Leoncio P. Olobia, Leyte Normal University, the Philippines. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1561-8690
Olobia, L. P. (2025). Issues in utilizing the native language to communicate a second language. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 16(1), 251–259. https://doi.org/10.37237/160113
Abstract
Utilization of the native language to assist in second language communication presents a mountain of challenges that can be attributed to a person’s colonial background and the degree of attachment to the native language. Viewed from the lens of autoethnography, the aim of this paper was to illuminate issues that impact communication in English as a second language spoken in a classroom setting. Data included personal recollection of the author’s experiences as a college student, forming thick descriptions of his personal realities that were explored and analyzed within self and cultural context, mirroring agreements and tensions in native language utilization. Findings show that utilizing one’s native tongue to improve second language communication emphasizes cross-cultural understanding, interconnection, recognition, and assertion of a cultural identity. In order to preserve the legacy of native language communication, the educational system should embrace both mother tongue-based speaking and thinking within a multilingual framework.
Keywords: second language communication; native language utilization; second language utilization.
This autoethnographic reflection is fifth in a series of ethnographies published in the Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal between 2023 and 2024. In the first paper, I reflected on how communicating in English as a second language (ESL) is fraught with readiness issues rooted in fear and anxiety. These challenges give rise to cultural hybridity through the blending of local and foreign expressions relevant to speakers’ social contexts, while still respecting local sensibilities (Olobia, 2023a). In the second paper, I argued that speaking in ESL largely depends on self-motivation, economic status, social background, and technological capacity. Furthermore, an individual’s self-perceived competence in communication manifests in their readiness and openness to use a foreign language, which, in turn, impacts both their personal and cultural identity (Olobia, 2023b).
In the third study, I analyzed and explored the implications that center around the personal and cultural nuances of second language (L2) communication. These nuances reflect a self-driven desire to improve English communication through creative methods while bridging cultural divides via decolonization as a democratic process. This approach exemplifies the openness and interconnectedness of foreign language communication in a globalized context (Olobia, 2024a). Most recently, my autoethnographic sketch revealed that interpersonal communication thrives in diverse cultural settings despite certain language impediments. It emphasized that the use of ESL among L2 speakers often reduces speech anxiety (Olobia, 2024b).
In this paper, I will examine the challenges associated with speaking in ESL using autoethnography while incorporating my native language. Specifically, the following questions will be addressed: (a) What issues arise when utilizing the native language to communicate in ESL? (b) How are these issues resolved? (c) What recommendations can be made to enhance L2 communication through the use of the native language?
Background
I was born and raised in the Philippines, a country in Southeast Asia, known for its diverse linguistic backgrounds and colonial history. As far as I can remember, the English language has always been widely adopted in formal communication in school, business transactions, and informal interactions, making it a popular language in the country. However, my strong native language influence, shaped by interactions with friends, family, and schoolmates, played a crucial role in forming my linguistic attitudes, which were often perceived as challenging because I usually switched words and phrases in language translation from first to second language. In many ways, I struggled to find balance in spoken language because I constantly processed in the native language even if I communicated in English.
When I studied at a state university in the 1980s, I used English in the classroom since it was the medium of instruction adopted by my teachers. However, I often processed my thoughts in Filipino, the native language of the Philippines, for many reasons. First, Filipino was the language that I grew up with, making it more convenient to choose the right vocabulary in my native language. In fact, speaking in Filipino felt natural and automatic. Also, translating thoughts from Filipino to English helped me create sentences more naturally and spontaneously though it occasionally disrupted my thinking flow.
This reflective paper addresses my continuing desire to resolve the challenges I experienced as a student while navigating L2 communication by identifying and understanding the nuances of how my native language interacts with my L2. In today’s corporate world that demands interconnection, communicating fluently in English remains essential. At the same time, the native tongue plays an important role in facilitating a robust communicative interaction in a multilingual setting.
Related Literature
The term first language is synonymous with primary language, mother tongue, native language, or L1 (Mirza et al., 2022). The transfer of the mother tongue falls into two categories: positive transfer and negative transfer. Positive transfer occurs when habits from both languages are similar, whereas negative transfer happens when they differ. Interlanguage, on the other hand, refers to the distinct linguistic system developed by L2 learners, a system that is structurally intermediate between their first language and the target language (Wang & Fan, 2020). Consequently, L2 learners often incorporate elements from their mother tongue when writing or speaking in their L2 (Mirza et al., 2022).
In the Philippines, mother tongue speakers are required to learn English (L2) as part of their education. As a result, language acquisition becomes an integral part of their active learning pursuits, taking place through various means. I often find the need to translate certain words and phrases into English to accurately express my intended meaning. Throughout this process, interlanguage relationships emerge. For example, when translating the phrase “Let’s eat now” into Taglish as “Let’s eat na,” the inclusion of “na” (a Tagalog word that conveys urgency) slightly alters the original meaning. While initially challenging, the practice of mixing English and Tagalog, commonly known as Taglish, helps resolve translation dilemmas over time.
This challenge is not unique to Tagalog speakers. In linguistically diverse regions such as Africa and Asia, where numerous ethnic languages and dialects exist, it is nearly impossible for teachers unfamiliar with language to identify how a learner’s native language interferers with English acquisition (Ngarsou, 2022). This phenomenon aligns with research indicating that L1 influences L2 acquisition and may even interfere with it (Derakhshan & Karimi, 2015).
A related discussion in L2 acquisition revolves around the concept of linguistic imperialism. This idea explores how and why one language dominates others in multilingual contexts (Azhar et al., 2019). In today’s globalized world, the dominance of English has profound sociolinguistic consequences, influencing various aspects of society, culture, and identity (Ullah, 2023). From my personal experience, English exerted a significant influence in my classroom, where lessons were conducted in English. This, in turn, made my local language feel inferior and subordinate to the dominant English language.
Reflecting on my own experiences, I recall how English shaped my academic environment. Lessons were predominantly conducted in English, reinforcing the perception that my local language was subordinate. Over time, these experiences, retrieved as fragments of memory, offered valuable insights into the broader cultural implications of language learning, as will be shown in the next section. They illustrate how linguistic hierarchies affect personal and collective identity, making English also a marker of social status. By engaging with my own narrative, I have come to understand the multiple layers of meaning embedded in L2 acquisition., particularly within multilingual societies.
Issues in Native Language Utilization in Communicating a Second Language
When I was younger, I often mumbled words and phrases each time I interacted with friends and schoolmates. It was largely influenced by my family. However, this process was natural, conversational, and non-imposing. It was subconscious, as I recall, because I never really knew that I was engaging already at such a young age. In terms of acquiring meaning, I usually associated it with familiarity of experience. Playing with friends proved to build my natural communication practice and with my family always there to guide me through, I was becoming more confident.
Later on, as I went to school in the 1980s, using the native language to process my thoughts proved to enhance my critical thinking skills, probing and dissecting nuances of thoughts. I used local words to find meanings and pondered deeper with questions. This process comforted me because I was familiar with what I was thinking about. Indeed, learning a second language is said to be based on the first language (Separa et al., 2020). However, there were also moments when I struggled to find the right words to say whenever I was called to explain in front of the class. It was even more daunting because what I explained was generally technical (for example, the teacher would ask, “how do you explain rhetoric as communication?”). As a remedy, I formed sentences in my head by asking questions about the meaning of using the native language (Ano it karuyag sidnong hit pulong ngan pagyakan?) In English, “what is the meaning of speech and communication? This example displayed an intricate relationship between the foreign and native tongues. I also noticed that I was comfortable not only with words and phrases but also with emotions attached to them, which played an important role in persuasive thinking and speaking. In fact, I pondered that pulong as a rhetorical word tends to be more emphatic as opposed to pagyakan as a general word to describe communication, hovering around a softer nuance.
However, even with my rich background in native-language utterance, it was also difficult since there were times when I used words and phrases with double meanings. Thus, I found it difficult to apply logical continuity in my sentences. Next, even with the idea that the native language was more convenient, the English language was still dominant owing to my colonial background being a country ruled by Western rulers and an English-dominated education that I had acquired in my elementary years. Thus, I learned to think and speak faster in English than in my native language, most notably in the classroom. However, bilingual individuals perform significantly better than their monolingual counterparts on both tasks, suggesting that speaking multiple languages may enhance cognitive outcomes (Ngarsou, 2022). In my case, such cognitive ability was hampered due to the urgency to translate words even before I uttered them. It was unnerving to utter certain sounds in English because they were not present in my natural communication practice, a case of a negative language transfer. For instance, some mispronounce the sounds of “f”, “v”, “r”, and “th”, but more so with “th” (Arcilla et al., 2017). Such letters were generally not found in my local vocabulary, which aggravated my speech anxiety. For instance, instead of saying coffee, I often uttered “copi”. It was natural for me to pronounce “p” because I used it in daily interactions. The letter “f’, on the other hand, was never utilized. Again, it was more of subconscious utterance with ease. On many occasions, I never really noticed that I was mispronouncing English words. In another case, I often confused “the” with “da”, the latter being popularly used by ordinary Filipinos.
Third, nuances of expressions in the natural language were not easily convertible into a foreign language. For instance, the word “happiness”, translated into my native language (kalipayan), took on a different interpretative meaning due to its emphatic stance, at least when I used the term. Even with the same associative meaning, I still looked for some deeper value of the word because, in my head, it had complex nuances such as being happy physically even if emotionally, I was sad. This was evident in class recitations where I struggled to identify vocabulary meanings. Fourth, as a second-language speaker, it was supposed to be normal for me to speak slower in English than I did in my native tongue, but because of academic pressure, I was forced to express my thoughts in a foreign language. In effect, it was like a competition with the second language trying to catch up with my native expression. In the end, I was grappling with language anxiety which affected my confidence to speak. Fifth, certain pronunciation issues with “distorted” pronunciation that I developed from my native ancestry also affected my second language competence. For example, uttering the word “spare” was sometimes replaced with “sper.” Even with the same meaning I had intended while processing my thoughts in my head, the difficulty of properly pronouncing was already a problem in itself. It cannot be denied that the use of the mother tongue is a compromise to the conflicts emerging between the domination of a language over local languages (Reyes, 2021). This was manifested in my struggle every time I recited in class because I did not know whether to speak in English or my native language. In the latter, I was quite hesitant knowing that other students might not comprehend what I said as they came from another part of the country with various vernacular expressions.
In the classroom, it was a mantra to speak with my classmates in the native language in idle chitchats because it was the familiar sound heard in everyday conversations, hence, there was a great deal of spontaneity in my utterances. Moreover, classroom conversations depicted real-life interactions where practical experiences were shared excitedly among friends and seatmates. I, for one, shared my stories eagerly with whom I befriended, usually with my seatmates. Of course, the language used was always the most comfortable one, the native language. In many ways, the chosen language constituted my storytelling. In fact, there were times that I did not even bother to think about what word or phrase to use.
While communicating in the English language, I noticed that some of my classmates had a look of disapproval which bothered me. There was tension in my speech that made me stutter each time I felt nervous. When asked why my classmates showed some form of dismay, I realized that second language utterance is a skill that needs to be honed with constant practice. With this in mind, I probed that I, too, was practicing my native language utterance in my daily communication practice, but how come I spoke it more persuasively? Was it because of the strong colonial history that engulfed my country which affected my speech? Indeed, linguistic imperialism is another consequence of colonial policy, and colonial ideologies are reflected in language education policies (Coperahewa, 2011). Learners’ first language interferes with learning ESL and causes hindrances to their academic success (Montle, 2022). Moreover, the communicative approach tries to impose the idea that all new second or foreign languages need to be learned through the new languages themselves suggesting the total elimination of the mother tongue which is interpreted as an obstacle to the acquisition of any second language (Valcea, 2020).
As stated earlier, L2 needs to be learned based on its inherent quality without reference to a mother tongue or native language. However, owing to the colonial history of the authorial voice of this paper, L2 learning leans on mother tongue influence, combining expressions and sensibilities that influence L2 utterance more convincingly. This is clearly emphasized in the dichotomous thinking and speaking that reinforce each other instantaneously. As for me, the role of communication as a process of articulating the language in bilingual settings created a mountain of opportunities that manifested meaningful interactions. In some cases, communicating a foreign language provided me, the communicator, with adaptive ways to express thoughts and emotions that are embedded in the language.
Beyond Individual Comfort
I realized that using my native language to enhance my English communication skills went beyond self-gratification as it was part of a larger connection between the self and the surrounding culture. Coming from a conservative culture, my utterances mirrored a sense of value to what was essentially Filipino as manifested in my choice of words and phrases. Also, being aware of language translation echoed a sense of cultural pride in my utterances. As a second language communicator, my utterance incorporated an authentic sensibility in communicating the foreign language through the use of my native accent. For example, knowing that my audience in the classroom was composed of students and the teacher, I carefully chose the correct translation of certain words and phrases from the native tongue to their English equivalent in order not to offend anyone. Also, the manner of speaking also included translating, which proved vital in articulating language sensitivity. It should also be noted that translation occurred in two ways, from English to Filipino and vice versa. As I slowly gained speed in translation, I noticed a great deal of fluidity in traversing through both languages as a co-existence between the native and foreign expressions, constantly learning and supporting each other. Yet again, mastery of the native language in terms of its utility in daily communication practice essentially increased my understanding and mastery of the foreign language through constant communication practice as well. Just like any form of art, language proficiency was enhanced through everyday training and practice until both languages were integrated naturally into my interactive communication.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Using the native language to enhance second-language communication promotes cross-cultural understanding. Appropriating a foreign language within a local context should go beyond merely blending distinct linguistic sensibilities; instead, the native language must be actively integrated into speech and thought to deepen comprehension of both languages. In my goal to achieve effective formal communication in the classroom, I realized that bilingualism alone is not the key to mastering English. Rather, attention must also be given to the native language’s role in shaping discourse, asserting cultural identity, and reinforcing national character. Simultaneously, this approach fosters greater interconnection and cultural recognition in second-language communication.
To preserve the historical significance of local language communication, I advocate for an educational system that embraces mother tongue-based thinking within a multilingual framework. This approach will help students appreciate the value of their unique linguistic identity in an increasingly globalized world. Ultimately, the most effective way to articulate a second language is by thinking in one’s native tongue, an essential expression of linguistic freedom.
Notes on the Contributor
Dr. Leoncio P. Olobia is an Assistant Professor III at Leyte Normal University, where he serves as the Program Coordinator for the Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He has published several autoethnographic studies on second-language communication in the Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal.
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