Pinoy Language Through the Years

Historians would say that "Language" remained to be one of the world's greatest mystery. If this is still the case as of the present time, we could then say-that over the 6,000 languages worldwide (excluding those that we don't know yet, or we haven't discovered), one cannot explain their origins and how one easily adapts to a certain language.

FILIPINO, TAGALOG, o kahit ano pa man ang gusto mong itawag sa salita ng mga taga-Pilipinas. I may be a Filipino, born in the country, yet first educated with two basic languages- Filipino (which is our primary and national language), and English (american english ito na naging second primary language). Filipino man akong ituring, at Filipino man ang wikang aking ginagamit sa pang-araw-araw kong pakikipag-komunikasyon, HINDING-HINDI ko maaaring sabihing "fluent" na ako sa sarili kong wika.

Ngayon pa lang, hindi ba't mas ENGLISH ang medium na gamit ko? Or let's say, TAGLISH (tagalog combined with english).

The Philippines experienced being colonized with Westerners and also the Japanese. For 333 years since 1521, Spaniards colonized the country. Our early ancestors were totally in a "culture shock" stage. How could these Europeans just change everything in our then simple, rich, and very Malay culture? Imagine our Alibata (which was beautifully constructed by our ancestors) was changed into a different language but most of the words were based on the Spanish alphabet. Take note, that it was not just the Spaniards who were already residing in Manila, or some parts of the country. The Chinese were already here as well.

Alibata



It was hard for the early Filipinos to change almost everything that they were used to. The bad Spaniards (emphasize this one for there were good "espanyol" people too before) did not want the "Indios" (pertains to Filipinos) to be educated. And so, only the Illustrados had the chance to learn Spanish. But still, because most of the Indios would hear spanish words from the Spaniards, they normally end up imitating them. They need to learn it, they were forced to understand because their lives were always in trouble, at risk. Through those years, though Filipinos have their own deeper Filipino words that they use, most are borrowed from the Spanish alphabet. I remember, I had six units of Spanish Class last year. In our university, students in the Faculty of Arts and Letters are required to have six units of Spanish Language. It wasn't as hard as learning other foreign language. Learning Spanish for me, is as easy as how I've learned English when I was still a kid. Maybe, because words are very much in common. Example: The word Serbesa in Filipino means-alcoholic drink. In Spanish, they also use the word Cerveza which also pertains to an alcoholic drink. Notice, that the only difference were a couple of letters. That was just a word, but there are hundreds of words that both alphabets have in common.

It was just so sad, that in those 333 years of being a Spanish Colony, only a portion (I could say) of Filipinos are still fluent in speaking Spanish. I wonder, in countries that they also colonized, like in South America how they were able to preserve the language; is the Philippines the only Spanish Colony which did not make it to preserve their language? (the culture is still here, still alive, but the language has long been dead).

When the Americans came, it was a different scene again. Confusion is really in the air. From a native language, to Spanish, to a language close to Spanish, then to- American English? I wonder how Filipino tongue looks like. Well, how flexible we are in adapting language after language, alphabet, after another alphabet. The Americans thought as how to value education- alright, I admire them for that. Our Lupang Hinirang (national anthem) then, was "Land of the Morning". I remember stories from my mom, she would always tell me that when she was just a student, they know different versions of Lupang Hinirang. That they would sing Land of the Morning, then they would also sing the Pinoy version. And that, students then were very fluent in speaking english. Then I proudly shared to her, that we had our "solo concierto" on Tierra Adorada (Lupang Hinirang) last semester for my Spanish class. Now, I can slowly see how our language then until now is so chaotic in terms of proper use, grammar, vocabulary, etc. How could the students then understand each word if they are taught of different alphabets? Notice that the words "Keyk", "basketbol", "korek", "jaket", and many other borrowed words, really bring confusion with its proper English spellings to many students. Couldn't we have our own terms for these words much like other countries would do?

Just take a look at these words. If pinoys then would say: "iniirog kita ng lubos".
Today, Pinoys would say:
Or, if you're a little conyo (haha):




The evolution of Pinoy Language through the years is really quite interesting. From poetic deep filipino words, to a very conversational vernacular that most of this generation (like me) use. Gay-lingo was even invented. And Tag-Lish has long been accepted not just in ordinary communication, but in schools as well. Which, I think our education department should focus on. Yes, indeed the Filipino language is "alive", it's moving, it is subject to change...yet, i think above all...and this is my dream for myself too- that each of us could be fluent enough about our own language.

Nakakahiya mang isipin, na kanina sa aking pagbabasa ng dalawang tagalog-written na essays-nahirapan akong intindihin at bigkasin ang bawat salita...Nakakahiya, na Pinoy akong naturingan, ngunit sa gawa kong ito, mas nagamit ko ang Ingles. Maybe I could be blameless for this, for I have thought of the English language since then. I am used to using english words whenever I compose or write about something.

With the different languages that I have encountered and learned, Spanish, Korean, and currently Mandarin, surely it would take time for me to be that fluent on those. Much as I would have to learn more on English. And most of all, be able to converse as good as I could be using Filipino.

Sa tamang panahon, sa tamang bersyon, sa tamang gamit, sa tamang mga bokabularyo, marahil magiging tama na din ang pagkamalay ko sa Tagalog.