Proposed Revitalization Program of the Chabacano Language in Cavite City: a Language Planning Approach
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Proposed Revitalization Program of the Chabacano Language in Cavite City: A Language Planning Approach Christian George Francisco, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas Abstract A several number of language scholars have proved that the existence of Chabacano language in Cavite City is leading to its death. Chabacano has been the language of the people in Cavite City as a product of their wide social interactions with the Spaniards during the 16th century. Escalante (2005) described Chabacano as a slowly becoming a dead language with fast diminishing number of speakers. Romanillos (2006), on the other hand, posed that Chabacano is forcibly pushed towards its gradual decadence due to the superiority of the language used in mass media. Pareja’s research in 2014 posited that Chabacano in Cavite City is an endangered language where language obsolescence approach was employed in the study. The present research will primarily look at how Chabacano language in Cavite City can be revitalized using language planning (LP) approach. Eastman (1971) defines language planning as a decision making that goes into determining what language use is appropriate in a particular speech communities. In addition, LP looks at the possible choices available to a speech community and at possible recommendations of language policy for adoption by that community. The need to revitalize the Chabacano language in Cavite City will help preserve not only the language, but also the cultural heritage of its people so that the next generation Caviteños could have a trace of their roots. This paper shall also yield to various actions and recommendations in relation to political, religious, academic, and cultural components as far as language planning is concerned. It will highlight processes and specific programs that will help revitalize the Chabacano language in Cavite City. Keywords: Chabacano, language planning, language revitalization, Cavite City, sociolinguistics Introduction A several number of language scholars have proved that the existence of Chabacano language in Cavite City is heading towards its death. Language death occurs due to many factors such as low level of loyalty among speakers of the language, people migration, usability and practicality, social status, among others. In the case of Chabacano in Cavite City, Escalante (2005) described Chabacano as a slowly becoming a dead language with fast diminishing number of speakers. Romanillos (2006), on the other hand, posed that Chabacano is forcibly pushed towards its gradual decadence due to the superiority of the language used in mass media. Pangilinan, in his article published in 2009 made mention of “Ito (launching of Dia de Chabacano, a competition participated in by elementary and high school students in Cavite City) ay isang magandang simulain upang lumaganap muli ang ating salitang Chabacano. This connotes vanishing of Chabacano for there is a need to continuous widespread of the said language. While Pareja’s 116 research in 2014 posited that Chabacano in Cavite City is an endangered language where language obsolescence approach was employed in the study. Chabacano has been the language of the people in Cavite City as a product of their wide social interactions with the Spaniards during the early 17th century. From then on, a speech community where mixed languages of Portuguese, Spanish, and Malayan were formed, and later, the local languages have also been comprised (Romanillos, 2006). This linguistic setting gave birth to Chabacano language in the Philippines as one general variety, and has produced several ones in other places of the country specifically in Southern Philippines as widely spoken. Cavite City, considering its topography, may be best described as a strategic place where cultural diversity meets. Its accessibility to Manila and other provinces in the region may have an effect to its people in the power domains of politics, economy, and culture. This paper shall dwell on Chabacano as a dying language and its revitalization processes leading to its preservation employing the principles of language planning. The present research primarily looked at how Chabacano language in Cavite City can be revitalized through language planning (LP). Eastman (1971) defines language planning as a decision making that goes into determining what language use is appropriate in particular speech communities. In addition, LP looks at the possible choices available to a speech community and at possible recommendations of language policy for adoption by that community. The need to revitalize the Chabacano language in Cavite City will help preserve not only the language, but also the cultural heritage of its people so the next generation Caviteños could have a trace of their roots. This paper also centered on various actions and recommendations in relation to political, religious, academic, and cultural components as far as language planning is concerned. It highlighted the processes and specific programs in order to help revitalize the said language in Cavite City. Specifically, this paper covered the following problems: 1. What made Chabacano in Cavite City a dying language? 2. What are the language planning processes that can be employed to revitalize the Chabacano language? Generally, there are various ways to gauge language’s survivability. Williams (1991) in Baker (1993), mentioned environmental attitude to the survival and spread of minority languages: evolutionist, conservationist, and preservationist. In the evolutionist perspective, languages that are strong will survive. This may mean that only those languages with a huge number of speakers will progress and evolve. Moreover, languages that are widely spoken and used in influential domains of education, mass media, politics, business, and others shall reach their highest point of development. Conservationist view, on the other hand, focuses on language maintenance where languages are given special attention for they have symbolic functions in the speech communities. While preservationist view is more conservative by maintaining the language or status quo. 117 Looking at its lens, the Chabacano language in Cavite City can be categorized under the evolutionist perspective. The stronger the language, the higher the chances to survive; and the weaker the language, the higher the chances it could lead to language death. This idea supports the claims of the four scholars who had conducted extensive studies on Chabacano in Cavite City as mentioned in the preliminary part of the study. Chabacano in Cavite City as it becomes weaker may soon lead to its death unless language planning like revitalization program will be employed. Methodology The present study made use of qualitative-descriptive research proposed by Fraenkel and Wallen (2008). This method explains a certain phenomenon that occurs in a subject. In this paper, the researcher explicitly described the current situation of the Chabacano language in Cavite City as a dying language. More so, the language planning processes was also employed to revitalize and preserve the language. Document analysis and interviews with selected locals have also been conducted using purposive sampling technique to validate all the data. Results and discussions There are several factors in which language can be maintained or lost in relation to language shift. Normally, people use a particular language for certain reasons, such as: political call, social norms, and personal and sentimental attachments. The following lists as identified by Conklin and Lourie (1983) in Baker (1993) can gauge the case of Chabacano language in Cavite City: A. Political, Social, and Demographic Factors Factors Encouraging Language Factors Encouraging Language Loss Maintenance Large number of speakers living closely Small number of speakers well dispersed. together. Recent and/or continuing in-migration. Long and stable residence. Close proximity to the homeland and ease of Homeland remote. travel to homeland. Preference to return to homeland with many Low rate of return to homeland and/or little actually returning. intention to return. Homeland language community intact. Homeland language community decaying in vitality. Stability in occupation. Occupational shift, especially from rural to urban areas. Employment available where home language Employment requires use of the majority is spoken daily. language. Low social and economic mobility in main High social and economic mobility in main occupations. occupations. Low level of education to restrict social and High levels of education giving social and economic mobility, but educated and articulate economic mobility. Potential community community leaders loyal to their language leaders are alienated from their language community. community by education. 118 Ethnic group identity rather than identity with Ethnic identity is denied to achieve social and majority language community via nativism, vocational mobility; this is forced by nativism, racism, and ethnic discrimination. racism, and ethnic discrimination. Language loss in the political, social, and demographic factors is evident in the Chabacano language in Cavite City specifically that majority of its native speakers have migrated to the United States and other countries. This happened due to employment and social opportunities offered by the US Government after the naval base has become inactive and deactivated. It is with this that many of them have not returned to their homeland and the language did not also propagate. Said