Open AccessWhy is Spanish not used as an interlanguage in the Phillipines?
Author(s) -
Félix Manuel Jiménez Lobo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
język, komunikacja, informacja
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1896-9585
DOI - 10.14746/jki.2017.12.6
Subject(s) - interlanguage , creole language , empire , colonialism , context (archaeology) , history , linguistics , period (music) , colonial period , power (physics) , geography , ancient history , art , archaeology , philosophy , aesthetics , physics , quantum mechanics
This article examines the reasons for the disappearance of Spanish as an interlanguage in the Philippines (both as an official language and as a means of communication between speakers of different languages) after the change of colonial power at the end of the 19th century. First, the author explains the geographic, ethno-linguistic and historical context of the country, summarizes the evolution of Spanish in the Philippines from the beginning of the Spanish colonial period until the present day with special attention being given to the appearance of the creole Chavacano, and presents the traditional explanations for the disappearance of the language. Later he compares the evolution of Spanish in the Philippines with other former Spanish colonies. He concludes that Spanish disappeared through a combination of unique historical circumstances which did not occur in other territories of the former Spanish Empire.