Southeast AsiaSoutheast AsiaLanguage ShiftsLanguage Shifts

Stylistic Shifts in the English of Stylistic Shifts in the English of the Philippine print mediathe Philippine print media

A Little More About A Little More About PhilippinePhilippine

Population: 84 MillionsPopulation: 84 Millions 95.5 % of them are aboriginals95.5 % of them are aboriginals 1.5 % of them are Chinese, Arabians, and 1.5 % of them are Chinese, Arabians, and

IndiansIndians

Arab, Dutch, Spain, United States, Arab, Dutch, Spain, United States, and Japan colonized and Japan colonized

Research QuestionResearch Question

Stylistic shifts in the Philippine Stylistic shifts in the Philippine printed mediaprinted media

Shifts in different types of journalistic Shifts in different types of journalistic writingwriting

– Formal verse InformalFormal verse Informal Shifts in Philippine EnglishShifts in Philippine English

MethodologyMethodology

Sources:Sources: 14 daily newspapers14 daily newspapers From 23 December 1986 to 22 January 1987From 23 December 1986 to 22 January 1987 Foreign-authored news stories, articles releasForeign-authored news stories, articles releas

es from agencies and the articles appearing abes from agencies and the articles appearing abroad road

Procedure:Procedure: Using Joos’ five-point scale: intimate, casualUsing Joos’ five-point scale: intimate, casual

, consultative, formal and frozen, consultative, formal and frozen Speaker intuition of Philippine English and knSpeaker intuition of Philippine English and kn

owledge about different styles of English literaowledge about different styles of English literature and mass mediature and mass media

ResultResult

Types of Philippine English:Types of Philippine English: FormulaicFormulaic Formal 1, Formal 2Formal 1, Formal 2 Friendly 1, Friendly 2Friendly 1, Friendly 2

Types of shift:Types of shift: Formulaic to formal 1, Friendly 1 and Friendly 2Formulaic to formal 1, Friendly 1 and Friendly 2 Formal 1 to Formal 2, Friendly 1 and Friendly 2Formal 1 to Formal 2, Friendly 1 and Friendly 2 Formal 2 to Formal 1, Friendly 1 and Friendly 2 Formal 2 to Formal 1, Friendly 1 and Friendly 2

and Formulaicand Formulaic Friendly 1 to Formal 1, Formal 2 and Friendly 2Friendly 1 to Formal 1, Formal 2 and Friendly 2 Friendly 2 to Formal 1Friendly 2 to Formal 1

Formulaic Formulaic Example Example

News StoryNews Story

Manila, January 12. An Air Force light plane Manila, January 12. An Air Force light plane carrying 12 people crashed into the Sulu Sea carrying 12 people crashed into the Sulu Sea Saturday evening after developing engine Saturday evening after developing engine trouble, leaving two dead and five missing, trouble, leaving two dead and five missing, authorities said yesterday. Five others were authorities said yesterday. Five others were rescued.rescued.

Characteristics: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW.

Formal 1Formal 1

The negotiators have agreed to adopt the Diokno plan, which asks

the negotiators to concentrate on ‘food and freedom, jobs, and justice’.

The plan, formulated by Jose W. Diokno, one of our great thinkers, from

his sick bed, assumes a Filipino solution.

What is implied in a Filipino solution? Many things. For example,

it implies a government that abjures tyranny and abides by the rule of law.

Well-written classical essay using the standard principles of rhetoric. Latinate

Editorial

Formal 2 Formal 2 Feature ArticleFeature Article

The Daily Express is screaming bloody murder all tThe Daily Express is screaming bloody murder all the way to its inky grave. Since the PCGG ladled out he way to its inky grave. Since the PCGG ladled out a death sentence to the daily just after the New Yeaa death sentence to the daily just after the New Year, scheduling its closure for the end of January, the r, scheduling its closure for the end of January, the publication has puffed itself to its full twelve pages publication has puffed itself to its full twelve pages to invoke the name of press freedom it its bid to suto invoke the name of press freedom it its bid to survive.rvive.

Less classical in structure, using Latinate vocabulary and the jargon

Friendly 1 Friendly 1 ColumnColumn

Hawaiian resident Ferdinand Marcos denies that hHawaiian resident Ferdinand Marcos denies that he secretly owns five properties in New York. He is rie secretly owns five properties in New York. He is right – he actually owns eight properties.ght – he actually owns eight properties.

Different in tone, with simple monosyllabic- Different in tone, with simple monosyllabic-

disyllabic vocabulary, establish closer soci disyllabic vocabulary, establish closer social relationsal relations

Friendly 2 Friendly 2 Letters to the Letters to the EditorEditor

Dear Editor, Dear Editor, That’s Entertainment is the most popular TV shoThat’s Entertainment is the most popular TV show there days to young people like me who, whenevw there days to young people like me who, whenever we see a young showbiz personality in person, eer we see a young showbiz personality in person, experience a sort of beatific vision.xperience a sort of beatific vision.

Best exemplified by gossip columns, entertainment and advertisements.

Styles (according to cline of distance between speaker and

interlocutor) Friendly 1 Friendly 2 Formal 1 Formal 2 Frozen

Lexical

Phrasal

Clausal

Sentential

Paragraph

Types of possible stylistic shiftsTypes of possible stylistic shifts

Formulaic Formal 1 Formal 2 Friendly 1 Friendly 2

Formulaic

Formal 1

Formal 2

Friendly 1

Friendly 2

Style Shifts

Overall Frequency of Overall Frequency of Shift TypeShift Type

Friendly 1 to Formal 2 (39.8%)Friendly 1 to Formal 2 (39.8%) Friendly 1 to Formal 1 (18.4%)Friendly 1 to Formal 1 (18.4%) Formal 2 to Friendly 2 (18%)Formal 2 to Friendly 2 (18%)

The majority of shifts were from a Friendly style to a Formal style

Shift types frequency in Shift types frequency in the journalistic writingthe journalistic writing

Features (1.94 shifts per article)Features (1.94 shifts per article) Columns (1.79)Columns (1.79) Letters to the Editor (0.68)Letters to the Editor (0.68) News stories (0.20)News stories (0.20) Advertisements (0.08)Advertisements (0.08) Captions (0.07)Captions (0.07)

Average of occurrences Average of occurrences of shifts per sentence of shifts per sentence

News stories 0.27News stories 0.27features 0.17features 0.17Columns 0.11Columns 0.11

By grammatical levelBy grammatical level

The most frequent occurrence of The most frequent occurrence of style shift is:style shift is:

At the lexical level (75 %)At the lexical level (75 %)

At the phrasal level (12.55 %)At the phrasal level (12.55 %)

At the clausal level (0.75 %) At the clausal level (0.75 %)

Variation in Variation in MalaysianMalaysian English English

The Pragmatics of The Pragmatics of languages in contactlanguages in contact

The development of The development of English in MalaysiaEnglish in Malaysia

British colonisation (18th century- British colonisation (18th century- mid 20th)mid 20th)

Established SchoolsEstablished Schools English was first taughtEnglish was first taught

Time of independenceTime of independence Malay as the sole official languageMalay as the sole official language English–medium schoolsEnglish–medium schools

Malay-medium schoolsMalay-medium schools

Variation in educated Variation in educated Malaysian EnglishMalaysian English

Less exposure to EnglishLess exposure to English

++

Fewer occasions to use itFewer occasions to use it

||||

English must be decliningEnglish must be declininge.g.

For example, when the first time I came here, I did not have enough vocabularies……

Standard English: lexical Standard English: lexical borrowingsborrowings

Using Malay to fill the lexical gapsUsing Malay to fill the lexical gaps

The residents will repair the roof on a The residents will repair the roof on a gotong-gotong-ryoongryoong basis.basis.

A form of communal cooperationA form of communal cooperation

‘‘I have often been criticized by my friends for I have often been criticized by my friends for easily bowing down to apologize, but I will easily bowing down to apologize, but I will always do so – it is required by both our always do so – it is required by both our religion andreligion and adat adat.’.’

A body of traditional lawA body of traditional law

Standard English: lexical Standard English: lexical borrowingsborrowings

Banner WordsBanner Words

Well, with the video craze in full swing, I believe Well, with the video craze in full swing, I believe RTM (Radio and Television Malaysia) just has to RTM (Radio and Television Malaysia) just has to loosen its belt and start investing wisely in local loosen its belt and start investing wisely in local programmes to attract viewers. This new path programmes to attract viewers. This new path might just prove its savior.might just prove its savior. Mjulah Malaysia!Mjulah Malaysia!

Let’s advance Malaysia!Let’s advance Malaysia!

Banner Words: Banner Words: buriputera/ non-buriputeraburiputera/ non-buriputerason of the soil, refers to people son of the soil, refers to people

considered (not) indigenous to considered (not) indigenous to MalaysiaMalaysia

e.g.e.g. The special issue of 12.85 million shares to The special issue of 12.85 million shares to BumiBumi

puteraputera investors approved by the Trade and Indust investors approved by the Trade and Industry Ministry at $1.40 per share is to increase ry Ministry at $1.40 per share is to increase BumipuBumiputera tera shareholders to about 20 percent of the enlargshareholders to about 20 percent of the enlarged capital.ed capital.

Standard English: lexical Standard English: lexical borrowingsborrowings

Colloquial English: code-mixing Colloquial English: code-mixing and code-switchingand code-switching

Bila says bilangBila says bilang . . . DARLING I LOVE YOU! . . . DARLING I LOVE YOU! Tapi Tapi dia jawab dia jawab OH, SHUT UP YOU! Somebody told me OH, SHUT UP YOU! Somebody told me dia ada lain perempuandia ada lain perempuan. .

I said DARLING I LOVE YOU! But she answered OH, I said DARLING I LOVE YOU! But she answered OH,

SHUT UP YOU! Somebody told me you have anothSHUT UP YOU! Somebody told me you have another woman.er woman.

Colloquial English: code-mixing Colloquial English: code-mixing and code-switchingand code-switching

I am trying to study, I am trying to study, tapi tak bolehtapi tak boleh.. (but I can’t)(but I can’t)Charleston is so boring Charleston is so boring kalau you tak adakalau you tak ada.. (when you’re not here)(when you’re not here)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shah: Shah: Apa you tengok tu?Apa you tengok tu? (What are you watching?) (What are you watching?)Zainal: ‘Airwolf’.Zainal: ‘Airwolf’.Shah: Ah, Shah: Ah, sudahsudah (It’s over) . . . News in five minutes . . (It’s over) . . . News in five minutes . .

News News sekarang?sekarang? (now) Oh, I’m sorry. See, in (now) Oh, I’m sorry. See, in Texas it’s different. Uh, prime time starts at Texas it’s different. Uh, prime time starts at seven.seven.

Social and linguistic Social and linguistic constraints on variation constraints on variation

in the use of two grammatical in the use of two grammatical variables in Singapore Englishvariables in Singapore English

Population: 4 MillionsPopulation: 4 Millions 77% of them are Chinese77% of them are Chinese 14% are Malaysians14% are Malaysians 7% are Indians7% are Indians 1% are Europeans1% are Europeans

Trading center (1819)Trading center (1819) Official Languages: English, Chinese Official Languages: English, Chinese

(Mandarin), Malay and Tamil.(Mandarin), Malay and Tamil.

A Little More about A Little More about SingaporeSingapore

Chinese-medium schoolsChinese-medium schools

English-medium schoolsEnglish-medium schools

Chinese (Mandarin), Malay, and Chinese (Mandarin), Malay, and Tamil are second languages.Tamil are second languages.

Does Singapore English shift or not? Does Singapore English shift or not?

Singapore EnglishSingapore English

Indefinite and Definite ArticlesIndefinite and Definite Articles

My pren’ have (a) flat in Geylang.My pren’ have (a) flat in Geylang. You see (the) green shop house over t’ere?You see (the) green shop house over t’ere?

BE as copula and auxiliaryBE as copula and auxiliary Preceding a clausePreceding a clause After a clauseAfter a clause After a pronoun other than After a pronoun other than I, heI, he, or , or sheshe

e.g.e.g.Dat is what dey are trying to do.Dat is what dey are trying to do.

We work here is not bad lah.We work here is not bad lah.‘‘Working here isn’t bad at all.’Working here isn’t bad at all.’

We waiting for de flight to come in.We waiting for de flight to come in.

Third Person Singular Present Tense Third Person Singular Present Tense and Noun Pluraland Noun Plural

Noun plural marking rate Noun plural marking rate > > third person third person singular markingsingular marking

In Chinese and Malay, plural is not In Chinese and Malay, plural is not marked in the noun and verbs.marked in the noun and verbs.

Past Tense MarkingPast Tense Marking

Consonant + / d, t / e.g. Consonant + / d, t / e.g. pass, work (3.9 %)pass, work (3.9 %) Vowel + / d / e.g. Vowel + / d / e.g. try, play try, play (36.2 %)(36.2 %) Consonant + / d / e.g. Consonant + / d / e.g. startstarteded, want, wanted ed (40.6 (40.6

%)%) Vowel change e.g. Vowel change e.g. break – broke, come – break – broke, come –

came came (57.3%)(57.3%)