Baylon, Melvie Mar R.

2008-44523

Englishes of the Philippines

What is general English in the Philippines seems to be the English of the second language users.

English language usage stretches from Luzon to Mindanao, thus the language has varied

environment from one socio-geographical space to another. These differed spaces in turn gives

the English language differed alterations that are manifested in its speakers. The local language

in particular takes part as a major factor in these changes. In other words, first language

interference is at work.

First, we justifiably must have a clear description of what Filipino English is. With the

arguments above there is really clear-cut restriction to what Filipino English is. For instance,

English of the Ilocano at some respect differs from English of the Tagalog or of the Cordilleran.

Among these socio-geographic divides of English in the Philippines, within them are subdivides

like “class”—the lower, the middle and the higher social strata.

The Filipino language according to the above arguments plays then a great role on defining

Filipino English—by redefining the English language. Sentence constructions in discourse by

second language users of English whose first language is Filipino can be likened or are more or

less actually translations from their native tongue. For example, in some instances the statement

‘Gusto mo?’ is asked in English as ‘You like?’. The latter question formation firstly shows an

incorrect grammar in reference to the English standard grammar and secondly the phenomenon

of basing our construction of English sentences from our first language.

The Filipino or the Tagalog culture is also inherent in Filipino English. For example, ‘Good

morning, po.’ which speaks both an English greeting and traditional practice of showing respect.

1
Our history is also taken into account for its influences on how we use certain English words. For

instance the word ‘salvage’ which means ‘to save’, conventionally means ‘to kill’ given maybe

by a similar Spanish word ‘salvaje’ which means ‘savage’. Another quite redefined word that I

observed is ‘scandal’ which is used in the more informal sense to mean scandalous acts related to

sex.