The Role Of Colonisation In Language Adoption In The Philippines
The Philippines is home to between 120 and 187 languages, including a wide range of native languages mainly from the Malayo-Polynesian language family group.
In addition to the countrys indigenous tongues, Spanish and English have also played an influential role in the Philippines linguistic history. Ill take a quick look at that history first, for context, and then dive into some of the more widely spoken native languages.
Malay Language In The Philippines
| ) |
is spoken by a minority of Filipinos, particularly in the , and parts of , mostly in the form of languages, such as .
Historically, use of Malay as prior to the Spanish colonization of the Philippines is witnessed by the first Philippine written document, the of 900, which was written in localised .
In the 16th century, used a servant to converse with the who lived in the central Visayan islands at the time.
Until the late of 18th century to the early 19th century, there are still many documents from Sulu and Mindanao that used Malay language such as The Sulu Treaties and the Royal Letters from The Sultanate of Maguindanao that were written in Malay language. The documents now are preserved in The British Library.
Even in predominantly non-Malay speaking communities, mostly in Muslim communities, such as datu , raja or rajamuda, which themselves originate from , are retained. Numerous loan words exist in Philippine languages today from Malay, with the greatest concentration being in the areas that have or historically had heavy contact and cultural exchange with native-Malay speaking states. These are, respectively, the south central, southwest and northwest areas of the country, with the languages , , , , , , , and exhibiting numerous Malay or Old Malay loan words.
How Many Languages Are Spoken In Philippines
By: Ricky velaPosted on Tue, 16-08-2022
The Philippines is a Southeast Asian country located in west of the Pacific Ocean. Composed of over 7,000 islands, this small region is a mix of cultures and boasts of a fusion of nationalities originating from different backgrounds and countries. You will most likely think that this town will have 50 or so languages.
But that is not the case. So exactly, how many languages are spoken in the Philippines?
The country of Philippines, with a modest population of 85 million, is home to more than 170 languages. Not as much as Papua New Guinea which has approximately 820 languagesbut still, 170 is a big number.
It is, however, interesting to note that most of these languages have native speakers that number in thousandsunlike other countries that have small groups of native speakers.
Recommended Reading: What Programming Languages Should I Learn
Australia And New Zealand
Problems playing this file? See .
Since 1788, English has been spoken in , and has developed as a first language of the vast majority of the inhabitants of the Australian continent, its standard accent being . The has to a lesser degree become an influential standard variety of the language. Australian and New Zealand English are each other’s closest relatives with few differentiating characteristics, followed by and the English of southeastern England, all of which have similarly non-rhotic accents, aside from some accents in the of New Zealand. Australian and New Zealand English stand out for their innovative vowels: many short vowels are fronted or raised, whereas many long vowels have diphthongised. Australian English also has a contrast between long and short vowels, not found in most other varieties. Australian English grammar aligns closely to British and American English like American English, collective plural subjects take on a singular verb . New Zealand English uses front vowels that are often even higher than in Australian English.
Facts About The Language Of The Philippines
Below are 10 facts you need to know about the languages of the Philippines, especially if you want to master Tagalog.
Also Check: Language Development 18 24 Months
How More Than A Hundred Languages Survived
The Philippines and Philippine languages have gone through several colonizers. It has also changed its Constitution a few times, especially in regard to the use of official language.
Still, many major languages in the Philippines have mother-tongue speakers. Those highly influenced by Spanish settlers in Zamboanga still use Chavacano as the lingua franca.
Several tribes in the Philippines like the Mangyan, Tboli, and Ivatan still use their indigenous languages and are not influenced by any other languages.
Those influenced by the Moslems in the southern part of the country still practice their rich language. These indigenous languages have withstood the test of time.
In fact, even if many conquerors tried to influence them, they held on to their roots. However, it is important to note that some can also speak Arabic beyond just liturgical use.
Trade and commerce in the past have also become the reason why there are still a lot of Filipinos who can speak foreign languages. These include Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, and even Japanese.
Use And Current Status
As of Oct. 2012, “revival of the Ibanag culture is part of the Mother-Tongue Based program of the government which seeks to preserve indigenous cultures, including its languages, for generations to come. Ibanag is one of the MTB languages now taught in Philippine schools,” and two current stage plays, âZininaga Ta Bannag â and âWhy Women Wash the Dishesâ are being performed in the Ibanag language.
Read Also: What Computer Language Should I Learn
How Many Dialects Are There In The Philippines
When it comes to dialects, there are eight of them in this country. They are: Tagalog, Waray, Bikol, Cebuano, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Hiligaynon, and Pangasinan. Out of these, Tagalogs variety known as Filipino is recognized as the official language of the country. English also enjoys the same status in the constitution of Philippines.
Which is the official language of the Philippines?
Out of these, Tagalogs variety known as Filipino is recognized as the official language of the country. English also enjoys the same status in the constitution of Philippines. The citizens of this country are fluent in English.
Designation As The National Language
While Spanish and English were considered “official languages” during the American colonial period, there existed no “national language” initially. Article XIII, section 3 of the establishing the provided that:
The National Assembly shall take steps toward the development and adoption of a common national language based on one of the existing native languages. Until otherwise provided by law, English and Spanish shall continue as official languages.
On November 13, 1936, the first approved Commonwealth Act No. 184 creating the Institute of National Language and tasking it with making a study and survey of each existing native language, hoping to choose which was to be the base for a standardized national language. Later, President later appointed representatives for each major regional language to form the NLI. Led by , who sat as the chair of the Institute and as the representative of , the Institute’s members were composed of Santiago A. Fonacier , , Casimiro Perfecto , Felix S. Sales Rodriguez , Hadji Butu , and Cecilio Lopez .
Recommended Reading: The Languages In The World
The Philippines: A Country Of Many Languages
The Philippines is a country located in Southeast Asia with a population of approximately 104 million people. The official language of the Philippines is Filipino, which is based on Tagalog. However, there are also many other languages spoken in the Philippines, such as English, Spanish, Chinese, and various indigenous languages.
There are approximately 183 native Philippine languages, with the majority of them indigenous to the country. In comparison to 190 other countries, the United States has a much greater linguistic diversity. English and Filipino are the countrys official languages. There is a 76 percent to 84 percent chance that two random people in the Philippines speak different languages. It is the Philippines most dominant language, with ten major languages spoken by the Austronesian family. This category includes the following: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Bicol, Waray, Maguindanao, Kapampangan, and Pangasinan. Immigrants include Sindhi, Japanese, Indonesian, Hindi, German, Korean, Arabic, Vietnamese, Malay, Tamil, and Chinese of various languages.
Many other cultures have influenced Filipino languages as well as their interaction with each other throughout history. Because of their position in the Pacific Ocean so close to Asia, they have enjoyed numerous opportunities for trade and correspondence with other countries and languages.
Is English Widely Spoken In Philippines
The Philippines is one of the worlds largest English-speaking nations, with the majority of its citizens having some level of fluency in the language. Filipino speakers are estimated to be over 14 million, making English one of the countrys official languages.
The Power Of Tagalog In The Philippines
Despite Tagalogs dominant presence, the Philippines official language is English, with the rest of the population speaking it. English is the global language of business, education, and the media. It is the language of the majority of Filipino residents living in metropolitan areas as well. Tagalog is the most spoken language in the country, despite the fact that English is its dominant language. This is due primarily to the fact that it is the language of the majority of the population, including many second-language speakers.
Don’t Miss: Which Coding Language To Learn First
History Of The Tagalog Language
The Tagalog language has existed for thousands of years ago, but there are no documents or archeological evidence directly confirming the earliest sources of it. The name is known to be derived from taga-ilog which means settlers of the river in English. No one knows when it began to exist but based on theories. It is believed that the majority of the features of the language were developed based on Sanskrit, and it used to be written using a script called the Baybayin writing system.
Historical data also shows that aside from Sanskrit, Tagalog was also from the Malayo-Polynesian race , which is why it is now part of the Austronesian language family.
The initial development of the Tagalog words and grammar structures is related to the Malays and Chinese, but the Spanish and American colonization brought about major changes.
What Is The Other Name Of Region 2
PROFILE OF REGION 2 The Cagayan Valley Region, also known as Region 02, is strategically located on the northeastern part of mainland Luzon. It is bounded to the west by the Cordillera mountain range, to the east by the Sierra Madre, to the south by the Caraballo Mountains, and to the north by the Luzon Strait.
Why English is the second language in the Philippines?
English has always been one of the official languages of the Philippines and is spoken by more than 14 million Filipinos. The influx of foreign learners of English is also on the rise due to the relatively more affordable but quality English as a Second Language programs being offered locally.
What is the language of Isabela?
Ibanag languageThe Ibanag language is an Austronesian language spoken by up to 500,000 speakers, most particularly by the Ibanag people, in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao, Solana, Abulug, Cabagan, and Ilagan and with overseas immigrants in
Don’t Miss: Academic Language Examples In Lesson Plans
Which Is The Most Spoken Language In Mindanao
Actually, southeastern Mindanao is populated with Ilocano, Tagalog, and other dialects, but Cebuano has become the dominant dialect in that area.. The Ilocano dialect has spread out from its origin in the western coast , which was also probably facilitated by Spanish and American policies.
Which is the indigenous language of Central Luzon?
Bolinao or Binubolinao A language from Central Luzon used in Bolinao and Anda of Pangasinan. Bontoc or Finalig An indigenous language of the Bontoc people of the Mountain Province.
Dialects Accents And Varieties
Dialectologists identify many , which usually refer to regional varieties that differ from each other in terms of patterns of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. The pronunciation of particular areas distinguishes dialects as separate . The major native dialects of English are often divided by linguists into the two extremely general categories of and . There also exists a third common major grouping of English varieties: Southern Hemisphere English, the most prominent being and .
Read Also: English Hard Language To Learn
Language Data For The Philippines
There are over 120 languages spoken in the Philippines. Filipino, the standardized form of Tagalog, is the national language and used in formal education throughout the country. Filipino and English are both official languages and English is commonly used by the government. Filipino Sign Language is the official sign language. The maps, documents, and datasets below provide information about languages spoken throughout the country.
Curated datasets
Languages Of The Philippines: Everything You Need To Know
Ever wondered which languages are spoken in the Philippines? This archipelagic country in Southeast Asia consists of 7641 islands with a population of 110.8 million people. The Philippines is a place where different religions, cultures, and languages exist side-by-side.
The Philippines is often regarded as a beautiful holiday spot a perspective that overlooks the local cultural heritage and recent economic growth of the country.
Recommended Reading: Why Is Free Speech Important
Regional Languages Of The Philippines
Twenty-one languages are spoken regionally. These include: Aklanon, Basian, Bikol, Cebuano, Chavacano, Hiligaynon, Ibanag, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Ivatan, Maranao, Tagalog, Kapampangan, Kinaray-a, Waray, Maguindanao, Pangasinan, Sambal, Surigaonon, Tausug, and Yakan.
Each of these represents a major indigenous language of Philippines that is spoken in areas inhabited by large populations of native speakers. The majority of these regional languages belong to the Malayo-Polynesian language family sub-group, and this sub-group belongs to the Austronesian language family. This is true with the exception of Chavacano, which is a Spanish-based creole language. It is the only Spanish-based Creole language in Asia and has been spoken for around 400 years. This makes the language one of the oldest Creole languages in the world. Chavacano has an estimated 1.2 million speakers.
Tagalog Or Filipino Explaining The Difference
As per the constitution of the Philippines, the official language of the country is Filipino. But, there is a lot of confusion among the locals, whether they speak Filipino or Tagalog.
The history of the Philippines official language began in 1930, when the commonwealth government wanted to write the constitution in the national language, given there were so many languages nationwide.
During that time, Tagalog was the first choice as it was widely popular in Metro Manila and a myriad of other surrounding provinces. However, several representatives in the house opposed Tagalog, so Filipino came to the scene as the language of the entire country.
After that, in the 1970s, the dictator of the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos, wished to establish a new society in the Philippines. So, he made efforts to develop a new national language, known as the Pilipino. enhancing the existing languages taking words from other languages such as Arabic, English, and Spanish. Several words of Tagalog were replaced to make it pleasing to the ear.
Tagalog is the evolution of the Filipino language. Besides the primary words of Tagalog, Filipino contains words from languages such as English and Spanish. In a nutshell, Filipino is the upgraded version of Tagalog.
You May Like: Wise Guy Text To Speech
What Are The Main Languages Spoken In The Philippines
Here, were going to be mostly looking at the indigenous languages of the Philippines. Four of them are already extinct, according to UNESCO: Dicamay Agta, Katabaga, Tayabas Ayta and Villaviciosa Agta.
The vast majority of the remaining languages belong to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family. If you dont know what that means, dont worry! Basically, it just means that most of the languages spoken in the Philippines are related to languages like Hawaiian, Malay, Samoan, Fijian, and Mori.
Four of the Philippines indigenous languages have at least nine million native speakers these are Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, and Hiligaynon.
The Philippines’ Language Report: What Language Is Spoken In The Philippines
One of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world is the Philippines. As such, I thought it was high time to answer some language questions in relation to this beautiful part of the world. What language do they speak in the Philippines? Read on to find out. What’s the difference between Tagalog versus Filipino? Again, keep reading. How many languages are spoken in the Philippines? To find out you guessed it read on.
You May Like: Yonsei University Korean Language Program