Filipino English

Objective - To explore Filipino English by studying its background and

characteristics

I. Introduction to Filipino English

The Philippines is home to over 100 million people spread across 7,107
islands in Southeast Asia. English is used as an official language, making the
country one of the largest Anglophone nations in the world. The 1980 census
counted the number of Filipinos with some competence in English as around
65%: some 35m people. Ability ranges from a smattering of words and phrases
through passive comprehension to near-native mastery.

II. Background of Filipino English

A. Western colonialism
1. 1898, The American colonization
a. English arrived the islands
2. 1902, The Philippine-American War ended
a. Philippines officially became an unincorporated territory
of the United States
b. Introducing English as the primary language
(1) Government
(2) Business
(3) Education
c. Establishing a new public school system /
Sending American English-language teachers all
over the country
(1) The arrival of the Thomasites
3. Within a few years
a. English was the second language
b. Filipino schoolchildren learnt English from Filipino
teachers
4. By the 1920s
a. Filipino writers produced literary works in English
b. English had been woven into the fabric of Philippine
society
 5. 1946, independence from the United States, until today
a. English is an official language

III. Current Status of Filipino English

A. The Philippines’ official languages
1. An integral part of local life and culture
a. business
b. science
c. technology
d. government
e. education
f. international communication
2. Benefits of English in Philippines
a. driving a thriving, world-leading outsourcing industry
b. driving a rapidly growing education sector

B. the World Englishes framework of linguist Braj Kachru

1. having distinctive features of :
a. pronunciation
b. vocabulary
c. grammar
d. discourse

C. Standardization
1. A converging variety that originates in Manila
a. Propagated largely through :
(1) the school system
(2) the mass media
(3) tourism
2. Learning English taught by Filipino teachers in various Asian
countries
a. South Korea
b. Japan
c. Thailand

IV. Filipino English Characteristics

A. Vocabulary
1. Borrowed from local languages
a. Abaca (a banana)
b. Tacloba (a bivale mollusc)
c. Tamarau ( a black buffalo)
2. Loan words and loan blends (from Tagalog and Spanish)
a. Barangay (a village)
b. Barkada (a group of friends)
c. Sisig (a dish)
3. Adding derivational affixes, creating new compounds,
shortening and blending of words, inventing new initialisms:
a. Batchmate = classmate (batch + mate)
b. Presidentiable = (president + -able)
4. Function changed words
a. High blood (angry)
b. To go down (to alight from vehicle)
c. Comfort room (toilet)
B. Pronunciation
1. displaying of diacritics (pronunciation model)
C. Grammar
1. Use of the plural verb form with a singular subject
a. One of my friends live here.

2. Use of the present perfect tense instead of past simple

a. I have done it last week.

3. Use of the past perfect in sentences instead of present perfect

a. They had already left.

4. The use of the present continuous instead of the simple

present
a. She is driving to work every day.

5. Article usage
a. He is going to United Kingdom to study at the Oxford
University.
 6. Intransitive use of typically transitive verbs
a. We will enjoy.

7. Use of would could to fulfill an expressive need

a. She would be a teacher after graduation.

D. Written Model
1. local speech tends to be based on written models
a. ‘lee-o-pard’ for leopard
b. ‘subtill’ for subtle
c. ‘worsester-shire sauce’ for Worcestershire sauce.
E. Code-switching
1. switch between English and Filipino
a. single sentence
b. conversation
F. Honorific titles
1. In formal settings
a. Dr.
b. Attorney
c. Engineer

1. Absence of contrast between /æ/ and /ɑ/

e.g. ‘cat’ /kæt/ →/kɑt/
2. Diphthong shortening
e.g. ‘mail’(/meɪl/) → ‘mill’ (/mɪl/)
➢ Pronunciation Features of Philippine English
Vowels and Diphthongs
1. Absence of contrast between /æ/ and /ɑ/
e.g. ‘cat’ /kæt/ → /kɑt/
2. Diphthong shortening
e.g. ‘mail’ /meɪl/ → ‘mill’ /mɪl/
Consonants
3. Substitution of /p/ for /f/
e.g. ‘fin’ /fɪn/ → ‘pin’ /pɪn/
4. Substitution of /t/ for /θ/
e.g. ‘think’ /θɪŋk/ → ‘Tink’ /tɪŋk/
5. Substitution of /d/ for /ð/
e.g. ‘there’ /ðeə/ → ‘dare’ /deə/
6. Substitution of /ts/ for /tʃ/
e.g. ‘chair’ /tʃeə/ → /tseə/
7. Substitution of /dj/ for /dʒ/
e.g. ‘jealous’ /ˈdʒeləs/ → /ˈdjeləs/
8. Substitution of /ds/ for /dʒ/
e.g. ‘passage’ /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ → /ˈpæsɪds/
9. Unaspirated /p/, /t/ and /k/
10. Prevoiced /b/, /d/, and /g/ in onset position
11. Neutralized /s/ and /z/ coda position