The Evolution of Filipino Orthography: Embracing a Modern and Inclusive Language

For decades, the Filipino language has been a subject of debate among linguists and scholars. With the goal of modernizing and expanding its experience, our eight-letter 'posse' has set out to achieve three objectives: to include all other native languages in the development and enrichment process, unify the language by introducing standardized orthography for Filipino and native Philippine languages, and enable the language to grow faster by reflecting modern experiences.

One of the key steps in achieving these goals is the inclusion of additional letters that will allow the language to borrow from international languages, adopt technical words, and acknowledge proper nouns such as family names like Zuñiga, Gonzalez, Villar, Salazar, Filipinas, and Vasquez. This evolutionary leap in Filipino orthography has a vision for the national language to develop from Tagalog by incorporating entries from the country's other native languages.

The inclusion of letters F, J, V, and Z specifically honors and recognizes naturally-occurring sounds in our other Philippine languages that were previously unaccounted for in the Tagalog abakada. For instance, words like safot (spider web) in Ibaloy, masjid and jambangan (mosque and plant respectively) in Tausug and Mëranaw, vakul (grass headdress) in Ivatan, and zigattu (east) in Ibanag demonstrate the need for these additional letters.

The eight 'telltale' letters that have been introduced are C, F, J, Ñ, Q, V, X, and Z. These letters not only reflect modern experiences but also acknowledge the importance of recognizing the diversity of languages and cultures within our country. By embracing this evolution, we hope to avoid being like the individual in the song whose feet are too big for his head, for whom nothing seems to fit, and who will never stop the rain by complaining.

In conclusion, the modernization of Filipino orthography is a necessary step towards unifying our language and acknowledging its diversity. By embracing this evolution, we can ensure that our national language continues to grow and develop, reflecting our country's rich cultural heritage.

Alphabet abakada