Tagalog

Tagalog is an Austronesian language. It is one of two official languages of the Philippines.The word Tagalog is derived from tagailog. tagá- means “native of” and ílog means "river". Thus, the whole word means "river dweller". It is native to the central and southern area of the Philippines. It has different dialects that are spoken in various provinces in the Philippines, like Batangas, Lubang, Manila, Tanay-Paete, and Tayabas. Most of the lexicons of Tagalog  come from a common group of Malayo-Polynesian root words.Nonetheless, the language has been influenced by other cultures so it has many loanwords and some of them are borrowed from Sanskrit, South India Dravidian, Arabic, and Chinese.Moreover, 400 years of contact between Spanish and Tagalog  has contributed to the significant amount of Spanish loanwords in Tagalog. However, its syntax remains unchanged.English has borrowed some words from Tagalog. Here are some of the examples.

ylang-ylang	a type of flower known for its fragrance
abaca	a type of hemp fiber made from a plant
manila hemp	a light brown cardboard material used for folders and paper
capiz	also known as window oyster, a material used for making windows

Let’s test your knowledge on Tagalog!

1.      Where is the word Departamento (meaning department) derived from?

A.    Chamorro

B.    Spanish

C.    Malay

2.      What is the meaning of websayt?

A.    Web browser

B.    Webber

C.    Website

3.      What is the meaning of keyk?

A.    Key

B.    Cake

C.    Coke 

Answers

1.      B

2.      C

3.      B

Reference:Potowski, K. (2010). Language diversity in the USA. New York: Cambridge University Press.