Languages in the Philippines

[mrsartis 10]

Hi everyone,

I would just like to share something about the languages in the Philippines, which when i was younger, i was taught to call them as DIALECTS.

I grew up with my teachers telling me that my parents have two different dialiects which are kapampangan for my mom and cebuano for my dad.

Come college, one of my professor who is a french guy who studies our languages taught me differently, made me confuse but nonetheless, enlightened.. and was now a self proclaimed polyglot. yay!

To differentiate language from dialect let is define each, and will give some examples on how they are different

The term dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος, dialektos) is used in two distinct ways, even by scholars of language. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. (wikipedia).

–noun

1. Linguistics. a variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary, and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dialect

Ex: In the Bicol Region, there are a lot of dialects: Lets say, you want to translate "Were you there at the market for a long time?" in different dialects of BICOL the following are the translation.

# Haloy ka duman sa saod? (Standard Bikol, and Bikol-Naga, a dialect of Central Bicolano or Bikol; Naga City, Camarines Sur)

# Aloy ka duman sa saod? (Magarao, a variety of Bikol-Naga, Central Bicolano; Magarao, Camarines Sur)

# Huray ka doon sa saod? (Northern Catanduanes Bicolano or Pandan Bikol; Pandan, Catanduanes)

# Nauban ika sadto sa sa-ran? (Iriga Bicolano or Rinconada; Iriga City)

# Uban ika adto sa saod? (Libon, Albay Bicolano; Libon, Albay)

# Naegey ika adto sa sa-ran? (Buhi-non, Albay Bicolano; Buhi, Camarines Sur)

# Eley ka idto sa sed? (Oasnon, Albay Bicolano; Oas, Albay)

# Dugay ka didto sa palengke? (Ticao, Masbatenyo; Monreal, Masbate)

# Awat ka didto sa plasa? (Gubat, Southern Sorsogon; Gubat, Sorsogon)

to translate it in TAGALOG language? "matagal kaba sa palengke?

-example taken from wikipedia

A language is a system for encoding information.

While doing some reading about language, one particular thing caught my attention, that would really explain why some dialects that we know are in reality a language.

* Language has some properties aside form the indices, icons and symbols, a language must define:

A)the structural relationships between these signs in a system of grammar

B)the context wherein the signs are used (pragmatics)

c)dependent on their context the content specifity, i.e. its meaning (semantics)

D)Another property of language is that its symbols are arbitrary. (like it has different meaning dependent who is the one talking)

Rules of grammar are one of the characteristics sometimes said to distinguish language from other forms of communication.

Ex: The english word: ANT

in tagalog (langgam)

in kapampangan(panas)

but people in cebu may get confuse when they hear the word langgam it means a bird who flies while it crawls in tagalog. Indonesian might also think that langgam is being referred to as type of music indigenous to a particular city called SURAKARTA.

My fellow kababayan I hope you have learned something from me today, just to add more: it was said that Philippines has 171 languages but according to our latest constitution which was amended in 1987 ENGLISH and FILIPINO was now the official language..

[muñequita linda 0]

I learned something here, thanks. But we've been waiting for a long time now for you to post the overdue chapters of Noli Me Tangere.

[mrsartis 10]

I learned something here, thanks. But we've been waiting for a long time now for you to post the overdue chapters of Noli Me Tangere.

oops...caught in there kala ko sis wala ng nagbabasa.. ill post it.. like now na..!

[muñequita linda 0]

I learned something here, thanks. But we've been waiting for a long time now for you to post the overdue chapters of Noli Me Tangere.

oops...caught in there kala ko sis wala ng nagbabasa.. ill post it.. like now na..!

Salamat sis!

[mrsartis 10]

Sisses, posted na po NOLI until ending and missing chapters..

Do I hear Reign of GREED???? El filibusterismo? anyone?

one hand raised is enough heheh..

[muñequita linda 0]

Sisses, posted na po NOLI until ending and missing chapters..

Do I hear Reign of GREED???? El filibusterismo? anyone?

one hand raised is enough heheh..

Thanks, mrsartis. Let us finish Noli first before you post El Fili. Maybe El Fili by tomorrow.

[mrsartis 10]

lol sure..