Day 128: Two Speechwriters, One Balagtas Line

Dialogue

♪ Audio for this lesson is coming soon. For now, read the dialogue and its translation.

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1. 1
   A

   Nimfa, pareho ang dulo ng closing natin: "Sa loob at labas ng bayan kong sawi."

   Nimfa, our closings end the same way: "Within and without my ill-fated land."

   Line 1
2. 2
   B

   Hindi ka nagkamali. At bago ka magreklamo, ako ang nagbasa niyan sa iyo sa workshop noong '98.

   You read it right. And before you complain, I'm the one who read you that at the workshop in '98.

   Line 2
3. 3
   A

   At ako ang nagturo sa iyong magbilang ng pantig: labindalawa, hati sa ikaanim. "Sa loob at labas," hati, "ng bayan kong sawi."

   And I'm the one who taught you to count syllables: twelve, with a break after the sixth. "Sa loob at labas," break, "ng bayan kong sawi."

   Line 3
4. 4
   B

   Kaya nga pareho nating pinili: perpekto ang sukat, at nagtutugma ang "sawi" at "hari." Pero sino'ng may karapatan dito?

   That's why we both chose it: the meter's perfect, and "sawi" rhymes with "hari." But who has the right to it?

   Line 4
5. 5
   A

   Ako. Noong Linggo pa nakasulat 'yan sa notebook ko, may mantsa pa ng kape bilang ebidensiya.

   Me. It's been in my notebook since Sunday, with a coffee stain as evidence.

   Line 5
6. 6
   B

   Nasa Google Doc ko na noong Sabado, may timestamp. Talo ang kape mo sa version history.

   It was in my Google Doc on Saturday, with a timestamp. Your coffee loses to version history.

   Line 6
7. 7
   A

   Sige, sa iyo na ang petsa. Pero basahin mo ang kasunod: "kaliluha'y siyang nangyayaring hari." Sino ang hari diyan?

   Fine, you win on the date. But read the next line: "treachery is what reigns as king." Who's the king there?

   Line 7
8. 8
   B

   Ang kalaban, siyempre, sa bersiyon ko. Ah... at sa bersiyon mo, ang kandidato ko.

   The opponent, of course, in my version. Oh... and in yours, my candidate.

   Line 8
9. 9
   A

   Kaya kung pareho nilang bibigkasin, magmumukhang duet ang debate. At tatawagin pa nating "sawi" ang probinsiyang nililigawan natin.

   So if they both recite it, the debate will look like a duet. And we'll be calling the very province we're wooing "ill-fated."

   Line 9
10. 10
    B

    Labinsiyam na minuto na lang. Ibalik natin si Balagtas sa mga estudyante, at gumawa tayo ng sarili natin.

    Nineteen minutes left. Let's give Balagtas back to the students and write our own.

    Line 10
11. 11
    A

    Sige, labindalawang pantig, hati sa ikaanim. Sa kandidato ko: "Bukas ng Laguna'y nasa inyong kamay."

    All right, twelve syllables, break after the sixth. For my candidate: "Laguna's tomorrow is in your hands."

    Line 11
12. 12
    B

    At sa akin, may tugma: "Bumoto nang tapat at nang buong malay." Hindi alam ng mga kandidato, pero magbabalagtasan sila mamaya.

    And for mine, with a rhyme: "Vote honestly, and with your eyes open." The candidates don't know it, but they're about to hold a balagtasan, a debate in verse.

    Line 12