Tagalog language

Baybayin alpha

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Vocabulario de la lengua tagala 1794

Diariong Tagalog

Brgy. Santo Angel No Dumping Sign

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2019-07-08 Tagalog landslide and rockslide-prone sign Limbon Indang Cavite 0671

Tagalog language, known in its native form as Wikang Tagalog, is an Austronesian language that is predominantly spoken in the Philippines. It is the first language of the Tagalog people and serves as the basis of the Filipino language, which is the official language of the Philippines alongside English. Tagalog is spoken by approximately a quarter of the Philippine population as a first language and by the majority as a second language.

History

The history of the Tagalog language is a reflection of the Philippines' history itself, with influences from Malay, Sanskrit, Arabic, Spanish, and American English due to centuries of trade and colonization. The earliest written records of Tagalog are from the 10th century, in the form of the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, which shows the influence of Sanskrit and Malay. The arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century introduced new vocabulary and the Latin script, which eventually led to the creation of the first Tagalog dictionary and grammar books.

Geographic Distribution

Tagalog is primarily spoken in the central and southern parts of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. Major urban areas, including the Metro Manila region, are predominantly Tagalog-speaking regions. Due to internal migration, there are also significant Tagalog-speaking populations in other parts of the country.

Dialects

There are several dialects of Tagalog, including those spoken in Batangas, Bulacan, Rizal, and parts of Quezon. These dialects mainly differ in accent, vocabulary, and some aspects of grammar. The standardized form of Tagalog, known as Filipino, aims to incorporate elements from various Philippine languages and is taught in schools throughout the country.

Phonology

Tagalog has a relatively small set of sounds, with 16 consonants and 5 vowels. Stress and glottal stops play an important role in the language, affecting the meaning of words. The language also utilizes reduplication and affixation extensively to form new words and express various grammatical functions.

Grammar

Tagalog grammar is notable for its use of voice to show the focus of the sentence, which can be on the actor, the object, or the direction of the action. This focus system is a common feature of Philippine languages. Tagalog also uses a complex system of pronouns, with different forms depending on the level of politeness and social context.

Writing System

Historically, Tagalog was written using the Baybayin script, an indigenous Indic script that fell out of use in the 17th century due to Spanish colonization. Today, Tagalog is written in the Latin alphabet, with the addition of the letters Ñ/ñ (from Spanish) and Ng/ng for native sounds.

Cultural Significance

Tagalog plays a crucial role in Philippine culture, serving as a medium for literature, music, film, and television. It is also a vital component of the identity of the Tagalog people and a symbol of pride for Filipinos in general.

See Also

• Filipino language
• Languages of the Philippines
• Austronesian languages
• Philippine literature