EDITORIAL - Linggo ng Wika

A common language unifies a nation and is an important element in shaping national identity. Promoting the widespread use of Filipino as a national language, however, continues to be a major challenge in an archipelago where dozens of dialects are spoken.

Among the biggest hurdles is regional pride, with people in several areas refusing to have Tagalog as the basis for the national language. In these areas, residents would rather speak English and transliterate English words in their conversations instead of speaking Filipino.

For students used to Filipino slang, learning formal or traditional Filipino can also be daunting. Those in charge of promoting the national language must tap both traditional tools such as comic books and new communication technology if they want to see the widespread use of formal Filipino.

Because English, even in various forms, is widely spoken in this country, many Filipinos find it easier to transliterate English words rather than come up with Filipino terms for new products and ideas. Language experts will have to decide which transliterations can be included in the official Filipino vocabulary.

Promoting the proper use of the national language can help develop real bilingualism among Filipinos. The predilection for mixing Filipino and English words in oral and written communication is leading to deterioration in proficiency in both languages. The practice is reinforced by television and movie personalities. These days, language problems have been aggravated by text messaging.

Every nation needs its own language. Asia’s advanced economies take pride in their own languages even as they push their citizens to learn English, the lingua franca of the globalized economy. Linggo ng Wika and Buwan ng Wika, the special week and month dedicated to the Philippines’ national language, should spur more programs to promote the widespread use of Filipino. The national language will enhance rather than kill dialects and should help improve proficiency in foreign tongues.