Day 99: A Tenor on Vocal Rest
In a hospital clinic in Quezon City, Claudine (B), a young speech-language pathologist, sees Ramir (A), the tenor playing Tenyong in a revival of the 1902 zarzuela Walang Sugat, a few days after his vocal cord surgery.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Tagalog. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio for this lesson is coming soon. For now, read the dialogue and its translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day
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A
Binibini, ano ang hatol? Sabihin mong sa Sabado'y muling aawitin ni Tenyong ang kaniyang pag-ibig.
Miss, what is the verdict? Tell me that on Saturday Tenyong shall once more sing of his love.
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B
Hindi po, Sir Ramir. Anim na linggo po kayong bawal kumanta, at hangga't maaari, huwag din po kayong magsalita.
No, Sir Ramir. You can't sing for six weeks, and as far as possible, you shouldn't talk either.
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A
Anim na linggo? O, langit! Paano ko ipagkakait ang aking tinig sa bayang naghihintay?
Six weeks? O heavens! How can I deny my voice to a waiting nation?
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B
Makapaghihintay po ang bayan, ang vocal cords ninyo, hindi. Mula ngayon po, tango at iling lang.
The nation can wait. Your vocal cords can't. From now on, it's nods and head shakes only.
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A
Tango at iling? Ako, na tatlumpung taon nang umaawit sa entablado, patatahimikin mo nang ganoon lamang?
Nods and head shakes? I, who have sung upon the stage for thirty years, you would silence just like that?
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B
Labing-anim na salita na naman po 'yan. Bawat mahabang talumpati po, dagdag na pamamaga.
That's another sixteen words. Every long speech means more swelling.
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A
Kung gayon, bubulong na lamang ako, gaya ng mangingibig sa ilalim ng bintana.
Then I shall only whisper, like a lover beneath a window.
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B
Huwag po! Mas napupuwersa po ang vocal cords sa pagbulong kaysa sa mahinang pagsasalita.
Please don't! Whispering strains the vocal cords more than speaking softly does.
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A
Ano pa ang matitira sa abang mang-aawit, kundi ang tumanaw sa kawalan na tulad ng ibong napipi?
What then is left to a humble singer, but to gaze into the void like a bird struck dumb?
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B
Heto po, whiteboard. Isulat na lang po ninyo ang mga talumpati, at unahin po natin ang mensahe sa direktor ninyo.
Here, a whiteboard. Just write your speeches down, and let's start with a message to your director.
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A
Ikaw ang nagwagi, binibini. Akin na iyan, at ito na ang huli kong sasabihin ngayong araw.
You have prevailed, miss. Give me that, and this is the last thing I'll say today.
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B
"Kay Direk: magpapahinga ang aking tinig, at pagkaraan ng anim na linggo'y babalik nang walang sugat." Ang ganda po, at walang kahit isang decibel.
"To Direk: my voice shall rest, and after six weeks it shall return walang sugat, without a wound." That's beautiful, and not a single decibel.
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