How did Philippines get their language?

Background. The Philippines is a multilingual state with more than 175 living languages originating and spoken by various ethno-linguistic groups. Many of these languages descend from a common Malayo-Polynesian language due to the Austronesian migration from Taiwan; however, there are languages brought by the Negritos.

How was the English language introduced in the Philippines?

English was introduced into the Philippines during the US colonial occupation and civil regime in the early 1900s and has now become the second official language. In fact, Tagalog and English compete in the various domains of Filipino society such as business, government, broadcast media, publications, and education.

When did the Filipino language start?

Tagalog Facts Tagalog began appearing in written language as far back as 900 CE. The oldest Filipino document found in the Philippines, the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, was written in Tagalog. It was discovered in 1989. In the beginning of the 18th century, Pablo Cain wrote the first Tagalog dictionary.

What are the languages in the Philippines?

Filipino
English
Philippines/Official languages

Major Languages of the Philippines. The Philippines has 8 major dialects. Listed in the figure from top to bottom: Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Ilocano, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog, and Waray. The language being taught all over the Philippines is Tagalog and English.

Why is Philippine language important?

It is the language of commerce and law, as well as the primary medium of instruction in education. Proficiency in the language is also one of the country’s strengths that has helped drive the economy and even made the Philippines the top voice outsourcing destination in the world, surpassing India in 2012.

How did Tagalog become the official language of the Philippines?

When colonizers came to the Philippines, the Filipinos were forced to speak the colonizers’ languages. For a time, Spanish language in the Philippines was widely spoken during the Spanish era. But as time passed, Tagalog became the Philippines official language.

What are the three major languages in the Philippines?

The three major languages are Tagalog, Visayan and Ilocano. These three became the major contenders on the first national assembly in the Philippines on November 12, 1937.

Why is the Filipino language written in Latin instead of Filipino?

The indigenous scripts of the Philippines (such as the Kulitan, Tagbanwa and others) are used very little; instead, Filipino languages are today written in the Latin script because of the Spanish and American colonial experience.

How has the Philippine policy on language changed over the century?

However, this current policy on language has changed over the century, largely due to the Spanish, American, and Japanese colonisation, the liberation, and changes in the constitution post-dictatorship. There also remains to be contentions on whether Filipino, based on the Tagalog language, should be the national language of the Philippines.