Filipino Lesson 201: A Brief History of the Tagalog and Filipino Language

Summary

This video explores the history of the Filipino language, focusing on the evolution from the Spanish colonial era to the modern-day national language. It explains the distinction between Tagalog and Filipino, showing how the latter was developed as a nationalized version of Tagalog to unify the country. The video traces the struggle for a national language, influenced by colonial powers like Spain, the U.S., and Japan. By 1959, Filipino emerged as a formalized language, integrating regional dialects. The video also touches on efforts to standardize and expand Filipino through the addition of words from other languages, solidifying its role in the Philippines' identity.

Takeaways

• 😀 The national language of the Philippines has been a subject of debate, with some Filipinos saying it's Tagalog, while others argue it's Filipino spelled with an 'F'.
• 😀 The Philippines, during the Spanish colonial period, was not a unified nation and had over 120 distinct languages spoken across its 7,000 islands.
• 😀 The Spanish missionaries, instead of forcing Filipinos to learn Spanish, learned local languages, which led to the preservation of Filipino culture, languages, and traditions.
• 😀 Although Spanish was the official language of government and business during the Spanish colonial era, most Filipinos didn't learn Spanish, resulting in discrimination and exclusion from higher positions.
• 😀 The rebellion against Spanish rule in 1898 resulted in a desire for a national language, with some calling for it to be based on Tagalog due to its wide use in the early revolution.
• 😀 During World War II, the Philippines was occupied by foreign powers, and after the war, there was a stronger push for a unified national language.
• 😀 In 1959, a nationalized version of Tagalog, called Filipino, was introduced as the official language taught in schools, unifying different regional variations of Tagalog.
• 😀 Regional variations in Tagalog, such as differences in syntax and diction, presented challenges in creating a unified national language.
• 😀 In the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Filipino was identified as one of the two official languages of the country, alongside English.
• 😀 The evolution of Filipino involved incorporating words and elements from other Filipino languages such as Ilokano and Cebuano, making it a more inclusive national language.

Q & A

What is the national language of the Philippines?

The national language of the Philippines is Filipino, which is a nationalized version of Tagalog.

Why do Filipinos debate whether the national language is Tagalog or Filipino?

The debate arises because some Filipinos believe the national language should be based on Tagalog, while others argue that it should be called Filipino, which includes elements from other regional languages.

What was the language situation in the Philippines when the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century?

At the time of Spanish colonization, the Philippines was not a unified nation and had about 7,000 islands, each with its own distinct language or dialect.

How did the Spaniards approach language learning in the Philippines?

Rather than forcing Filipinos to learn Spanish, the Spanish missionaries learned and documented the native languages, which helped spread Catholicism and preserve local cultures.

What impact did the Spanish colonization have on the linguistic unity of the Philippines?

The Spanish colonization failed to unite the country under a single language, resulting in the preservation of regional languages, but also leaving the country divided by about 120 different languages.

How did proficiency in Spanish affect Filipinos during the Spanish colonial period?

Proficiency in Spanish was required for government, church, or business employment, but very few Filipinos had access to education in Spanish, which created a monopoly of leadership by Spaniards.

What was the significance of the 1898 Philippine Revolution in terms of language?

During the revolution, Spanish was the official language, but some Filipinos pushed for a national language based on native languages like Tagalog, as many of the revolutionary provinces spoke it.

Why did Filipinos desire a national language during and after World War II?

Filipinos wanted a national language to unify the country after being forced to learn foreign languages such as Japanese, English, and Spanish during various periods of colonization.

What was the process of creating Filipino as the national language?

In 1959, a nationalized version of Tagalog was introduced in schools and became known as Filipino. It was unified by eliminating regional differences in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

How does Filipino differ from Tagalog?

Filipino is a nationalized version of Tagalog that incorporates vocabulary and syntax from other Filipino languages, making it a more inclusive and standardized language.

What role did the University of the Philippines play in promoting Filipino?

The University of the Philippines played a crucial role in promoting Filipino by publishing a Filipino dictionary and helping solidify Filipino as the national language of the Philippines.

What is the significance of the 1987 Philippine Constitution in terms of language?

The 1987 Philippine Constitution officially recognizes Filipino as one of the country's two official languages, alongside English, marking Filipino as the national language of the Philippines.