Filipino and English Syntactic Structure: A Reflective Essay
Hazel Joy O. Tagobader
Master of Arts in English Language Teaching
Language Studies in the 21st Century and Beyond
Most Filipinos are quite accustomed to the use of English and Filipino
languages. In the Philippines, Filipino is the national language, while English is the
lingua franca and the second most widely used language. However, learning another
language aside from our native language can be a double-edged sword, especially
regarding word order.
If we were asked what the difference could be between the sentences: "Sumulat
ako ng sanaynay" and "I wrote an essay."? Our answer could be about the difference
in the language used, as the former used Filipino and the latter used English. The
answer is correct, but there is something more. Why is that? In terms of emphasis, the
Filipino language focuses more on the actions given, while the English language
primarily focuses on the subject.
Moreover, the sentence "Sumulat ako ng sanaynay." uses a verb-subject–
object (VSO) pattern, while the sentence "I wrote an essay." uses subject – verb –
object (SVO) pattern. Although Filipino syntax has two types, the 'Karaniwang Ayos,'
which uses a subject–verb–object pattern, and 'Di – karaniwang Ayos,' which uses a
verb-subject object pattern, it is much more common for us, Filipinos, to use the latter
pattern. Indeed, the sentences are semantically identical, but syntactically, they are
not equivalent.
That is why, as a language teacher in the Philippine classroom setting, the
confusion and difficulties of the learners in shifting from one language to another are
quite evident. Learners find it challenging to express their thoughts in English, either
in terms of speaking or in writing, rather than using their native language. Perhaps one
perfect example of this in my classroom is when I ask my students questions. I know
they have answers because they first try to express their ideas or opinions in their
native language. Still, if I encourage them to express their thoughts in English so that
they can practice since our subject is English, they will struggle and, worse, back out
from answering the given questions.
Hazel Joy O. Tagobader
Master of Arts in English Language Teaching
Language Studies in the 21st Century and Beyond
Most Filipinos are quite accustomed to the use of English and Filipino
languages. In the Philippines, Filipino is the national language, while English is the
lingua franca and the second most widely used language. However, learning another
language aside from our native language can be a double-edged sword, especially
regarding word order.
If we were asked what the difference could be between the sentences: "Sumulat
ako ng sanaynay" and "I wrote an essay."? Our answer could be about the difference
in the language used, as the former used Filipino and the latter used English. The
answer is correct, but there is something more. Why is that? In terms of emphasis, the
Filipino language focuses more on the actions given, while the English language
primarily focuses on the subject.
Moreover, the sentence "Sumulat ako ng sanaynay." uses a verb-subject–
object (VSO) pattern, while the sentence "I wrote an essay." uses subject – verb –
object (SVO) pattern. Although Filipino syntax has two types, the 'Karaniwang Ayos,'
which uses a subject–verb–object pattern, and 'Di – karaniwang Ayos,' which uses a
verb-subject object pattern, it is much more common for us, Filipinos, to use the latter
pattern. Indeed, the sentences are semantically identical, but syntactically, they are
not equivalent.
That is why, as a language teacher in the Philippine classroom setting, the
confusion and difficulties of the learners in shifting from one language to another are
quite evident. Learners find it challenging to express their thoughts in English, either
in terms of speaking or in writing, rather than using their native language. Perhaps one
perfect example of this in my classroom is when I ask my students questions. I know
they have answers because they first try to express their ideas or opinions in their
native language. Still, if I encourage them to express their thoughts in English so that
they can practice since our subject is English, they will struggle and, worse, back out
from answering the given questions.
