The Language in my Society

Philippines is an archipelago that consists of 7100 islands and are grouped into three major islands: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Each island has its own languages spoken. Philippines as a whole has more than 170 varieties of languages which was spoken in different provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays. Some of the major languages spoken are Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Bicol, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Waray, and Tagalog.

  

People are grouped together according to the language they spoke. For example, Tagalog speakers are in Metro Manila; Cebuano speakers are in Cebu; Hiligaynon speakers are in Ilo-ilo; and Waray are in Leyte. The language spoken signified what particular province did a person belong. After Philippines was colonized by the American invaders, Filipino people adopted the American language and culture which influenced our society most. Filipinos learned to speak English.

Having different languages became a hindrance to good communication between societies to another. People with different languages have difficulty in understanding with each other. Thus, the Philippine national language which is the “Filipino” was published. However, having the official language doesn’t mean to discard mother tongue or the native languages. People are still speaking by their native tongue with Filipino as national language and also English as second Language.

Due to economic crisis, environmental problems, political differences, educational purposes, and any other reasons, people moved from one place to another. People who went to one society adopted as well as influenced the way people in the particular society behaved and spoke or the way language is used. One of the examples is when a Tagalog speaker from Metro Manila went to Iligan, that Tagalog speaker must adopt and learn how to talk the language used in Iligan. While learning, that Tagalog speaker can also teach his/her language to the Iliganon. They will both learn from each other. Another example is when a Waray man from Leyte married to a Cebuano woman in Cebu. Of course there should be adjustments in both languages.  In such situation different languages are merged together. Even a small community, people are speaking varieties of languages: native language, Filipino (Philippine National Language), English, and other languages.

“What language is frequently or commonly used by the people in this society? Is it English? Is it Filipino? or the other languages? ”

That question leads and made interest for the researchers to have a survey or a research about the language used in the specific society. The researchers simply prepared the following questions to answer:

1.  What is your native language or your mother language?
2. What is your secondary language used?
3. What language you are using in communicating with the people around you?
4.  What language you are using inside your school or workplace?

Those questions are printed as questionnaires and were distributed to the respondents in St. Michael’s College who are employees and students and ranging 18-35 years old.

 

Based on the data gathered, there are five languages used by the respondents in St. Michael’s College. These are the Bahasa, English, Filipino, Cebuano, and Hiligaynon. However, not all of those languages are used every day. Bahasa is not anymore used inside St. Michael’s College because it is a foreign language and cannot be understood by everybody. The highest percentage as native language of the respondents is Cebuano, the common language particularly in Iligan City. Cebuano as native language in common, it is spoken in by almost everybody in everyday conversation to have a better understanding with each other and as an easiest language to use. Though English is a foreign language, it is considered as Philippine second language and is being taught inside the classroom. Also St. Michael’s College is known as English speaking institution. Most of the subject teachers except from those who are Filipino majors encourage students to use English inside or outside the school campus. That is the reason why English language is the most used language inside the school. Hiligaynon of course is the language spoken in some parts of Ilo-ilo and Negros but it is also understood by some of the respondents here in SMC.Some of the respondents though cannot speak the Hiligaynon but can understand it anyway. Filipino has the highest percentage of being used as a second language. Filipino is considered as Philippine National language. However, it is just considered as a second language by some of those who are Cebuano speakers who came from Mindanao because it is not the language taught in home. It is not considered as a mother tongue except to those who are living in Tagalog speaking areas. Remember that in school, there are only few subjects which are using Filipino. Most of the books are written in English.

Every language is used in a specific context and places. Also, language spoken depends upon the situation and whom a person is talking to.  Languages used inside the house are different from the language used inside the school. There is always a variation of language.