LESSON 2

LINGUISTIC RIGHTS AND THE PHILIPPINE LANGUAGE SITUATION

LEARNING GOALS
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. explain the concept of linguistic rights and its significance to society and
individuals;
2. familiarize yourself with language situation in the Philippines; and
3. rationalize the preferred language in the different domains of the country.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

I. ACTIVATE
In the Philippines, nearly 200 languages and dialects are spoken by an estimate of
100 million Filipinos. The language map below taken from Greenberg’s Linguistic
Diversity Index shows the 10 languages that are predominantly used in various
provinces.
For starters, try to create your class’ linguistic diversity chart. Find out from your
classmates the language that they speak and/or understand. Present your data
using the pie chart provided below.

Class' Linguistic Diversity Chart

Legend:

1%
1%
1%
English
33% Filipino
32%
Visayan
Hiligaynon
Porohanon
Baliangaonon
32%

II. ANALYZE

In the previous activity, you have personally observed that diversity is even
present within your class. Such inevitability presupposes that each one of us has
the right to learn and cultivate our own language our own language. This is also
known as one’s linguistics rights.
Phillipson and Skutanabb-Kangs (2017) listed several international covenants
that cover one’s linguistic rights. Read some of those treaties and discuss with your
group mates the questions that follow.
You may access the full article here:
Phillipson, R., & Skutnabb- Kangas, T. (2017). Linguistic human rights, past and
present. Retrieved August 12, 2020, from http://www.tove-skutnabb-
kangas.org/dl/129-1994-308- 2008-2017-Tove-Skutnabb-Kangas-Robert-Philipson-
Linguistic-Human-Rights-Past-Present.pdf

•The Charter of the United Nations (1945) commits its member nations in its
general articles to promoting “universal respect for, and observance of, human
rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race,sex,
language, or religion” (paragraph 6.11,55).

1. What do these international covenants have in common? In one sentence,

what is the key message of these treaties in relation to language, identity, and
minorities? (3 pts)
Answer: The ICCPR focuses on issues such as the right to life, freedom of speech,
religion and voting. The ICESCR focuses on food, education, health and shelter.
Both covenants proclaim these rights for all people and forbid discrimination.

2. How adequate or satisfactory are these covenants in protecting the

individual and collective right to use and cultivate one’s own language? (3 pts)
Answer: Upon reading our rights to use and cultivate one’s own language is very
satisfying for me because the law protect us in using the language that we want to
learn and use in communicating, especially in the used of our studies.

3. In the Philippines, how ate our linguistic rights protected? Does our
Constitution say anything about it? What about the educational policies that you
know? Can you name a policy that you believe protects our linguistic rights? (3 pts)
Answer: The national language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be
further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other
languages. It is critically important to develop language policies that ensure the
access of minority populations to prestigious forms of national standard languages
and literacies while supporting the intergenerational retention of minority
languages, both indigenous and immigrant languages.

III. ABSTRACT
A. Different domains would have its preferred language. For each domain listed, try
to determine whether the language is used as a:
A. primary language;
B. secondary language; or
C. not used.

Work with a partner and prepare for a class discussion. The first domain was used
as an example. (30 pts)
Domain Filipino English Regional
Languages
1. National Secondary Primary Not Used
Government
2. Local Primary Secondary Not Used
Government

3. Education Secondary Primary Not Used

4. Courts Secondary Primary Not Used

5. Business Secondary Primary Not Used

and Offices

6. Religion Primary Secondary Not Used

 7. Marketplace Primary Secondary Not Used

8. Primary Secondary Not Used

Entertainme
nt
9. Literature Secondary Primary Not Used

Seconadry Primary Not Used

10. Press

B. What can be said about the role of English, Filipino, and the regional languages
in the different domain? Do you agree with the date? Why do you think there are
differences in the preferred languages across domains? Provide examples to justify
your answer. (15 pts)
Language profile
Domain Language 1 Language 2 Language 3 Language 4
Home Visayan Filipino English Hiligaynon
School English Filipino Visayan Spanish
Church Visayan English Filipino Latin
Neighborhood Visayan Hiligaynon Filipino English
Local Visayan Filipino English Spanish
Government
Media English Filipino Visayan Korean/Chinese
(TV/Radio)

Answer: The role of English and Filipino are mostly use as primary and secondary
medium of communication in any kind of place and department. As such in regional
language is not used. And upon reviewing the data gathered I slightly not agree
with the regional language wherein it is not used as well. I think there are
differences in the preferred languages across domains it’s because not all domain
is in similar location. There is a point that the domain is belong to the urban and
rural places and also there is domain that belong to the professional people.
Reference:
Ylagan, J. (2021). Language programs and policies in multilingual societies module. Eulogio
Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology. Retrieved from
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/eulogio-amang-rodriguez-institute-of-science-
and-technology/living-in-the-it-era/book-of-language-programs-and-policies-in-
multilingual-societies-autosaved-autosaved/21836633