Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1901 — Language in the Philippines. [ARTICLE]

Language in the Philippines.

It was first reported that Spanish was to be the language of the F.llpino courts for five years, but Judge Taft’s code has been amended on motion of Mr. Ide so that both and English may be used in court proceedings, and the records must be kept in both. This modification was desirable because the language of the government which controls the country should appear in all the official records, but any forcible attempt to make English the lahguage of the people would certainly end in failure and a modification under gentler influences will require years for its accomp hhment. Though the Spaniards were in possession of the Islands for three centuries and more, Spanish had not become the universal language of the natives when the Spanish rule was terminated. There were several different languages and between twenty and thirty different dialects, and many of the people knew no Spanish at all. Time had simply sufficed to make it common near the seats of government.