Filipinospeaking

Filipino-speaking refers to speakers of Filipino, the national language of the Philippines, and to the use of Filipino as a primary means of communication. Filipino itself is a standardized form of Tagalog with borrowings from many Philippine languages and foreign languages, developed in the 20th century and promoted as the country’s national language alongside English. The term encompasses both native speakers and those who use Filipino as a second language in daily life, education, media, and government.

Filipino is an Austronesian language primarily based on Tagalog but heavily enriched by vocabulary from Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, and other Philippine languages, as well as Spanish and English loanwords. It is regulated by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. In the Philippines, Filipino serves as a lingua franca in urban areas and national discourse, often used together with English in code-switching patterns commonly referred to as Taglish.

Linguistically, Filipino is viewed by some as a standardized form of Tagalog; others regard it as a distinct language with Tagalog as its core. In everyday use, Filipino may vary regionally and socially, with registers ranging from formal to colloquial.

Policy and education: The 1987 Constitution designates Filipino as the national language and English as an official language. Philippine education policies have used Filipino as a medium of instruction or as a subject in varying degrees, complemented by English.

Global presence: Filipino-speaking communities exist abroad, notably in the United States, Canada, and the Middle East, where Filipino and Filipino-English bilingualism maintains cultural and social ties.