Tracing the origin of the language of a community is not simple at all. The history of migration, the process of community relocation between ethnic groups, the State's socio-cultural policies through each period, the material and spiritual life of residents, along with the characteristics of terrain, climate, soil of a land... all create the characteristics that are both unique and complex of the language there.
This is also true for Quang Ngai language. Even finding the origin of each local word of Quang Ngai people is not easy. But that is probably not too important. For Quang Ngai people, they still say "eng com" (eat rice), "di lom" (go to work), "so tom" (number eight), "ngữ ven" (literary), "Da Neng" (Da Nang), "tom biet" (goodbye), "day ne" (how is it), "xe dop" (bicycle), "cai bot" (toothbrush), "lan lat" (crazy, impolite), "xin cho" (hello), "doa thua" (yes sir)... every day, naturally, without caring about the original word or phonetic or semantics.
Quang Ngai is familiar to local people, but when coming to other provinces and cities such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, many people elsewhere find it difficult to hear when communicating with Quang Ngai people. Heavy voice and fast speed sometimes make communication confusing, both the speaker and the listener have to try to understand each other.
At the beginning of this year, I was transferred to Hanoi for 6 months of work. Just setting foot at the airport, in addition to feeling overwhelmed by the bustling urban rhythm of the Capital, I was also confused when ordering Grab to return to the accommodation that had been arranged.
After booking the car on the application, the driver called to ask for a pick-up location. Because I was not used to it, I still kept the same Quang Ngai accent, making the driver confused. It took more than 10 minutes for us to find each other. When I got on the car, I quickly explained and asked him for sympathy. He smiled and said: "Your voice is so strange, and you speak quickly, I can't hear you.
Quang Ngai language, for Quang Ngai people, is as intimate as rice, water, and air. It is not only a means of communication, but also a voice of gratitude, a loving words of homeland, encapsulating many joys and sorrows in the souls of Quang people.
For generations, Quang Ngai language has been simple, genuine, and full of affection, just like the people here. Quang people always cherish and preserve the language of their homeland. For those who are far from home, in addition to car license plate 76, the voice is the first sign to recognize compatriots. In a foreign land, what could be warmer than hearing a purely Quang Ngai voice. And what could be more poignant than when in a foreign land, a song echoes: "Quang Ngai, my homeland, is loved and cherished"...
Currently, many young people have made music videos in Quang Ngai, taught how to speak with Quang Ngai accent, and even built "mini dictionaries" about the local language. Although there are still some clumsy points, that is still how young people express their love for their homeland and their language. Even if life changes, Quang Ngai accent will forever be a connecting thread, preserving the soul of the homeland through generations.
