BUWAN NG (MGA) WIKA: The Philippines’ Multilingual Nature
In the Philippines, August is filled with festivities to celebrate the national language. You’ll see banners hung in schoolyards, special commercials aired in TV and radio stations, and people dressing up in Filipiñana and barong (national costumes for females and males). Schools, government offices, and other similar institutions organize activities ranging from speech and writing […]
Tongues & Causes: Role of Languages in Cultural Heritage
There is an estimated 6,000 languages spoken around the globe according to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Some of these are actively being used, some are data-deficient, and some are endangered and, sadly, extinct. In fact, almost 43% or about 2,343 languages are not in the safe list composed of 75% endangered and 25% […]
Filipinos and the English Language
Languages are passports to another world. With it, you get to create instant connections. In the Philippines, upon landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, one of the questions you will first hear is: “Sir/Ma’am, taxi?” From these two words, connections are already made. Welcoming thousands of tourists every day is no easy task. Thankfully, […]
