Translated Literature of Western Visayas: An Evaluation

Abstract

In response to DepEd Order No. 74 s. 2009 otherwise known as Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE), the Filipino Department of the West Visayas State University, Iloilo City, Philippines, took the initiative by translating into Filipino the local literature written in Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, and Akeanon. This translated historical literature were then evaluated regarding their level of efficiency when rated as a whole and according to different aspects. Three experts in translation served as evaluators for each category using a questionnaire. Mean was employed as a statistical tool. The result showed the following data: There was a high level of efficiency in translation, grammar, rhetorical correctness, clarity of the translation, and the use of figurative language. Translations of riddles, lowa, alamat, and folk tales were rated excellent while dayaw, dalit, and pasyon, as well as ambahanon, daigon and ballads, were rated very good while hururaon/ududayon and other short verses were rated average. It was, therefore, recommended that a Kinaray-a/Hiligaynon- Filipino glossary should be published to be used as reference materials of the teachers and students in primary education since there was a scarcity of the terms to be used in translating indigenous literature.