VII: Philosophy of Space

Introduction: The experience of extension the experience of duration leads to the idea of time. However, the same experience can have various interpretations, according to the nature of the perceiver. In general, the West and East have different notions on space on account of their different world views. This chapter also shows that the average Filipino has an oriental concept of space. But before going into the point, first a contrast between the Western and Eastern philosophies on space. I. Western Concept The dictionary defines space as that which is characterized by extension in all directions, boundlessness, and infinite divisibility. The definition presupposes the Western objectivising mind and linear view of reality. According to Roszack the Western mind is characterized by the ability of the perceiver-the ability-to stand apart from the object. That is why the West had a head start in technological progress because science is fostered by the objective mind. The Westerner has a lineal view of reality. This is seen in his lineal of time which is necessarily connected with space. The Westerner has a dualistic view on space. This dualistic view on space by the Westerner can be traced back to the ancient Greeks who fathered Western civilization . II. Eastern Concept While the Western mind is dualistic, the Oriental mind is non-dualistic. But this does not mean that the Oriental mind is entirely monolithic. Indian Thought It is said that the Hindu philosophers had long anticipated many of the Western philosophers ideas. Of the six orthodox systems of Hinduism, the Nyaya and Vaisesika systems considered space as one of the nine kinds of substances. But the most representative Indian philosophy is the Advaita Vedanta system as represented by Samkara. Where he thaught that only the invisible is real while the visible world is unreal. Jainism taught that space is one of the four kinds of unexpended substance. While Buddhism taught that the absolute exists only in Nirvana, for things outside the Absolute are not permanent. Chinese Thought The Chinese conceived of space as concrete and non-homogeneous. Acc. to Needham. For the ancient Chinese.space was not abstract uniform and extended in all directions, but was divided into regions, south, north, east, west and centre. And they joined together in the tables of correspondence; the east was indissolubly with the spring and with wood, the south with summer and fire. This way of thinking is connected with the Yin-Yang principles which must work in harmony Hebrew Thought Unlike the Greeks who associated time with space, the Hebrews non-dualistic mind concretely thought of space . They had no word for form of for its synonyms, like outline or contour.Israelites were interested in shape only as appearance or something inconclusively expressed: the content of the shape. Filipino Concept of Space The orientality of the Filipino concept of space can be seen from metalinguistic and behavioral evidences. I. METALINGUISTIC ANALYSIS At least three of the major Philippine languages (Visayan, Tagalog, Ilocano) indicates that the Filipino has a non-lineal view of reality. Whereas English is precise in its prepositions concerning space, the Philippine languages are not

Ex. Table 8 Noun Markers Visayan sa sa sa sa Tagalog sa sa sa sa Ilocano idiay, sadi idiay, sadi idiay idiay English in at at to

If meaning is specified, the Philippine languages add modalities or modify the expressions. Thus in as inside would be rendered as sa sulod sa/ sa loob ng/ iti uneg ti. Table 9 Directions Tagalog silangan

Visayan silangan sidlakan kasadpan amihanan (amihan) habagatan (habagat)

Ilocano daya leleggakan laud amianan (amian) abagatan (abagat)

English east

kanluran hilaga (hilaga) timog (timog)

west north (North wind) south (South wind)

II. BEHAVIOR The Westerner used the exact standards for measurements unlike Filipinos. Ex. Westerner :It is just there/ It is a kilometer away Filipinos: two cigarettes (meaning: you will consume two cigarettes before reaching the place.) Philosophy For instance, one does not measure his hometown in terms of distance but in terms of meaningfulness. A meaningful place can be the center of ones life, and other places are measured by it. This is what Merleau-Ponty calls human space in his philosophy of intersubjectivity, which stands between intellectualism and idealism.

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