The Philippines is a hospitable country where several cultures are intertwined. For a long time, it was occupied by Spain, then during the Second World War, American troops placed their military bases here. The foreign invasion has affected modern culture, but not so much as to significantly change it. The Filipinos have fully preserved their traditions, morals, and principles, which help this country to be the leader of the Pacific region in the fields of economy and trade. The Philippines also has weight and respect on the world stage and is actively involved in international politics. The reason for the success of this country is the steady support of values that have been formed over many centuries. This paper aims to analyze how the Tagalog language reflects cultural values using the information obtained from an interview with Susana, the native speaker.
The Philippines has a rather unusual language policy, as at least 40 Austronesian languages are generally recognized here, including Tagalog and Filipino, and English is widely spoken. Diversity in the linguistic environment, however, does not affect the culture of the Philippines, which is rather integral and common to all residents of the state. This integrity distinguishes Filipinos from other countries in the Pacific region, which are more diverse.
About 181 languages are spoken in the Philippines, of which 131 are considered official languages, including Filipino and English. The Tagalog language is the most widely used in the country’s daily life since a quarter of the population are its native speakers. Many Filipinos speak three languages, the language of their people, Filipino and English, but in this culture, there is no disdain for the languages of smaller groups of the population, and all languages are treated with equal respect. Tagalog language, as it were, represents other languages of the Austronesian group in the sense that this language is national and conveys the ethnographic features of the Philippine culture. There are many words in Tagalog that are derived from Spanish due to the long occupation of the country by Spain.
An interview with a native speaker of the Tagalog language makes it quick and easy to get at least a superficial understanding of the country’s culture and its culture-specific beliefs, attitudes, and values. From the interview with Susana, I learned a lot about Tagalog culture and traditions. There is an interesting practice of giving names to babies in Tagalog culture. Usually, the fathers choose the name with the help of godparents and in-laws. Due to the wider influence of Spanish in the Philippines, names like Jose, Pablo, Victor, and Ramon are widespread boys’ names. Nicknames are also sometimes used when the long names are shortened for easier saying.
Children are sometimes named after family members, mainly grandparents. The described traditions reflect the generally trusting and respectful attitude towards family members, which also manifests itself more broadly in Filipino culture. The Tagalog language has particularly nice terms to address different family members. It seems that the loving and gentle nature of this culture is contained in its words and the clear, stable, and eloquent sounds that constitute the words. Susana shared some of these words: “Kuya – older brother, Ate – older sister, Lola – grandma, Lolo – grandad, Pinsan – cousins, Tito – uncle, Tita – aunty, Nanay – Mum, Tatay – Dad”. The phonetics of these words differ greatly from English phonetics in a way that is more characteristic of Eurasian languages.
Susana noted that many popular names have biblical references, “as the Philippines is a very catholic country, mainly because of the influence of the Spanish”. Interestingly, Susana also said that her name comes from the Bible. She recalls: “My father used to read Bible a lot and he had planned on becoming a priest when he was younger before he met my mother.” Susana also gave examples of respectful terms for older people in Tagalog: “Po” is a respectful term for older people, and “Mano Po” is a nonverbal action of respect to older ones, similar to greeting the pope. These terms give the general picture of how Filipinos respect the older ones and how this respect is accompanied by love, sympathy, and compassion.
Modesty, introspection, and introspection are also characteristic of Filipinos, as is the ability to control negative emotions. Notably, the culture of apology in the Philippines is different from that of English-speaking countries. Susan notes that the ways of apologizing include “humbling oneself and keeping quiet.” She adds that “non-monetary gifts are also involved, usually food, such as desserts, which is very popular in the Philippines.” Interestingly, Susan also says that the expression “Pau manhin” is used to say “excuse me” rather than “I’m sorry.” And the word “Ayoko” means “I don’t like it” and is a way of refusing. Given the above, Filipino culture has a tradition of maintaining a calm and polite relationship during times of conflict. This calmness and moderation quite specifically describe the national character of the Filipinos. Probably, such qualities have become the reason for the stable emotionality and good mood of Filipinos and are the distinctive national features of the language speakers.
A positive attitude towards life can also be seen in the traditions of hospitality. Filipino hospitality is what tourists usually marvel at when visiting the country. Visitors to cafes and restaurants may be surprised that the customer is treated like a guest and not like a king, which is more typical for the service industry in Western countries. If locals visit the home of their friends or acquaintances, they can expect a warm welcome and attentive treatment, as the tradition of hospitality is one of the core values in Filipino culture. To invite someone over, people use phrases like “Halika na kayo sa bahay para mag mirienda,” which means “come over to share some food or drink”. Always acting with respect is considered appropriate behavior because if one practices it, he or she will receive it.
Susan says that a respectful attitude usually does not change with social status. Older and younger people are usually respectful, disregarding social position or merits. Nonetheless, language taboos can be used in daily life, for example, “putang ina mo” is a common expression in Tagalog, which means “your mother is a whore”, but is used not to offend a person, but rather to express anger or display. Nor less important, just like in the case with other cultures, literate translation from English to Tagalog and vice versa may lead to misunderstanding and sound like benign or great offense when there were no such intentions. In other words, Filipino culture accepts the use of jargon and foul language to express an emotional attitude, just like other languages. In addition, in the Tagalog language, taboo expressions are used in the same way as other terms, since they are spoken and perceived metaphorically, not literally.
Proverbs are one prominent part of the Tagalog language, which is a reflection of the long tradition of Filipino culture. Susan describes the Filipino culture as “very superstitious and rich with myths, legends, and stories that have been passed down generations and taught us to live certain ways”. She shared several bright proverbs like: “kung pukulin ka ng bato, tinapy ang ignti mo” – “if someone throws stones at you, then throw back bread”, and “nasa diyos and awa, nasa tao ang gawa” – “to be merciful is god’s, while to act is mans”.
There are other proverbs that share the old wisdom of Filipino traditions: “Ang taong walang kibo, nasa loob ang kulo” – “a quiet person hides his anger,” and “ang palay ay parisan, habang nagkakalaman ay lalong nagpugpugay” – “be like a rice stalk, the more grains it bears, the lower it bows.” These proverbs demonstrate the richness of Philippine cultural values and worldly wisdom. It is noteworthy that the influence of the Biblical commandments is visible in the presented proverbs. In other words, the spread of the Catholic faith has probably had a significant impact on Filipino culture that may be underestimated compared to the influence of American culture.
Silence is also an important element of Filipino culture and can be practiced as a sign of humility or as a way to keep anger in check. Susan notes that Filipinos are often silent, “especially women, they won’t speak when they are annoyed at someone, particularly their partners.” Silence may also be kept at religious catholic ceremonies as a sign of respect. Highly likely, the practice of silence is another essential element of Filipino culture. Silence can be practiced as a way of apologizing, or as a way to contain anger, but the unifying feature for all the circumstances of this practice is the intention behind it. In particular, silence is practiced as a sign of respect for people, regardless of the context and circumstances. In other words, even silence used to contain anger still implies humility and respect.
Filipino culture also uses a special non-verbal language to convey emotions and moods. “Pointing with lips, lots of facial expressions, lots of high fives, and our non-verbal actions were inspired by the Americans when they set up the base in the Philippines during the war,” says Susan. Non-verbal speech is part of the general language culture. For example, facial expressions or gestures can complement spoken language to enhance the effect of the original message.
Thus, the ways in which the Tagalog language reflects cultural values were analyzed. The information was obtained from an interview with Susana, the native speaker. In the Tagalog language, there are several basic ways in which cultural values are expressed. Firstly, the name-giving tradition is very descriptive and comprehensively reflects the common relationships between family members. Then, the Spanish occupation and the imposition of the Catholic faith led to the widespread use of biblical names among Filipinos. The practice of silence as a way of apologizing or reconciling aggression is also an integral part of Filipino culture, as are non-verbal symbols. Most of the practices described in the report create a comprehensive and comprehensive understanding of the traditions and morals of Tagalog native speakers.