The Filipino Language and its Conversational and Scholarly Characteristics
Posted on Monday, 16 November 2015
The
Filipino Language and its Conversational
and
Scholarly Characteristics
By Apolinario Villalobos
The Filipino as a language is injected with
many influences from the different traders who frequented the archipelago
during the pre-colonial days. The Spanish and American colonizers who stayed
for a long time, practically, impregnated the Filipino culture with their own,
that made the latter richer, especially, the language. The result is what
today, are being spoken and used in writing by the Filipinos – the language
that underwent several stages of transformations.
The unique Filipino language is originally
what the Tagalogs of southern Luzon exclusively spoke as their dialect. Aside
from Tagalog, other major dialects in the country are Hiligaynon and Karay-a in
the provinces of Panay island, the Cebuano in the island of Cebu and other
islands of the region as far down south in Davao, Bikol in the Bicol
Peninsula, Ilocano and Pangasinense in
the north. The Moroland in Mindanao has its Maguindanaoan, Iranon, Tausug, and
Maranao.
To unite the Filipinos, Manuel L. Quezon
declared Tagalog as the “common” language, but to give it a bonding character
and to remove the exclusive reference to the Tagalogs, it was called
“Pilipino”, and still later, “Filipino” which is what it is called until today.
There are Filipino words that are better
written than spoken, and vice versa. As a scholarly language, there are also
words that are better read in “tula” (poetry), and heard in songs, as well as,
part of a formal dissertation. Still, there are words that have better use in
speeches, as well as, in swearing. That is what confronts the current
generation of Filipinos. Most find difficulty in comprehending some Filipino
words that is why, the sympathizing writer has to enclose the English
equivalent in parenthesis right after them. Some words that are immoral are
translated into English before they can be spoken, too.
The Filipino language further evolved into
what is called “Taglish” (Tagalog/English) and is proved to have manifold
benefits. The natives of the Cordillera Region who are more exposed to the
English language of the missionaries use it, as well as those of the Visayas ,
who sound awkward when speaking in straight Tagalog, due to their regional
accent.
The fast metamorphosis of the Filipino as a
language is a manifestation of its steady growth. An outgrowth that many
Filipinos did not notice, however, is the “gay lingo” that has become
acceptable among the youth. Even the international Aldub TV series employ the
“gay lingo” to the delight of its followers. One word worth mentioning is “bey”
which is the corrupted form of “baby” and which means “dear”, “love”, “friend”,
“sweetheart”, or just anything that connotes closeness. The “pambansang bey” is
dearly tagged to Alden Richard, and it means “national love, heartthrob, heart,
sweetheart, etc.”
Bloggers are doing their best in spreading
the appreciation for the highly- alive Filipino language by using regional
words or gay words, at times. The blogs that come in different forms such as
free-versed “tula” and free-style essays are in the forms which are not found
in any corrupted textbooks used in school. The viewers are then, incited to
freely ask for verifications as to what they stand for or what they mean.
Discussion