Day 59: Rejecting the Best Story
In the office of their university's literary folio in Manila, Camille (A) reads her co-editor Karla (B) the letter she is drafting in formal Filipino to reject a short story.
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
Pakinggan mo: "Ayon sa lupon ng mga patnugot, hindi pa handa ang inyong akda para sa paglalathala."
Listen: "According to the editorial board, your work is not yet ready for publication."
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B
Hindi pa handa? 'Yan ang pinakamagandang kuwentong natanggap natin ngayong taon!
Not ready? That's the best story we've received this year!
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A
Maganda ang simula, pero minadali ang wakas; biglang bumalik ang ama nang walang paliwanag.
The beginning is beautiful, but the ending is rushed; the father suddenly comes back without any explanation.
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B
E 'di 'yung wakas ang punahin natin, hindi ang buong akda.
Then let's criticize the ending, not the whole work.
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A
Ikalawang talata: "Lubos naming pinasasalamatan ang inyong pakikilahok."
Second paragraph: "We sincerely thank you for your participation."
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B
Parang "salamat, paalam" 'yan. Bakit hindi natin siya hingan ng rebisyon ng wakas?
That reads like "thanks, goodbye." Why don't we ask the writer to revise the ending?
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A
Papalitan ko na: "Subalit bukas kami sa isang rebisyon ng wakas, sa loob ng tatlong linggo."
I'll change it: "However, we are open to a revision of the ending, within three weeks."
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B
Ngayon, sulat na 'yan ng patnugot, hindi ng berdugo.
Now that's a letter from an editor, not an executioner.
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