Abstract:

In this essay we map out the development of linguistic research on Tagalog, a major Philippine-type Austronesian language indigenous to the Philippines, by providing a historical overview of studies done on Tagalog. The first part is an overview of the works done as well as the motivations and implications of studying Tagalog during the colonial period. It will also discuss how Tagalog has become the basis for the formation of a national language, an imposed prerequisite for sovereignty shared with other postcolonial Southeast Asian countries in the earlier part of the 20th century. The second part of the essay looks at how Tagalog has led scholars to debate on and challenge theoretical notions, specifically on grammatical categories and subjecthood. This paper ultimately aims to consolidate major Tagalog linguistic studies and to systematically present them as an integrated body of knowledge in order to review what has been accomplished and what possible research directions can be taken in the future.