About the Author

Michael Lujan Bevacqua comes from the Bittot and Kabesa clans and is the father to the mas ñangñang na nene giya Guahan Sumåhi, who is notorious on island for ruining numerous R-rated movies for childless adults. He has way too many websites and is involved in too many different activist projects, that all keep him from finishing his Ethnic Studies dissertation. Michael has many dreams some of them possible, others needing lots of work in order to become possible. He dreams of an independent Guam, and a Guam where the Chamorro language is more pervasive than yellow-ribbon-car-magnets, watching a Test Cricket series between India and Pakistan in India, and becoming the front-man for a Chamorro language Ska Band.

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There Are 46 Responses So Far. »

1. 

   Comment by Don Muna on 19 February 2009:

   Ah, no way palau! - translation - Absolutely not!
2. 

   Comment by Jayton Okada on 19 February 2009:

   Haha! Good one Miget!
   Run to the hills.. run for your life..

   I like how you mentioned the background of the song.. (I’m a big Eddie-head) and compared it to the plight of colonization on Guam.
   If you think about it, we were colonized by the Spaniards and the Americans, just like the Native American tribes of North and Central America!

   This is a great article and I’m glad to have read it.
   I hope to learn Chamorro here at U.O.G.
   Your brother mentioned to me you learned to speak it in college as well
   Any tips for us with dry Chamorro tounges?

   As a computer geek, I also hope to design an interactive program on learning to speak Chamorro based off of models of successful language programs such as the Rosetta Stone series amongst others.

   I don’t see this project coming into fruition for years… but it is one of my major long term goals.

   To be able to create a comptuer application to be used in the schools from primary school thru college and also at home.

   Maybe some of us geeks can get together to butt heads and formulate ideas as to what to put into the application

   Also, if you want Jimmy Dee or J.D. Krutch or Joe M. songs on your Rock Band or Guitar Hero… I can make the tracks

   I just need to find the time.
3. 

   Comment by Sarah on 19 February 2009:

   That was really cool.
4. 

   Comment by Kel Muna on 19 February 2009:

   “Bar Peck? Hafa enao na Bar Peck?” My favorite!

   It’s such a fun way to exercise my pronunciation of Chamorro and it keeps me entertained. Way to go, Miget!

   But - because I don’t speak it, I’m trying to decode the correct pronunciation (y’s to j’s and the correct syllables to accent). So, I have to add my Chamorro accent to the sentences to feel them out and try to recognize the audibles that I am familiar with when I hear people speak it. Now - the only Chamorro I’ll know is about Rock (Star) Band! Hey - it’s a good enough start for me!
5. 

   Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 19 February 2009:

   To Kel: Don’t worry, I’ll come up with some more dialogues for geeky things. I’ve got a couple things in mind, but I’ll take suggestions too if you’d like to hear a couple of Chamorros ramble on about something in particular.

   The pronounciation of words is a big challenge we’re facing. The language is going to go through a tough phase of being written and being read, and right now even fluent speakers of Chamorro who can speak and understand it perfectly, are unable to read it or write it comfortably. For the rest of us though, we’re stuck with trying to piece together, as you are, what we can in order to make things sound right, because the spelling of Chamorro words is all over the place, and even if we do learn the Chamorro alphabet, we don’t learn how to read it, and how to sound out the words.

   I’m still down for running a language learning circle/group with you and Don, so keep that in mind. We’ll just have to set it up.

   To Jayton: I’ll post some tips that I’ve come up with. UOG gave me my start in Chamorro, but it was mainly through the help of my grandmother that I was able to become fluent. That’s the main advice I can give you. You gotta find a language partner or several language partners who can work with you as you make the language your own. That won’t tease you (too much) but support you and help you figure out. The world of today is designed in such a fucked up way that its the easiest thing in the world to not learn or speak Chamorro, everything everywhere on this island basically tells you that its not important. So that’s why you gotta find your core language circle, where you feel comfortable enough to ask questions or make mistakes, and then move on from there to the rest of the island.

   On the computer application, sounds good. Its something we desperately need.

   I might take you up on your offer of making Chamorro songs on Guitar Hero. I might actually be willing to pay you for it. It would literally make one of my dreams come true.
6. 

   Comment by Jorge Cruz on 20 February 2009:

   I enjoyed this a lot. I want to be an advocate for the Chamorro culture and language as well. I can understand the language more than I can speak it but hopefully I can teach myself. I hope to see more of these on this site. Also we really need the government to take more steps in having the language taught in schools and have more signs around the island as a start. We have changed our ways to the likes of our occupiers for far too long.
7. 

   Comment by Kel Muna on 20 February 2009:

   Good suggestion, Jorge. You guys should check out this blog - it was forward to me by a friend. It’s very interesting and here’s a poem worthy to the topic: E Is for English
8. 

   Comment by Sarah on 20 February 2009:

   The mother tongue needs to be taught in the public and private schools, period. I’ve lived in several places where the subway signs and storefronts are bilingual, and I don’t think it should be offensive to anyone to have the original language of Guam represented on signs and storefronts. It can help people-especially kids who are so good at picking up languages-to learn the language.
9. 

   Comment by Jayton Okada on 21 February 2009:

   I enjoy that the airport has multilingual signs, but we do need to see more multilingual signs around the island.

   I’d also advocate for the inclusion of common Micronesian dialects outside of the Marianas.

   Our languages all stem from Austronesian!
10. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 24 February 2009:

    Mike A+ for effort. To everyone else, here’s some helpful advice to those who are learning to speak the Chamoru language. Don’t fall into the trap of simply “chamorurizing” your English.
    How do we accomplish this?
    Attempt to formulate your thoughts in Chamoru and write them down. If you can’t do that and you have to first formulate your thoughts in English then be very aware of common pitfalls (aside from grammatical errors):
    English synonyms are not the same as Chamoru synonyms
    English idioms and common phrases that have a unique historical development rarely translate over to and make sense in Chamoru, and vice versa.
    If you are going to use a Chamoru word you never heard used in any context before and have just found it in a dictionary, get advice from a native speaker as to how the word is used. This is what I see as one of the biggest problems, misuse of Chamoru words. Remember, a word in English can have multiple meanings. So if you see a word in the Chamoru dictionary and its definition is just one word, there is a high risk of misusing the word. There are also specific connotations that Chamoru words have that are not revealed in the dictionary.
    For instance the words “daggao” and “yute’.” Both mean “throw” but yute’ means more like discard and alternatively throw downwards or drop. Daggao is used more in situations to throw with the intent of hitting something or throwing for distance. Ayute’ has developed to be used in the specific situation of a romantic break-up. You wouldn’t use “ayute” to say the Jonas Brothers Band broke up. The point is that just like English, words can be misused and that’s a lot of what I see going on with Chamoru. The best way to avoid this is not to assume that a word has a particular meaning in Chamoru as it does in English, but to verify if there is no contextual explanation provided in the dictionary and you are not sure about the word.
    There are many many Chamoru words that mean the same thing but are not interchangeable. For instance:
    konne’ and chule’
    hokka and hatsa

    Finally, there are many Chamoru phrases, idioms, colloquialisms, and expressions that are beautiful and unique. Make an effort to learn them and use them. This will perpetuate their use. For example:
    I nanalao lokkue
    Ai ki malago’
    Ahe agon
    Ombri iya’
    Cha’mu hit karao
    Kado’ ha’
    The reason I advocate for “correct” use of the Chamoru language is two-fold. First is protection and perpetuation of the language against further degradation and devastation. Second is that if we just invent new ways to use the language, the Chamoru speaker will not comprehend. For example with the phenomenon of “Chamorurized” English, native speakers who read or hear it will be at a loss for understanding. Retired Bishop Tomas Camacho of Saipan came to this realization a while back when he was laughed at as a young priest when he read the Gospels in Chamoru. You see, they were translated by someone who did not speak Chamoru and the results were disastrous. He endeavored to translate the Gospels himself so that they make sense.
    Good luck and God speed to those who are endeavoring to learn the Chamoru language and heed my advice, about being cautious about the Chamoru language. If you are trying to be more true to the Chamoru language, you will also move away from being overly formal and more conversational. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that Chamoru and English are vastly different and you must abandon your English framework when you switch over to Chamoru, otherwise you will not be successful.
11. 

    Comment by si selina on 25 February 2009:

    Åsta yå! Håfa na un tuge’ este ya ti un sangåni hu’ na siña hao fumino’ “Geek”? lol

    Cute entry, Che’lu. Loved it.
12. 

    Comment by Puntan on 27 February 2009:

    To learn a language, even the one native to you, takes a lot of initiative especially if you don’t already speak, read or write it. Like Chamoruboy, I’m a big stickler about pronunciation and correct usage of Chamoru words. If you are willing to learn, then you must learn all aspects of the language, not just the fact that you choose several words to form what your verbal intentions are.

    Aside from that, you must remember that our language and history, has an oral origin. If found written, it would probably be in the caves and old village sites that are now just another historical place. Today, we are at an advantage in being able to read and write what we can.

    What’s unfortunate is the fact that our indigenous language is no longer indigenous, but an implication of being indigenous. But I will still speak it, because it’s something I can claim to be of who I am. If you’re wondering, just listen. A vast majority of our language is made up of Spanish-influenced and “Chamorurized” words. Who’s not to say that almost any language on this planet borrows from another. English in itself has a great trace of French borrowed words.

    If there is a time to really put to use what we know as ours, it’s now. Imagine, we are but 37% Chamorus of 170,000+/- people on Guam. Of that number, 26.3% are Filipinos (that is more than half of our percentage). By 2010, our population will increase drastically with the Military Build-up and from there our percentage as an indigenous people will decrease. You will take into account more interracial marriages and propaganda that will soon help our children scurry off to bigger western lives.

    It’s not only about outside influences that cause this degradation and simple cease to exist notion. A lot of this lies in our hands.

    I may have gone off topic for a bit, but if you think about it, they all link. I know we have our parade of men and women who say they are proud to be Chamoru, but take a look at their reasoning. I once did a study on what it means to be Chamoru and on some of my researches and questioning, some responded “it means to have a barbecue every weekend.” AND I WAS SHOCKED if not more OFFENDED. How dare you say it’s about a barbecue! And here’s where I draw the line because if we weren’t teaching our children about our history, our culture and custom, and our language, then what have we been complaining about? Why have we been blaming others for our initial faults? If you acknowledge the fact that your children are heavily influenced by the “new toys” of today, or the things that they do that you didn’t in your time…what have you done to at least slow their westernization down if not put an end to it?

    This can go on for so long and I hate to bore you any longer, but it’s a topic we must reflect heavily upon.

    Just think about it.
13. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 27 February 2009:

    Puntan, I would point out the distinction between vocabulary and grammar. What we have is a lot of borrowed vocabulary, and, as you point out, this is true of every other language on earth. We still have our unique rules of grammar and sytax however. What I caution against in my post is using Chamoru words with English grammar and syntax and calling it Chamoru.

    That leads to the second thing I caution against: the misuse of Chamoru words, which is what I think is a product of people using their “English framework” when speaking Chamoru.

    There’s no dispute that our Chamoru language is still alive, but I fear people are using what I call “Chamorurized English” and then calling it Chamoru - which it is not.
14. 

    Comment by Puntan on 27 February 2009:

    Of course there is a distinction between vocabulary and grammar. Hence why I wrote “If you are willing to learn, then you must learn ALL ASPECTS of the language, not just the fact that you choose several words to form what your verbal intentions are.”

    As I have sat in my Chamoru classes, I have noticed that my fellow classmates don’t remember to abandon their English framework. This is where you need to understand that writing or translating between English and Chamoru is not always literal.

    Guahu si Puntan. (I am Puntan.) Literal

    Umeskuekuela yu’ giya i Unibesidåt Guahån.
    Schooling I at the University of Guam

    Which would change to “I am attending the University of Guam.”

    In history, language changes with time - and there is no doubt we’re in that change. The older words become just history, while the most current words slowly evolve into something else and then it takes the backseat.

    Today, a lot of people know “Fokai” as a way to defeat, or simply - to beat up. When it’s actual meaning is a type of cooking style. Fokkai historically meant to throw a number of ingredients into a pot, mix around, and to cook as if it were a stew.

    It’s rather unfortunate because it’s either which way: use it or lose it.

    OH and another thing, please, please, please at least take the time out to learn how a word should be spelled. Although I have said before that our language has always been of oral origin, there is no actual account of how things were spelled if possible, but over the years we’ve convened and have agreed to a structure and spelling base to the language.

    KUXIKA is Chamoruboy’s simple example of Chamorurized English made Chamoru.

    Chamoru “experts” or linguists don’t even recognize the letter “X” in our language system.

    Therefore KUXIKA is non-existent in a politically correct world. Your correct spelling, even if Chamorurized (as it has become part of the language over many years), would be KÅKSIKA.

    And to go further into the alphabet… the letter “Y” is pronounced “Ze” like from “Zealous”….not JEALOUS, but zealous. Why is it “TANO’ Y MANCHAMORRO” on your license plates?…because at the time the director of Rev & Tax thought it looked nicer.

    There’s one for your money. I’ll come back for more
15. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 28 February 2009:

    All good points Puntan, I see at least three distinct areas of our language that concerns me:

    Vocabulary

    Orthography

    Grammar & Syntax

    Well to be quite honest - I don’t really care about Orthography. I learned Chamoru long before I learned how to read and write it. I had to teach myself how to read and write it and the materials I found that were written by the Spanish or using the Spanish orthography were very confusing to me. The modern orthography was easier for me to understand so based on that I preferred it. Not because it’s more “Chamoru” - that would be a ridiculous assertion because Chamoru was an oral language. I guess I prefer the modern orthography because it was developed to reflect the Chamoru language, not just borrowed from a different language such as English or Spanish or German and then making a feeble attempt at using the borrowed orthography for Chamoru. I am glad that the Chamoru and other interested linguistic scholars realized that Chamoru needed it’s own orthography and then created one. It has been very beneficial for the language. But I will say again, orthography is a convention that I personally am not concerned with because the Chamoru I use most every day is spoken Chamoru, not written.

    Regarding Vocabulary, I’ll admit, that I used to try and use Chamoru words as much as I can and only use Spanish words if necessary. But as I got older and started learning other languages like Spanish, Italian, French, and German and realized that all these languages borrowed extensively from each other, the syndrome that many people have about using only original Chamoru words when speaking Chamoru seemed less warranted. I still consciously to use mainly Chamoru vocabulary but no longer because of the bias against “borrowed words” but because of my concern for the perpetuation of the Chamoru language and because I want to perpetuate the correct usage of the words and not let it decline into “Chamorurized English.” There are others who explicitly announce a bias against using borrowed words for the fact that the words are not “Chamoru.”

    Well now about Grammar & Syntax. This is mostly where my concern rests. Having learned Chamoru from my Grandparents and elder relatives as the language of life (not as a novelty) in our home, whenever I read or hear a person speaking Chamoru that is butchering the language, it is painful to me. I remember meeting White people when I was younger who wanted to learn the language and they made attempts at doing so, but were sorely unsuccessful because they could not abandon their English framework and just substituted Chamoru vocabulary in their English syntax. I swear to God I heard one guy say “Ombrin Kichi Hao!” I said: Dave, what are you saying to me? He said: “Fuck You” nai. I did not correct him. It was just Chamorurized English.

    For me to see white people do that was fine. My attitude was, “they are not getting it right, but whatever, who cares.”

    Now I see the up and coming Chamoru generation doing it and I am concerned. Now that might sound racist but it’s not. Before when only the white people were doing it, I didn’t view it as a threat to the Chamoru Language. When I see the new Chamoru generation doing it, there is now cause for alarm.

    What I see is:
    literal translations
    errors in syntax
    misuse of vocabulary
    wrong use of duplication/reduplication
    wrong use of pronouns
    wrong used of affixes, suffixes, and infixes
    and more that I can’t think of off the top of my head.

    This has been stimulating dialogue and I am sure people are learning from it. It is all good.

    I am going to re-write an essay I wrote about 15 years ago on Chamorurized English. The essay was so disorganized and incoherent. Now that I have had more time and many discussions with Chamoru scholars about the issue, I think it’s time for me to update the essay.
16. 

    Comment by trench on 28 February 2009:

    Incredible Post! Got to show this to my peers!
17. 

    Comment by Puntan on 3 March 2009:

    Chamoruboy (you should seriously change that to Chamoruman) or something as you are a wise one.

    I hear you. I feel your pain. I understand. I’m 23 years old, but not young enough not to know at least conversational CHamoru. To personally admit, I could write and probably sing Chamoru much better than to hold lengthy conversations because speaking English of course has become second nature to me and to many others.

    As I was growing up, my grandmother before her passing, could only speak so much English. The only way to communicate with her is to learn her language. Innately so, her language was mine too. So there I was, a 9-10 year old, asking my grandmother as we sat around the table, “Grandma, hafa este?” And at times she would respond with a simple laugh, maybe because she thought it was adorable. But after, she took charge and encouraged my learning.

    I learned from her and my parents who spoke to me at least 50% of the time in Chamoru. What’s unfortunate is the fact that my aunties and uncles who know I understand and can speak even as much as I can, don’t take that advantage to speak to me in Chamoru.

    I do find however, some happiness when someone comes up to me after a rosary and starts talking to me in Chamoru. You see, I am one among maybe 3 or 4 male Chamorus who could recite the entire lisayu/lisayu para i manmatai in Chamoru. I could do so, because I felt it was a way to learn two things at once - to pray and to speak even more than I could.

    I have family, like most Chamorus, who live in the mainland. A vast number of them have NEVER been to Guam…..nor do they speak Chamoru or at least try to. So they pride on me and then ask me questions…them and their haole husbands and wives about how to speak and to explain what Guam is like.

    It hurts to hear the language used incorrectly or “butchered”. But like you, who cares if the haoles don’t get it correct. What matters is that my Chamoru nieces and nephews - my best friends - can’t speak if not correct…but at all! Not that I’m racist either, it’s just more important that those native to it, be familiar and be able to use it.

    Vocabulary of course is not as important as how to form the message to be understood. In anyway to communicate.

    If you will, go to guampdn.com and read Peter Onedera’s article…about GVB’s “I AM GUAM” campaign. The gist of the article is basically questioning - if we are trying to promote Guam and all that is Guam, then why aren’t we perpetuating the most important aspect of culture that is Guam and that’s the language.

    Hu komprendi hao, ya hu siesiente i sinentete-mu. Ti sina yu’ mamaisen mas ki para bai hu na’ la riku este i lina’la’-hu ni i kuttura-hu, i kustombre-ku, ya espesiamente i fino’-hu. Hu diseha yan mananayuyot yu’ na mababa i kurson-niha yan i atadok-niha, ya u ma kuenta na empontante i lengguahin-niha i haligin i rasan-niha.
18. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 3 March 2009:

    Puntan,

    I am happy to report that just recently I observed some teenagers speaking exclusively and correctly in Chamoru. This gives me some hope.

    The first instance was at a sweet 16 birthday party. It was held in a social hall. After doing my ritual of “Amen-ing” all the manamko’ that were present at the party and briefly catching up with them, I went outside with my contemporaries to B.S. with them. Adjacent to us were a group of teen males. I was pleasantly surprised to hear them actually have substantive conversation all in Chamoru. Not just a few catch phrases inserted here or there. The host of the party was a guy from Malojloj that was about my age and also speaks fluently in Chamoru. I guess it shouldn’t have suprised me that the younger members of his family also spoke the language. Like my own family back home, it was the language of life, not a novelty. Well I was ever so pleased to see that they had continued to use the Chamoru language as their dominant language even here in Washington state. You know, being able to speak Chamoru here in the U.S. has great advantage when you are in a public place.

    The second instance was at the Yigo Fiesta recently where I saw a mother and her son of about 13 or 14 years old, again having a substantive conversation, all in Chamoru.

    As for the article that Professor Onedera wrote today, I did read it. It has a really great message. I’m afraid however that I did observe some of the phenomena that I was referring to.

    Here’s how I do it. I first read the Chamoru text and if I can understand it without straining to figure out what the writer is attempting to convey, then it is likely formulated first in Chamoru.

    If it dawns on me after reading the English text “Oh that’s what he was trying to say - but unfortunately it made no sense in Chamoru” then it shows either a literal translation, or an attempt at a translation of an English idiom, or phrase, that does not readily translate to Chamoru - as in the meaning gets lost in translation.

    He wrote about his translations being rejected by GVB. I remember seeing many of his translations at UOG and I got the sense that many times it was a literal translation and many times the ideas got lost in translation.

    As I understand it Professor Ondedera learned Chamoru later in life. That is what I hear. If it is true then this explains it.

    As for you Puntan, I am glad to see that you are not like others who reject my assertions and claim that I am “just like the Chamoru speakers who make fun and tease those who are learning.”

    Quite the opposite, I am just trying to share my knowledge and ideas and the only way is do it is by way of example.

    I am happy to see that you are not making the mistake literally following a rule in Chamoru grammar, which I believe is misplaced, which is changing the vowel after the word “i”

    For example: i kerashon-hu or i prigramma.

    It was a rule that was created after observing the phenomena in some instances such as “halom guma” vs. “gi gima’ mami”

    I can’t articulate what the correct rule would be but somehow the rule became applicable to every case - which is not correct.

    otherwise “i prumesa” would be “i primesa”

    “i gatbo na taotao” would be “i getbo na taotao”

    “i manggi na patgon” would be “i menggi’ na patgo”

    “i patgon bisino” woudl be “i petgon bisino”

    NO NO NO NO NO.

    I’m glad you know better.
19. 

    Comment by Puntan on 3 March 2009:

    Let me kinda brighten your day even more hahahah

    Well, I know this couple (distant relatives of mine) - they are in their approximately early 40’s perhaps, they have one son who is about 19, their daughters - 17, 11, and i believe 4 years of age. THEY ALL SPEAK CHAMORU. They are not once allowed to address each other or their parents in English. Chamoru is their first language, although they do speak good English as well.

    Their mother is the founder of what is now “HURAO” an after school program that teaches language and culture. The teachers speak fluently in Chamoru and address children in Chamoru.

    The program has taken off and is now being sought out by the private sector who would like their employees to acquire the Chamoru language.

    Anyhow, getting to what you note…it’s called “VFR” Vowel Fronting Rule….which I DO NOT AGREE WITH.

    This is VFR: If a noun is preceded by the word “i” meaning “the,” then a change in the FIRST vowel will take place. This however, does not include diphthongs (two vowels adjacent to each other, e.g. guåfak - the “uå” is a diphthong)…whereas if the letter “å” is the SECOND vowel in the diphthong, then it will change over to “a”.

    å -> a

    EX: i gå’ga’ -> i ga’ga’
    i påtgon -> i patgon

    u -> i

    EX: i guma’ Yu’os -> i gima’ Yu’os
    i kumpaire-ku - > i kimpaire-ku

    o -> e

    EX: i potta’ -> i petta’
    i bola - > i bela

    I THINK THIS RULE WAS MADE WITHOUT EXAMINING HOW THE LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN. There needs to be some boundary or it needs to be re-evaluated.

    I was taught this VFR at GWHS and at UOG. When I was first introduced to it I was beyond puzzled as to why there is such a rule in the language…When I arrived home, I used some sentences as examples to see if my parents understood me.

    “Mom, adahi i neni gi i hilo’ i kAma”

    instead of “Mom, adahi i neni gi i hilo’ i kåma”

    and my mother looked at me and said “Håfa ayu?” WITH A PUZZLED LOOK mind you. She was like “håfa adai KAMA?”

    I had proven this rule wrong! Because if indeed the rule was “true” to the language, then it’s native speakers would use it without having to think about it?

    Therefore, I NEVER use VFR. I write as it sounds…or should sound. Luckily I tested it out on my mother instead of being ridiculed by some manåmko’.

    I’m glad I know better too!
20. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 3 March 2009:

    Well, I’m glad that I never took a Chamoru class because I proabably would have gotten kicked out of class.

    Thanks for the edification.

    In my opinion, that VFR rule is as you said,created without enough study and has actually hampered the learning of the language. As the saying goes - haste makes waste.

    Kama is a sickle used for cutting grass or cutting the fa’i (rice stalks) or the topu. I wonder if your mom was thinking of the kama when you said that. I would definitely be alarmed if the baby was on the kama.

    Your story reminded me of when I visited my great aunt a few years ago and she cautioned my cousin:

    “Teri, na’ siguru na un långli i neni ni alunan siha gi hilo’ kåma sa u poddong siempre.”

    I loved visiting her and many of my other older relatives because I would hear the old words. You seldom hear anyone use the word “långli” anymore. It means to barricade or enclose.

    J.D. Crutch used it in the song “I Asaguahu”

    Tai långli guinaiyaña = Her love is unbounded
21. 

    Comment by Jayton Okada on 3 March 2009:

    Puntan, Chamoruboy… great and insightful comments
    I really need to get myself into a Chamoru language class soon.
22. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 4 March 2009:

    Jayton, the advice I’ll give you is to do what Puntan did, don’t just stick with what you learn in class. Talk to native speakers to get their perspective. This discussion thread is a very good start.

    I never took Chamoru class in my life, but when I was at UOG my ROTC Classmates were taking Chamoru to fulfill their language art requirements and they talked to me frequently about what they were learning and sought my assistance with things they were struggling with. From what I was able to garner through talking with them and seeing their class materials, I was thoroughly confused.

    Formal Chamoru is a whole different world from where I come from. I guess I learned in the vernacular and I just can’t wrap my head around formal Chamoru.

    I was able to satisfy my language arts requirement by “course by examination” in Chamoru with Professor Rosa Palomo. It had never been done before and I was told no at first but I guess persistence pays off. Plus I told a sob story about how if I don’t graduate it would have serious repercussions with my military career. I basically had to submit a writing sample and then converse with Professor Palomo for a few hours. She had me read for her and then quizzed me about the readings. The writing sample was all wrong orthography wise but that was not the issue. Professor Palomo was happy to see that the patterns of language I was using was “antigu” style. She also commented that she was suprised at my word usage. They were all in correct context and I was using the “old words” and alternate words to the more popular words. She stated that this was a problem that she sees with the new Chamoru speakers, very limited vocabulary. Finally what impressed her the most is that when I read the Chamoru texts that she had for me to read, I read them fine but also I was pointing out along the way some incorrect grammar. She stated that she was pleasantly suprised and it was refreshing. I told her I was just going by what I learned in life.
23. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 4 March 2009:

    Quick clarification to my post above. When I stated that the writing was incorrect orthography wise, I was referring to the writing sample that I had to submit.

    When I stated that the there were grammatical issues with the “texts,” I was referring to the Chamoru texts that she had me read aloud for her.

    To illustrate the topic of alternate word usage, she asked me to rephrase

    Original phrase: “mamokkat yu’ para i tenda.”

    My paraphrase: “Lumåhu yu’ guato gi tenda.”

    Original phrase: “Maudai yu’ gi kareta.”

    My paraphrase: “Maudai yu’ gi sahyan.”
24. 

    Comment by Puntan on 4 March 2009:

    I just strolled on by to see updates, but will fill you in with more later.

    I’m kinda disappointed that I didn’t get a copy of this 50+ year old Chamoru-Spanish dictionary written by Pale’ Roman (the priest who wrote many of our Nobenas)…that I copied from Pale’ Eric Forbes yesterday. They had words I NEVER EVER USED OR KNEW ABOUT.

    JAYTON this is for you: I suggest you take classes BUT to learn and become A LITTLE FAMILIAR with syntax and all. But don’t depend yourself on the class alone…think of it as a maintenance course…or a way to light the “pathway.”

    One of the best ways of learning is to listen to “some” music. Some new Chamoru artists don’t use correct Chamoru in their music.

    Anyway, til later - Ai ki malago’!
25. 

    Comment by Chris T. on 5 March 2009:

    Very interesting… While I was in Seattle for a lay over, I was outside the terminal and over heard people speaking chamoru, they worked at the airport and were taking a break, very nice people by the way. Puntan, is it possible to get a copy of that dictionary anywhere? I too am trying to speak and converse the proper way. I can understand it very well, but cannot put complex sentences together. I live in San Antonio so hearing people converse in our language is not so common. Like I said I understand it well but would like to be able to have a conversation, and would also like my kids to learn it.
26. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 5 March 2009:

    To Chris T: Being in the states getting your hands on the older dictionaries is almost impossible. I believe that Chamoruboy used to have one that he had scanned on his old website from 1917 or 1918. So he might be able to get it to you.

    MARC has several versions, but you would need someone on island to photocopy and send them to you. The Topping dictionary can easily be purchased online, and if you are just starting to learn that one will work better than most of the other dictionaries, since it has the largest and most modern vocabulary and the most detailed definitions.

    If you are trying to start out speaking, I wouldn’t focus on speaking the “proper way,” when you are learning and trying to jump over the barrier between understanding and articulating or speaking, you won’t speak properly at all. You will make mistakes and you will make shortcuts, and you will translate things from English into Chamorro and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Its part of becoming comfortable in the language.

    Its much more important that you speak, and use Chamorro, than constantly focus on trying to be proper. That ability will come later, but to start off with that in your mind will frankly hinder your learning. I’ve seen it happen all the time, and its one of the biggest things that hold back people from using the language all the time, is that they feel that they have to speak properly or be fully fluent before they can use it. That’s a fallacy and frankly a dangerous one.
27. 

    Comment by Chris T. on 5 March 2009:

    Miget, you’re absolutely right, It’s a matter of me becoming comfortable with what I’m saying and how I’m saying it. It’s also just a matter of speaking it more often than none.
    Si Yu’us ma’ase.
28. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 5 March 2009:

    Taya’ guaha Chris T. If you’d like some help obtaining resources from Guam for learning the Chamorro langauge just let me know. You can contact me at this email: mlbasquiat@hotmail.com
29. 

    Comment by LeianaSAN on 5 March 2009:

    Miget, this article is pure genius. You captured your love for the Chamorro language and your awareness of your Geek identity in the most heartfelt, creative, and authentic way. A true pleasure to read and experience, thank you so much!
30. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 6 March 2009:

    Si Yu’us Ma’ase Leiana. I hope you’re doing well. I’ll be back in San Diego in May-June for my defense. If all goes well my family will be having a party (to celebrate me finally not being a student anymore) and so I’ll be sure to email you the date.
31. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 6 March 2009:

    The 1908 Dictionary that I had on chamoruboy.com can be downloaded from the IslanderRegistry.com website.

    Go to “Groups” and then Go to the “Fino’ Chamoru Kada Diha” group.

    I placed it there as a downloadable file along with several other Chamoru language resources.
32. 

    Comment by Puntan on 7 March 2009:

    Buenas Chris T. (is that meant to be ChrisT? ) yan todu hamyo ni man mananaitai!

    Well, Chris, unfortunately Fr. Eric Forbes left for NYC Thursday and won’t be back for another year. I had copied at least 100 or so pages of the dictionary Wednesday evening but failed to make an extra copy for myself. I wouldn’t recommend that dictionary for someone who is learning how to speak - only because it’s a Chamoru-Spanish dictionary - one formulated in order for the Spanish priests to learn the language and be able to communicate with Chamorus at the time.

    Like Mike has said, the Topping dictionary is the most recent and most up to date with contemporary Chamoru language. There are two downfalls with that dictionary. The first is that if you use the English version to translate to Chamoru you need to do extra cross-referencing and double checking word usage…it also does not give you pronunciation keys. The other downfall to is is that it’s comprised of the Chamoru diction from Guam and CNMI. Which is no problem of course…but the thing about that is some pronunciations and/or words that have the same ENGLISH meaning are different words and meanings in the Chamoru that’s used on Guam and that of Sa’ipan and Luta and so forth.

    When it comes down to everything, the Chamoru language breaks down to regional dialects. It’s based on accent and word usage…it varies by location.

    Anyway, I had spoken recently to a good friend who works at the Department of Chamorro Affairs and they have been working on a newer and more concise dictionary that should be coming out sometime in the near future. This dictionary is based solely on Chamoru language from Guam.

    I don’t recommend you trying to speak “properly” or putting together complex sentences just yet. Complex means fluency. Be conversational. “Hafa dei, hafa chetnot-mu?” haha like that. You gotta start somewhere…and then teach yourself the proper way as you go along.

    At least you’re trying…that’s all that matters at this point.
33. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 7 March 2009:

    I would strongly disagree with the philosophy or notion that one not need to worry about speaking properly when learning a language - any language. Yes, familiarity is one goal, but correct usage does not necessarily have to come after, both familiarity and correctness can and should occur contemporaneously. If anything, correctness should come first.

    Here’s why I feel that way. It is a simple matter of logic and efficiency. Correctness or properness is fundamental and even basic and should preceed all other goals. It is the foundation that must be built upon. If you denigrate fundamentals and place other goals ahead, you will have to go back and fix your foundation. You would not build a house without first securing its foundation and say:

    “Oh don’t worry about the foundation, after we have put up the walls and the roof, we’ll go back and fix the foundation.”

    So I think it is ill advised to say “Go ahead and speak jibberish as long as you’re speaking, later you can fix your jibberish to become somethign coherent.” The danger is that you become too comfortable with your jibberish and you will have a hell of a time later trying to distinguish between the jibberish and the coherent. If you’re going to learn something, anything, you learn the correct way, otherwise you just waste your time.

    If I want to learn football, I don’t just get a football and head to the field and start making up my own rules, I read the rule book, I learn the different components of the game, and I learn from people who know how the game is played.
34. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 7 March 2009:

    I would respectfully encourage people not to put too much weight to most of Chamoruboy’s thoughts. Although they make perfect sense in the abstract when you think about language, or if you are considering the language from the perspective of an already fluent speaker, but they don’t make much sense if you are actually trying to learn a language, especially as an adult.

    Can you imagine trying to teach a child from the moment a child says its first few words to speak correctly? To order them or mandate them to speak correctly? To admonish them and criticize them for not speaking correctly? The intent may be good in the abstract, but its pretty damn useless. Then imagine if the child already knows another language fluently? Which one do you think they’d rather speak, the one they already know and are comfortable with and use with just about everyone? Or the one where people make lists of the mistakes they make and constantly complain that they are hurting their ears with their terrible Chamorro? I think every single time the other language would win, don’t you? And isn’t this the sad pathetic story of our language today? Most people simply aren’t taught the language and the rest who try to learn it give up or don’t try very hard because most people out there are either content to tease, lecture or pontificate, and never bother to actually help anyone learn the language.

    And this is why I said thinking from that framework isn’t helpful. Chamoruboy in most of his comments in this thread is operating as a “warden of language/culture.” Somebody who is vigorously defending the language from all who might sully the way he thinks it should be! And sure every language needs a few wardens, but given its current state it needs far more teachers who are willing to nurture learning not tell people that if you don’t speak the way I speak you’ll become comfortable in your jibberish!

    If you have a sense of some of the basic rules for speaking and are regularly reading or speaking in Chamorro, then you will not speak jibberish. You will make plenty of mistakes at first, and as you begin it may sound very off, but if you persist it won’t stay that way for long. And if you come up with a few of your own ways of saying something, so what? You may not speak the way Chamoruboy speaks, but he is not the epitome of the language, he’s not even close. And so I wish that he would be much more humble when he speaks to people, especially those who want to learn the language.

    The point for all of this is bringing back the language, and that doesn’t happen over night, it means that for generations people will be making billions of mistakes that will make people like Chamoruboy cringe, people will be shifting the grammar slowly because of the influence of English which will hurt the ears of some speakers, and unless the Chamorro language becomes far more pervasive and is spoken by far more people very soon, each learner will make up a lot of their own rules in order to express themselves. It happens to everyone who learns Chamorro, especially as an adult. There’s something you want to say, and you want to stay committed to the language and speaking it, but you’re not sure how your grandparents or Chamoruboy would say it, so you improvise. Maybe you’ll keep the improvisation, maybe you’ll hear someone else saying it in a different or better way. But so long as your improvisation is understood by other speakers its not wrong.

    But that is the price of bringing back the language after generations of speakers and other wardens let it descend close to death, it will change drastically, and it will do so because while the most “natural” way of learning a language is as a child, we will now see generations trying to learn it as adults, which is a far more difficult task, especially if you encounter a world with far more English and far more criticism than Chamorro or real support/encouragement.

    I had hoped that this website and my post in particular would be a space where people who do not speak Chamorro, but would like to learn more or start learning could do so comfortably. I hope that Chamoruboy and others will respect that intent and not try to dominate the discussions. This means, no long lectures about how people are screwing up the language, or long lectures about how great or proper you speak the language. I envision that my language posts on this website be meant for those who will actually be the ones “saving” the language, not any of us who already speak it, but those who don’t yet, but hopefully soon will. If Chamoruboy or any others would care to respond to this comment, please do so with that intent in mind.
35. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 7 March 2009:

    oops one quick clarification, I meant to say in the first line “I would respectfully encourage people not to put too much weight to most of Chamoruboy’s thoughts on this topic.” He has plenty of good knowledge and thoughts about Chamorro language, but I think that most of his thoughts regarding learning, teaching Chamorro or how to revitalize the language are poisonous and not helpful.
36. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 7 March 2009:

    For those who may not know, obviously Mike and I have differing opinions about the best way to learn Chamoru. People can disagree without being disagreeable.

    However, unlike Mike, I don’t take anything personal and don’t characterize others efforts as counterproductive. I simply point out why I strongly feel something is miguided and then attempt to prove my point by way of illustration.

    I understand why the person on the other end may think that I am trying to put others down and make myself look good. I submit that that is not what I am doing. The bare fact that I am concerned enough to share my opinion and knowledge for the benefit of others should demonstrate the I am attempting to help. I speak up. There are hundreds of others out there who could do the same but don’t. I provide examples for others to learn from and to establish credibility, not for narcassistic purposes.

    As far as Mike is concerned, I have asserted to him in the past that he bears a huge responsibility and an obligation even to “get it right” because he is all over the internet and even had given lessons in the past. I can only imagine how many people out there are looking for resources on the internet in order to learn Chamoru. When I had the Chamoruboy website up I had gotten dozens of e-mails from people asking for information or assistance.

    I disagree with Mike’s approach and told him why. I view that approach as demeaning to the Chamoru language and relegating the tongue of our beloved ancestors to some sort of incoherent, unstructured, made-up language not to be respected on the same level as major languages are.

    His response was to become defensive and accuse me of trying to be a show-off and counter-productive. He characterized me as one of those people who tease and belittle people who make mistakes. Again, I submit that that is not my goal or intent.

    If people shed their emotions and overcome their psychological impediment to listening to the message and stop hating the messenger, and then be really honest with themselves, then maybe they can start the learning process.

    I must assert that I do believe Mike dwells too much blaming. I submit that when faced with an issue, the proper approach is not to look for who to blame, but rather look for people who knows something about the issue and then listen to what they have to say. I don’t know everything about our language, but regarding what I do know, I’m confident in it and if I sound like a warden or if I’m trying to portray authority in the subject, I submit that you ought to listen. I don’t make things up. I speak only on what I know. I will not assert something as true or factual unless it is well founded. If I am unsure about something I will preface it as so. What I don’t agree on is when someone holds himself out as an authority on something or offer to teach you something and proceed to make up his own rules.

    The bottom line is the Chamoru language is precious and dear to me. Enough for me to speak up about it when I see something wrong. I will not sit idle while others denigrate the language to some sort of novelty or slang language like pig latin or pidgeon. If you want to attack me as counterproductive or self righteous, it doesn’t bother me in the least. I speak my peace and those with open minds and objective thinking will take what I offer and make use of it. Those who dismiss it and the incorrectly characterize it as a result of a psychological impediment, well it’s your loss. I am not the one who traumatized you, if you know what’s good for you, you will get over yourself.
37. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 7 March 2009:

    Just one more quick point. I did learn a new language as an adult. German. The process was vastly different from teaching a child, or so I was told. Mike analogizes learning a language as an adult to a child learning a language as it begins to speak. Very faulty analogy for obvious reasons.

    Frau Gilda, my Germna language instructor, told me that the problem she had was people using the framework of their dominant language and then just replacing vocabulary. This is basically what I have been asserting is the problem with adults learning Chamoru. Nothing more, nothing less.
38. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 7 March 2009:

    I don’t need to add much else, if you read carefully Chamoruboy’s response, you can all see how unhelpful his position is.

    It seems that you remain unwilling to even consider changing your approach or your tone to be more respectful and helpful to those who are trying to learn the language, and so I’m requesting that you please do not comment on any of my posts.
39. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 7 March 2009:

    Mike, well as long as you or anyone else purport or portend to be presenting something and call it Chamoru when in fact it is not, then I will continue to speak up. No amount of disclaimers like “This is how ‘I’ speak Chamoru although it may not be correct” is going to change the fact that something is not Chamoru. Lipstick on a pig does not change it into Ms. America.

    I don’t claim that the way I speak Chamoru is the ONLY way to speak Chamoru, but don’t “make up” a way to speak Chamoru and hold it out as a legitimate way to speak Chamoru. Don’t equate it to the other correct or acceptable ways to speak Chamoru. Don’t thrust your Chamorurized English onto others and call it Chamoru.
40. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 7 March 2009:

    As I said very unhelpful, you’ve proven my point again, and this is why I don’t think your voice serves any purpose in this forum. Please stop commenting on my posts.
41. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 7 March 2009:

    If you’re going to put something out there then you have to be prepared to support your assertions. You must be able to take constructive criticism. You can’t expect to put out a bogus product and then get upset when someone calls you on it.

    As long as you keep advocating the destruction of the Chamoru language I will continue to comment. Yes, I view your approach as destructive. Especially because it is close minded.

    This is way bigger than you or me or anyone else. You don’t respect the language and treat it like a novelty like pig latin or pidgeon. You are encouraging people to have the same attitude as you do. I cry foul. I will continue to cry fould as long as I am able. It means that much.

    You obviously do not understand how strong the feeling is because you are not a native or fluent speaker. Your are quick to stereotype those that are fluent and native based on your negative experiences. We are not all ass-holes like you think. You revile the Amerikanus lao todu hao un fa’ Amerikakanu. Un popo’lu hao na todu hao dinanchi ya ti sina esta un li’e manu linachimu.

    You want what others have but you ostracize those that would help you and then proceed to invent your own process and assert it as legitimate. I say NO NO NO.

    Again, you just want to dwell on blaming others for your misfortune. I had nothing to do with me learning Chamoru as the primary language at home any more than you had anything to do with not being taught from the get-go. I would re-evaluate your attitude. There’s a phrase that I am reminded of:

    Malate’ lao ti tomtum.
42. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 7 March 2009:

    All I can do is keep pointing out is how destructive your approach is. And frankly I don’t need to add anything more, you are literally digging your own grave with the things that you say and with your tenacity. So please continue to post, you make all my points for me with your tone. I hope others can see this as well.

    Oh, and I can just keep asking you to stop commenting on my posts.
43. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 8 March 2009:

    Nice to keep avoiding the issue. That’s what people do when they can’t support their bogus assertions.

    The fact is that you thought you could put a bogus product out and unwisely believed that you would not offend others with it. This is because you wouldn’t know Chamoru if it slapped you in the face. Wake up call, there are natives out there like me that will not stand by while others disrespect our identity, our essence, our culture by claiming to be a Champion for the effort yet ironically is the cancer that is killing it.

    I’ll say again, you bear an obligation not to advocate the destruction of our language. You don’t know that this is what you are doing because you don’t know any better. When I offered my assistance to you long ago your ego and psychological impediment coupled with closed minded-ness guided your response.

    Yes others will read, and those that have a clue and are objective and open minded will see. You persist on saying “It’s o.k. to make it up, you don’t have to speak properly” It’s like saying to someone who doesn’t speak English who wants to learn English: It’s o.k., you can just ignore standard English and go make up your own quasi English language. Then when he goes to a public location and speaks to people they correct him and some others tease him. He goes back to you and you say: Oh screw them, they suck, THEY are the problem. No, Mike - you and your unwise advice is the problem.
    But then again in my hypothetical analogy, you are also a person who doesn’t speak English trying to teach another to speak English.
44. 

    Comment by Michael Lujan Bevacqua on 8 March 2009:

    You are the only one fighting, kicking and screaming at this point. I’ve already stated my position here, you aren’t helpful to the intent of this post, and you’ve proven this point repeatedly over the past day. Yet you insist on asserting yourself over and over again. This almost maniacal persistence could also be an indicator of your own “bogus assertions.”

    I really wish you would go back and read over what you’ve written, I think you need to reflect on what you’ve said, the keys to why I think your approach is so unhelpful are all there. I don’t see any point in reiterating them, when you display them so perfectly. All of my criticisms that I have made of you, you are embodying them perfectly, I don’t see why I need to even argue anymore.

    By the way, you should probably read Kel’s new post. He’s talking about us there. I’ve already apologized for ruining the atmosphere on this site with our useless back and forth. I hope you’ll do the same.

    And one more time, even though I know its pointless by now, please stop commenting on my posts.
45. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 8 March 2009:

    Mike, what we are doing is good. I don’t take things personally, honest. I may get vicious when I go on the attack, but believe me, it’s all part of the art. I would love to have a beer with you one day and laugh about all this. If I ever make it to San Diego I’m going to look you up. I’ve been asked to go there a few time for different events but my work situation has always prevented me.
46. 

    Comment by Chamoruboy on 11 March 2009:

    Well now that the passion has subsided, allow me to post a more reasoned, if not respectable response. If you look at the bulk of thread, I was simply trying to share a perspective and I was not attacking anyone. A perspective that many people don’t or can’t realize unless they have been concerned and perplexed by the Chamoru language issue combined with the luck of being a native speaker.

    Mike beats on me pretty badly in is blog and here is my response:

    Mike, to be completely fair, you have mischaracterized me, my intent, and my actions.
    Contrary to your assertions, I don’t proclaim to know everything to there is to know about the Chamoru language. I speak to people all the time that have different ways they speak Chamoru.

    Let’s get one thing straight first - we both share the same goal of increasing the number of Chamoru people speaking Chamoru.

    By stroke of luck I am a native speaker. As a native speaker who cares about the future of the Chamoru language I have thought long and hard about the Chamoru language. Through my interactions with others who are learning the language and through my life’s experiences I have come to notice certain patterns. Some of these patterns are quite disturbing from a linguistic point of view. I am vocal and passionate about these issues. You have wrongly interpreted this passion as me being egotistical and condescending. I assure it is not the case.

    Understand Mike, I have a perspective that only native speakers can have. I am not unique and I am not claiming to be anything more than a native speaker, I am sharing that perspective, nothing more. I am not a language warden or the Gestapo of Chamoru Grammar. I have never said that the way I speak Chamoru is the only way to speak Chamoru.

    Here’s my message and how you play into it. I have come to certain realizations through observations which has led me to my concept of “Chamorurized English” and what I fear will be the consequences of this phenomena (a phenomena which is apparently not unique to Chamoru). I tried to point this out to you and everyone else and argue my thesis. I provided examples by way of illustrations in order to promote understanding of the concepts I assert and to establish credibility for the reader to trust me.

    Your reaction was to first attack me as being unhelpful and egotistical and then to stereotype me as one who teases people who make mistakes. I’ll admit, some of my arguments and analogies were rough, but they were not intended to belittle anyone. That would defeat the purpose of arguments.

    I saw and sensed your reaction and my reaction was to attack your reasoning - again, not making it personal - until the very end when it was obvious to me at least, that you were not listening to the message, but killing the messenger. I hear what you are saying that my tone is off-putting, but I’ll repeat again what I told you years ago, it’s the substance of the message that matters, not the form.

    Your analogy to a child learning Chamoru is fatally flawed. The scope of my message is not that broad. It is aimed towards adults learning Chamoru, not children learning Chamoru. That is a whole other issue that I haven’t even begun to think about. Adults are able to think of more advanced concepts - a critical component of my argument. I am basically saying: Hey everyone - if you’re learning Chamoru as an adult, here’s some pitfalls that I have seen…, that you need to avoid if you want to really learn Chamoru, instead of a “pretend” Chamoru that I see being proliferated in songs, and written material. Also, you need to talk to native speakers because you can’t learn Chamoru from a class or a book, because in my observation, the classes and the books are only the very tip of the spear. Quite frankly, I feel the class materials are actually harmful, but that’s just my personal opinion.

    Mike, honestly, when we first started this discussion years ago and still today, I have only tried to share and help. I never attacked you or put you down or teased you. You have a chip on your shoulder against native speakers and I’m afraid it’s preventing you from hearing what can only be heard, logically speaking, from native speakers.

    I never said that people must start speaking perfect Chamoru from square one. But striving for perfection, you will never achieve perfection but in the process, you will find excellence. Practice does not make perfect or even good. Practicing “perfect” makes you good. That is all I’m saying, which is contrary to the philosophy of: oh don’t worry about getting it right as long as you practice.

    Your concern is with the psychological barrier to learning - I’m saying, there’s no room for coddling if you want to get something done, just “get ‘er done.”

    We have different philosophies and approaches to learning, but you started making it personal, not me. I simply argued against your assertions and you took them personally.

    Your mischaracterization of me, my intent, and my actions has the detrimental effect of prejudicing others from hearing the messages and information that I am putting out and thereby foreclosing others from its benefits. This is the sole reason why I am so passionate about this, not because of some personal issue with you or with any other person who is not fluent in the Chamoru Language language.

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