English in the Philippines

Abstract

Abstract Any discussion of English in the context of a national polity, especially a postcolonial one, must have a long historical reach. With English in the Philippines, this means locating its political, ideological, and discursive dimensions within the colonial matrix of American colonialism. English was imposed during the Philippine–American War of 1899–1902; thereafter, English and education served as a core cultural tool for ‘benevolent assimilation’. Thus, the promise of English as a legitimate discourse of aspiration even among the poor is a promise that has not been fulfilled for all. English remains a socioeconomically differentiating language; it is pervasive in most aspects of Philippine life, but the colonial ideologies and practices associated with it endure. The challenge now is how not to deprive Filipinos of opportunities to learn English while, at the same time, leaving them free to commit themselves to demolishing conditions of coloniality which perpetuate its power.