Filipino: A dynamic, evolving language

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor

MANILA -- With the rise of technological advancements in the country, more and more
students today have a hard time using Filipino language in oral and written communication
because the vernacular seems impractical to use in discussions pertaining to modern
education and lifestyle.

“Mas madali sa akin ang pag-unawa ng English dahil mas madalas itong nagagamit kahit
saan kumpara sa ibang Filipino words, hindi ko po maunawaan ang malalim na salitang
Filipino. Halimbawa po ang conference room sa Filipino tagop na hindi naman po gaano
nagagamit (It is easier for me to understand English because it is used everywhere compared
to some Filipino words, I cannot understand deep Filipino words. For example, conference
room. The Filipino translation tagop is not usually used),” Jogie Mae Tiago told the
Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.

Tiago, a grade 12 student at President Corazon C. Aquino High School, prefers to use English
when communicating and learning most of the subjects in school because English words are
shorter making them easier to pronounce and spell.

Citing her observation about the Filipino language being unpopular among students, Bagong
Pag-asa Senior High School teacher Joreza Sayon said this could be attributed to the lack of
application of most Filipino words.

“Ang wika po ay dynamic, nagbabago ito kasabay ng panahon. Ang mga salitang Filipino ay
namamatay dahil walang application. Hindi nagagamit dahil sa colonial mentality at
globalization. Maraming wika ang nagkukumpitensya pagdating sa halaga ng kanilang gamit
kaya naiiwan ang wikang Filipino natin dahil walang application. Paano ito lalaban kung
makikita mo sa (Language is dynamic, it changes with the times. Filipino words die because
they lack application. It’s not used due to colonial mentality and globalization. Many
languages are competing in terms of value and usage that’s why our Filipino language is left
behind and unable to compete because in the) media there’s English, Mandarin or Korean
language,” she added.

Sentro ng Wikang Filipino director Rommel Rodriguez said Filipino language is a lot easier
to learn, understand and use because it is the language rooted in history and identity as
Filipinos.
“Akala lang ng mga kabataan ngayon mahirap ang wikang Filipino dahil nakatuon ang pansin
nila sa mga malalalim na salita lamang. Dapat nilang maunawaan mas madali ang pagsasalita
at pagsusulat sa Filipino dahil araw-araw natin itong ginagamit, nasa diwa natin ito (The
youth simply assumes that the Filipino language is difficult because they’re focused on the
deep words. They must understand that speaking and writing in Filipino is easier since we use
it daily, it is in our consciousness),” he said.

Rodriguez stressed that Filipino is a very useful language in modern times because of its wide
scope – covering different types of communication in society.

“Umuunlad ang wika natin ngayon bilang pagtalima na rin sa ating Konstitusyon at ang
akademiya ay tumutulong sa pag-unlad nito sa produksyon, pananaliksik at malikhaing tala.
Kahit ang paglaganap ng Tag-lish ay sinyales ng pag-unlad nito dahil conceptual ito at bukas
ito sa ibang wika (Our language is developing today in observance of our Constitution’s
mandates and the academe helping in its development in production, research and creative
data. Even the spread of Tag-lish is a sign of its development because it is conceptual and it is
open to other languages),” he said.

Rodriguez said the development of the Filipino language is unrecognized especially by the
young people who lack proper awareness.

“Iyan ang pop-culture, usaping kultural na malaki ang tungkulin ng media sa paghubog ng
kamalayan ng kabataan at dapat maliwangan ang mass media kung paano ang wastong
paggamit ng wikang Filipino (That is pop-culture, a cultural issue where media has a big
responsibility in shaping the awareness of the youth and the mass media must be enlightened
about the correct use of Filipino language),” he said.

Rodriguez added that the rampant use of social media also affects the youth’s perception of
the Filipino language.

Nonetheless, he does not condemn social media use as it will continue to be part of the
society.
“Maganda pa rin na magamit ang social media sa kapaki-pakinabang na paraan. May ibang
manunulat na naglalagay ng kanilang mga tula at maikling kwento, short essay sa Facebook
at nagiging mas madali ang (It is better that social media used in a worthwhile manner. There
are writers who post their poems and short stories, short essay on Facebook and it is easier
for) dissemination,” he said.

As the Filipino language continues to develop and evolve, Rodriguez noted that flip top, rap
and spoken words are recognized as valid forms of the language.

Labeled as the modern Balagatasan, these forms showcase the youth’s creativity in
expressing their emotions, opinions and thoughts in the vernacular.

“Ang usapin na lang marahil ay kung gaano kalalim ang kanilang usapin. Puro murahan at
laitan lang ba sila? Dapat kung mababaw ang usapin, dapat lumalim din ito. Mayroon dapat
social relevance ang kanilang flip top o spoken words gaya ni BLKD at Juan Miguel Severo
(The issue here would be the depth of their discussions. Are they all about cursing and
criticizing? If they're shallow discussions, they should deepen. Their flip top or spoken words
must have social relevance like BLKD at Juan Miguel Severo)," he said.

All these are pieces of evidence that the vernacular is useful in the learning and
communication - be it in a creative or practical manner - between Filipino youths of today,
Rodriguez added.

"Ang hamon ngayon sa mga guro ay kung paano ma-integrate ang rap and spoken words, pati
ang social media, sa pedagogy o paraan ng pagtuturo ng panitikan, pananaliksik at
komunikasyon ng wikang Filipino (The challenge to the teachers now is how they'll integrate
rap and spoken words also social media in the pedagogy or style of teaching grammar,
research and communication of Filipino language)," he said. (PNA)