Do Filipinos now prefer to speak English?

Question

I'm from the U.S. and I've been hearing that more and more people from the Philippines are learning English and that it is commonly spoken as a second language. I've also heard that it is common for the youth the speak Taglish (mixing of words and phrases from both Tagalog and English). I also found in somewhat strange at first that Yahoo! Philippines is only offered in English. Do Filipinos now prefer to speak English as their main language, or is it just the language they learn to get ahead in life?

Answer 1

We don't really "prefer" to speak English or learn it to get ahead in life. English has been a part of life in this country for more than 100 years. The educational system of the Philippines was patterned to the US, so it is compulsary to study English as early as kindergarten. Well, you will be amazed to know, that many old people and some ethnic groups speak better English than some young people today. During the American period, studying the language was stricter so even if our grandparents studied until second or third grade they still speak good English.

There have been efforts to use Filipino (Tagalog) in teaching subjects such as science and mathematics but were never successful. We have gotten used to the system of using English as medium of instruction.

So basically, knowing the language is advantageous to us Filipinos especially when going abroad to work or study. And that was just a consequence of English being part of our culture.

However, for everyday life, the native language is widely spoken. However, there are instances or situations that English words are incorporated into sentences, or the sentence would be part English and part Filipino.

Answer 2

Not really. The main reason for having English as a second language is probably because it is required and being taught at school.

For me, I'm trying to use Tagalog in conversations, but no matter what I do, I can't seem to get the grammar right, so I use Taglish instead. Also, I have a hard time pronouncing some of the words.

Many also think that Taglish is more convenient.

Answer 3

We mainly speak either Filipino or Cebuano but since our educational and government system has English as the language of instruction, we treat English as a secondary language. 50 percent of Filipinos can speak English and more or less 80% can understand English. Well, Taglish is called conio here and we discourage that because it is like "murdering" both languages.
Also, some of us work with Americans and other western countries so we use English at work. In my office, we have an English only Policy.

Answer 4

Generally, Filipinos are now leaning towards English, because (1)it is easier, (2)it is what we grow up with and (3)it does have a lot of advantages. As for Taglish, it spoken because (A) it is also easier, (B) it is a great way to learn either language, friends of those who speak in Taglish pick up the habit, and (C) other various reasons.


(1) Some Filipino words are like tongue-twisters, it is harder to say “Nakakapagpabagabag” than “worrisome” (at least, it is for me, anyway).

(A)However, some English words are also harder than the Tagalog one, for example “tastes like” in comparison to “lasang”(Again, it just an opinion, because for some reason I can’t pronounce tastes clearly without becoming annoyed at all the “tsts”).

Ex.
Taglish:
Isn’t it worrisome na lasang panis na ito? *chews* @.@
Eng version:
Isn’t it worrisome that this tastes like it’s spoiled? *chews*

Advantage of Taglish: A person who only understands English or Tagalog would understand roughly half of what you were saying (and might not eat the spoiled food…and would not get poisoned…and would not die...). >:)

(2)For example, in my previous school, we were not allowed to speak in Filipino unless it was Filipino time. English was mandatory throughout the day, although Chinese was preferred in the afternoons. The simplest way to follow this rule would be to speak in English at all times. (B) In the lower grades, we would speak in English and use Tagalog words when we don’t know the English ones.

Since schoolbooks and tests are in English, it is easier to take notes and apply them when they're in English, too. Also, I have no idea what some technical terms such as "perpendicular" is in Tagalog. :)

(3) It is easier to get a job when you can speak in English. The primary reason being that fluency in English widens the range of people you will be able to work with efficiently. Another would be that since most – if not all – schools use English as the primary language, it is a mark of how seriously you take your studies. After all, if you don’t learn English at school after 13 or 14 years(not including college), it’s not likely that you learned much, right?

(C)Some (crazy and misguided) people think that anything foreign is cool, and thus, think that imitating the way foreigners speak would make them cool, too. However, some can’t speak in straight English end up speaking in Taglish. Some end up imitating foreigners who aren’t competent in Tagalog(thus speaking in Taglish). Then, there are also those that like to mock these crazy and misguided people. >:)

Ex. You're so, like, you know..mataray ah! *eyeroll*
(mataray means something like bitchy)

As for me, I like to talk in Filipino, but read and write in English. :)

*sorry don't know how to make this a bullet style answer :)

Answer 5

In my experience, Filipino people will speak Tagalog when among friends, they will speak English when conducting important business on the job. Many learn English in school and when they come to the US have an easier time getting jobs,

Most Filipinos I know will predominantly speak Tagalog. Its not actually a preference its just that most find their first language easier to communicate in.

Answer 6

No not really, I love speaking in Tagalog even though I live here in Australia I love speaking in my own native language with my fellow Filipino. It just happen that we've been colonized by Americans longer than any other nationality.

English language is being taught to us as early as Pre-school, or even before going to school. Also "Tag-Lish" is often use because some Filipino's find it easier/shorter to speak as some Filipino words are longer to say.

I wouldn't say "just the language they learn to get ahead in life" as it kinda sound insulting... Filipino's are smarter than what I think you think... My husband even insists on himself learning Tagalog as well as teaching our son to learn Tagalog...

Answer 7

It depends. My native tongue is filipino, so unless required, I seldom speak da inglish. But what I hate most is taglish... it's the language of the dumb and social climbers trying to speak in english when they CANT, so they end up sounding like an idiot. Like "you know naman eh"... I hate that.

Answer 8

The world prefers to speak english.

Answer 9

i'm from the Philippines......those who prefer to speak English are only those who are smart,rich,and famous. I think.

Answer 10

the correct answer would b of great interest