SOCIOLINGUISTIC CONCEPTS: • Register - variation in language use

• Code-switching - people switching based on formality, context, and purpose

between languages or ways of speaking of communication, allowing people to
during a conversation based on the adapt their speech to different social
situation or who they're talking to. situations.

• Code-mixing - mixing words or phrases LANGUAGES IN THE PHILIPPINES:

from different languages in speech, • The language acts as a vibrant thread
creating a hybrid language without fully that influences the character of its
switching languages. inhabitants.
• Language Change - natural evolution of • This linguistic symphony encapsulates
a language over time, including new historical relevance, cultural articulation,
words, altered expressions, and changes and pride of the nation.
in pronunciation due to societal and • The language contributes to the intricate
environmental factors. choreography of tradition, advancement,
• Language Shift - gradual transition of a and emancipation in shaping the Filipino
community to using a different language identity.
more frequently due to external  Language profoundly impacts the
influences, potentially impacting cultural formation of the Filipino identity.
identity and reducing language diversity.  The historical and cultural
• Language Death - disappearance of a significance of Filipino languages
language when no one speaks it as their is a testament to this, as they form
first language, often caused by the backbone of the national
globalization or domination of more widely identity.
spoken languages.  Upholding these languages is
• Language Revitalization - active efforts integral to maintaining the rich
to revive endangered or less-used cultural tapestry of the Filipino
languages through teaching, cultural community. Moreover, language
activities, and community involvement. serves as a powerful social tool,
fostering connectivity and
• Language Preservation - strategies to communication among individuals.
protect a language from disappearing,  Indeed, language can be seen as
including documentation, education, and the vibrant pulse that fuels the
support systems to ensure its continuity. Filipino identity, uniting its
• Standard and Vernacular Languages - people in a beautiful chorus of
formalized versions of a language used in voices.
formal settings versus everyday spoken
forms used in casual situations, reflecting HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
diversity and formality levels within a FILIPINO LANGUAGES:
society.
• FL have played a pivotal role in shaping
• Dialects - different ways of speaking a the historical identity of the Filipino people.
language characterized by regional or The evolution of language in the
social variations in pronunciation, Philippines is a testament to the
vocabulary, and grammar. country's rich linguistic diversity.
• Language Diversity - presence of • Over the centuries, the Filipino people
multiple languages, dialects, and have developed and embraced various
language families in a specific area or languages, each with its distinct
among a group of people, contributing to characteristics and cultural nuances.
cultural expression and richness. These languages have not only served as
a means of communication but have also • By preserving and promoting their native
acted as a unifying force, connecting languages, Filipinos assert their cultural
people from different regions and ethnic autonomy and resist assimilation.
backgrounds. • Language serves as a vehicle for
• The linguistic diversity in the empowerment, allowing individuals to
Philippines reflects the country's reclaim their heritage and celebrate their
complex history, influenced by various diverse linguistic traditions.
colonizers and neighboring cultures. • In understanding the significance of
Despite external influences, Filipino language in shaping national identity, it
languages have managed to preserve becomes crucial to explore language
their unique features and continue to be preservation efforts in the Philippines
an integral part of the Filipino identity. The
historical significance of Filipino NATIVE LANGUAGES OF THE PHILIPPINE:
languages lies in their ability to
encapsulate the diverse heritage and • Tagalog – The Foundation of Filipino
cultural traditions of the Filipino people, • Cebuano – widely spoken and full of life
fostering a sense of pride and unity • Ilocano – language of the North
among its speakers. • Waray-waray – a voice from the East
• Bikol – unveiling southern expressions
LANGUAGE AS A CULTURAL EXPRESSION:
THE MOST SPOKEN LANGUAGES OF
• serves as a form of resistance,
THE PHILIPPINES:
allowing individuals to assert their cultural
heritage and challenge oppressive forces.
• English - A Legacy of Colonial Rule
• Through language, Filipinos have • Spanish - A Lingering Influence
preserved their traditions, values, and • Filipino - The National Language
beliefs, ensuring their intergenerational
transmission. THESE STEREOTYPES AND BIASES
OFTEN ORIGINATE FROM VARIOUS
• It serves as a powerful symbol of identity,
SOURCES, INCLUDING:
connecting individuals to their roots and
fostering a sense of belonging. Language  Informal conversations
is not only a means of communication but  Media portrayals
also a vehicle for cultural expression,  Historical narratives
allowing Filipinos to celebrate their  Educational systems
diversity and uniqueness. STEREOTYPES AND MISCONCEPTIONS:
• It becomes evident that language is a • Tagalog – often gets mistaken as the
vital component in shaping the Filipino only one due to its dominant use in media
identity and preserving the rich cultural and education; being superior to other
heritage of the nation. Philippine languages based on perceived
LANGUAGE AND NATIONAL IDENTITY: prestige or fluency levels; simple and easy
(underestimates the complexity and rich
• Language not only reflects personal
history, overlooking its unique features
identity but also serves as a tool for
and linguistic development
political resistance.
• Visayan Languages – dialects, not
• Language is intricately intertwined with
languages - often miscategorized as
cultural and historical contexts, and it
dialects of Tagalog due to historical
holds the power to unite individuals under
classifications and shared vocabulary,
a common national identity.
neglecting their distinct grammatical
structures and identities; rural and
uneducated (less-educated populations)
• Minority Languages – unimportant and • Mahboob and Cruz (2013) suggest, a
dying (minority languages face means to divide the rich and the poor.
endangerment due to limited usage and Arguably, this can also be the reason why
documentation) the ilustrados supported Philippine
independence.
A HISTORY OF THE PHILIPPINES’
AMERICAN COLONIZATION:
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
• Philippines came under the American
• The DepEd now has 17 designated
rule from 1898-1946.
languages that qualify for mother-
language based education. • The Americans saw the perfect
opportunity for colonization that Spain did
• Philippine Constitution (1987) states
not: education.
states that the national language is
Filipino and as it evolves, “shall be • Martin (1999) notes that the Americans,
further developed and enriched on the on the other hand, saw education as a
basis of existing Philippine and other powerful weapon and in the Philippines
languages.” they found subjects receptive to the
opportunities given by the English
• The 1987 Philippine Constitution has
language.
mandated the Government to “take steps
to initiate and sustain the use of • Gonzalez (1980, p.27-28) writes, “the
Filipino as a medium of official positive attitude of Filipinos towards
communication and as language of Americans; and the incentives given to
instruction in the educational system.” Filipinos to learn English in terms of
career opportunities, government
service, and politics.”
HISTORY OF LPP IN THE PHILIPPINES:
• American policy allowed for compulsory
• The Philippines’ national language is
education for all Filipinos in English
Filipino.
but was hostile to local languages.
• De jure, it is a language that will be Although President McKinley ordered the
enriched from other languages in the use of English as well as mother tongue
Philippines. languages in education, the Americans
• De facto, it is structurally based on found Philippine languages too many
Tagalog, the language of Manila and the and too difficult to learn thus creating a
CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, monolingual system in English
Batangas, Quezon) region (Gonzalez, (Gonzalez, 2006).
2006). • Manhit (1980) notes that during this time,
students who used their mother tongue
SPANISH COLONIZATION: while in school premises were imposed
• the Spanish Crown issued several with penalties. Media of instruction were
contradictory laws on language: in English, teachers were trained to teach
missionaries were asked to learn the English, and instructional materials were
vernacular but were then required to teach all in English.
Spanish (Rodriguez, 2013). • Local languages were used as
• The friars continued to learn the local “auxiliary languages to teach character
languages for evangelization which turned education, good manners, and right
out to be a success (Gonzalez, 2006). conduct” (Martin, 1999, p.133).
Thus, teaching Spanish teaching • Ricento (2000 p. 198) argues that LPP
remained limited for the elites and wealthy during American colonization led to a
Filipinos ready to conform to Spanish “stable digglosia” where English
colonial agendas (Martin, 1999).
became the language of higher education, 1974:
socioeconomic, and political opportunities • the start of the Philippines adhering to
still visible today. neoliberal policies, where the government
INDEPENDENCE: started to promote cheap labour to other
- Camarines Norte representative countries, advertising Filipinos’ ability to
Wenceslao Vinzons proposed to include speak English.
an article on the adoption of a national • first batch of Overseas Filipino Workers
language. (OFW) was deployed to the Middle Least.
- Article XIII section 3 of the 1935 • An advertisement in The New York Times
Commonwealth Constitution directed said: “We like multinationals … Local
the National Assembly to “take steps staff? Clerks with a college education start
toward the development and adoption at $35 … accountants come for $67,
of a common national language based executive secretaries for $148 … Our
on one of the existing native labor force speaks your language
languages.” (Lorente, 2013)”
• 1936 - the Institute of National Language 70’s - saw changes in the education
(INL) was founded to study existing system, restructured to answer to export-
languages and select one of them as the oriented industrialization (Lorente, 2013).
basis of the national language. With cheap export labour in mind, then
• 1937 - the Institute of National Language President Ferdinand Marcos had a strong
(INL) was founded to study existing support for English and shifted English
languages and select one of them as the education to vocational and technical
basis of the national language. English training (Tollefson, 1991).
• 1939 - it was officially proclaimed and
ordered to be disseminated in schools POST-DICTATORSHIP:
• 1940 - was taught as a subject in high • the 1987 Constitution was written.
schools across the country.
• Tagalog was changed to Pilipino and
60’s & 70’s: then Filipino for it to be less regionalistic,
• saw nationalist movements critical of the or less connected to the Tagalog region.
English language (Mahboob and Cruz, According to this Constitution, Filipino was
2013) to be developed from all local languages
• English remained a dominant language of the Philippines.
even at the peak of linguistic nationalism • Filipino and English shall be used as the
and height of student activism in the 70’s medium of instruction while regional
(Hau and Tinio, 2003). languages shall be used as auxiliary
• 1974 - Bilingual Education Policy (BEP) media of instruction and as initial
was formally introduced, using English for language for literacy.
Science and Mathematics and Filipino for • Filipino was mandated to be the
all other subjects taught in school language of literacy and scholarly
(Lorente, 2013) (compromise to the discourse while English, the “international
demands of both nationalism and language” of science and technology.
internationalism)
• nothing changed and implementation of
• English – ensure that Filipinos stay the policy failed at most levels of
connected to the world while Filipino education (Bernardo, 2004).
would help in the strengthening of the
Filipino identity (had little success)
1991: instruction in different regions, with more
• the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino languages potentially being included in the
(Commission on the Filipino Language) future.
was established. • The Department of Education (DepEd) is
• led the celebration of Buwan ng Wika responsible for overseeing the
(National Language Month) every August. implementation of the MTB-MLE Policy
• a regulating body whose job includes and providing resources and support to
developing, preserving, and promoting schools and teachers.
the various local Philippine languages. • Public discourse surrounding the policy
• The commission has published often involves discussions about its
dictionaries, manuals, guides, and effectiveness, resource allocation, and
collection of literature in Filipino and other potential impact on national unity.
Philippine languages. IMPLEMENTATION OF BILINGUAL
• English - language of opportunities, and EDUCATION POLICY:
have been used by Filipinos to work The Philippines' Bilingual Education Policy
abroad and find opportunities in the age of (BEP), implemented in 1974, aimed to
globalization achieve the following:
• Develop competence in both Filipino
• Filipino - seen as the language that can and English: This was envisioned to
give identity to Filipinos, although not equip Filipinos with the ability to function
everyone agrees. effectively in both national and
MOTHER TONGUE-BASED MULTILINGUAL international contexts.
EDUCATION (MTB-MLE) POLICY:
• Promote national unity and cultural
- is a national educational program identity: Filipino, the national language,
implemented in 2012-2013 academic year. was intended to serve as a unifying force
It aims to improve the learning outcomes across diverse ethnicities and regions.
of students by using their mother tongue
• Enhance access to educational
or first language (L1) as the primary
opportunities: English, the language of
medium of instruction in Kindergarten to
instruction in many higher education
Grade 3.
institutions, was meant to provide Filipinos
Key features of MTB-MLE: with better access to higher education and
 Focus on mother tongue global opportunities.
 Gradual transition Key features:
 Multilingual development
• Two languages of instruction: Filipino
 Improved learning
and English were used for different
 Cultural preservation
subjects in primary and secondary
The MTB-MLE Policy has received mixed education.
reviews. While some studies show
• Regional languages as auxiliary
positive impacts on student learning,
languages: Local languages could be
particularly in reading and comprehension,
used as auxiliary languages in the early
others raise concerns about
grades.
implementation challenges, teacher
training, and the availability of learning
materials in various languages.

Additional points to consider:

• The policy currently uses eight major
Philippine languages as mediums of
• Focus on language development: The
curriculum emphasized developing
proficiency in both Filipino and English
through various learning activities.

Comparison and Contrast with other

Bilingual Education Policies Globally: