SHORT PAPER 1

(First Part)
Structure and Development of Philippine English

Name: Sohaylah Dimagandam Guro

Section: ENG121-Ww

PART 1. Instruction. Complete the following statements and justify your answers.

1. If possible, I would like to speak English like

How American speakers speak English.
Reason for my preference:
I have always wanted to visit the USA because it is one of my dream countries. So, in future
purposes, to avoid misunderstandings, I must master speaking in using American accent. This
could improve my confidence in speaking English knowing that American accent is one of the
well-known accents. American speakers are also great in delivering speech because they have a
good pronunciation in pronouncing such words unlike in British, they do not usually pronounce r
in delivering words.

2. My preferred identity when speaking English with fellow Filipinos

Is friendly identity to be clearer and more understandable.
Reason for my preference:
As a Filipino speaker, comprehending the word is more important than sounding good but not
understandable. We were once colonized by American people and that gives us the opportunity to
learn English. Instead of learning how to sound like them, it would be better if you learn the
English before learning the accent for you to be able to communicate with your fellow Filipinos.

3. My preferred identity when speaking English with foreigners

Is a professional identity.
Reason for my preference:
I believed that going to other country requires a lot of efforts and courage because you are aware
of not knowing their language and the only way for you to keep up is to learn English as it is our
universal language. It is important to still show some dignity and respect with whom you’re
talking to.

4. My perception and attitude toward inner circle (e. g. US, UK, Australia) English
accents when listening to others speak is
standard, professional, appealing, and knowledgeable

5. My perception and attitude toward outer circle (e.g. Philippines, Singapore, India) and
expanding circle (e.g. Japan, South Korea, China) English accents when listening to
others speak is
slow, friendly, positive and open-minded

6. Explanation for my responses to questions (4) and (5):

 On (4) I find it that way because we are aware that they are the considered “standard”
when it comes to accent and I agree too because I love how they delivered their dialogues
without stuttering and having any error.
 On (5) I find it too in that way because as someone who is part of the outer circle, I can
tell that we somehow experience difficulties engaging with someone who is part of the
inner circle.

PART II. Instruction. Please answer the following questions as honest as possible. All
answers are valid. You may adjust the space provided depending on the length of your
answers.
1. Have you ever given thought to retaining your L1 identity in English?
As someone who enjoys learning other languages, I did not think of that much. In learning more
languages, it requires a lot of efforts and experience, and I accomplished that in learning my L1.
However, it does not mean that I’ll stay with my L1. I wanted to explore more and traveling is
one of my dreams so I have no choice but to learn other languages.
2. Is it important to you to retain your L1 identity in English?
If you grew in another place, it is important for you to learn it again and maintain it. There is no
wrong in retaining or mother tongue and you can actually learn other languages by not leaving
your mother tongue behind.

3. Are you more concerned to be intelligible to native speakers of English or to nonnative

speakers of English, or do you not distinguish between the two groups of
listener?
Yes, I am concerned to be intelligible to native speakers of English because it is their first
language and they won’t experience such bad experience because nowadays, even pronunciation
matters and how will you convince them if you don’t now much about their languages, you
should start learning then.

4. Do you believe it is appropriate to retain your L1 accent in your English or that

you should attempt to sound ‘native-like’?
We should always accept our first language or our mother tongue. There is no wrong in being a
“native-like” because in the first place we are just a second language learner who is learning the
other languages for the sake of many people.

5. Do you believe it is possible to retain your L1 accent in English and still be

intelligible to native-speakers?
Yes, that is possible to retain our L1 accent in English and still be intelligible to native -speakers.
We are in a modern generation where learning other language is now normal. There is no wrong
too in learning such because in the first place, it is our own will in learning the languages.

6. Do you believe it is possible to retain your L1 accent in English and still be

intelligible to non-native-speakers?
Yes, that is also possible because if you are not interested in learning other language, you will
have hard time dealing with other people and still be ignorant. That is the case for those people
who don’t want to learn another language and just learning their mother tongue.
PART III. Instruction. Provide your insight on the following issue. Please cite your
sources properly.
Given the demographic distribution of English speakers around the world, diversity is
clearly inevitable particularly in the phonological level (Nihalani, 2010). With this, the
issue of guarding the intelligibility in the international communication has now become a
concern to English language teachers in multi-cultural and multi-lingual contexts. How
should one teach the sounds of the English language? What should be our model in
teaching them?

Teaching English pronunciation is like going on an exciting adventure through different

sounds and ways of speaking. In today's classrooms, we see a lot of diversity as students bring
their own unique languages and accents. There are so many variations of English, like the
smooth way people in the Caribbean speak or the musical tones of Indian English. Instead of
seeing this as a problem, let's see it as a chance to celebrate the richness of language together. As
teachers, our goal is not just to teach sounds, but also to create a welcoming environment where
every student's voice is valued. We want students to feel proud of their own language and excited
to learn about others.

Let's make our lessons more fun by adding a playful touch. We can play games where we
copy different accents or try saying tricky phrases, which will bring laughter and exploration into
our learning. Real-life situations also give us a chance to practice. Whether it's ordering food or
talking with friends, these everyday situations help us connect pronunciation with real-life
communication, which makes learning feel relevant and enjoyable.

In conclusion, as we help our students with English pronunciation, let's focus on being
inclusive. Instead of trying to have a "perfect" accent, let's aim for clear and understandable
speech. The idea of "World Englishes" reminds us that there is beauty in different accents. By
accepting and celebrating each student's unique voice, we create a friendly and welcoming space
where everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves. In the end, it's not about getting an
accent exactly right, but about connecting and understanding each other through language.