Influences On Language
Scholars generally disagree on the genetic origin of the "original" Filipino people, if there is any one dominant progenitor. For centuries there have been migrations from Asia, the Middle East, all the nearby Island countries, and Europe (primarily the Spanish) who have all given something genetically and etymologically to the Philippines. Over 170 dialects are recognized, but Tagalog, which is not spoken by the majority of the population, is an official language and is the dialect most recognized in the area of the capital, Manila, often referred to as Metro Manila. English is an official language, and rudimentary use of English is often more successful for communication among far-flung peoples in the Philippines than any one dialect including Tagalog. The primary reasons for the prominence of English throughout the culture is the relationship with the USA since World War II and the fact that television reaches across the country and broadcasts are sent in a mix of Tagalog and English.
The Tagalog language is considered one of the Austronesian languages, borrowing heavily from the Philippines geographical neighbors but also from Spanish, due to the Spanish colonization of the previous three centuries, adapting such terms as "Kamusta" as a greeting, taken from the Spanish "Cómo está", and also from Polynesian dialects and Cantonese. Familial greetings tend to be borrowed from Cantonese.
Read more about this topic: Philippine Kinship
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