18/08/2026
has always been comfortable with the unexplainable 👻✨
In an interview with Deadline Hollywood for his , First Light Film, filmmaker James J. Robinson (Jimmy Rob) shared how reconnecting with Tagalog made him realise just how much supernatural etiquette is baked right into how we talk:
"And the closer I get to reacquainting myself with Tagalog and speaking what my mom used to speak to me when I was younger, the more I realise that so much of that language leaves space for ghosts.
For example, if you’re walking in the forest and there’s a path that not many people have walked down recently, you always say 'Tabi-Tabi Po', which translates as 'Excuse me, sir'. So, you’re addressing these invisible spirits that are running around on the ground. This is just in the ."
It’s a thought that hits so close to home for anyone reconnecting with their roots. Even in subtle ways, language shapes how we experience the world. From unwritten rules of respect and deep cultural memory to unique phrases that would sorta break Google Translate 👀
Happy ! Whether you're fluent, slowly re-learning, or still lowkey traumatised by your parents using the mumu to force you to sleep early... our languages hold so much history, humour, and heart! 🤍💫
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