Origins of Language in the Bible

Study Notes

Theologians believe the origins of language are found in the Bible, specifically in Genesis.
Genesis 2:20 mentions that Adam named all animals, establishing a connection between language and naming.
The Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11:1-9 illustrates that languages diversified when God confused human speech.

Humanity originally spoke one language and sought to build a city with a tower to reach the heavens.
God intervened by confusing their language, leading to the dispersal of people across the Earth.
They used bricks and tar for construction.

Anthropologists suggest human thinking evolved over time, leading to the emergence of sophisticated languages.
Ding Dong Theory: Language originates from natural sounds (e.g., "splash").
Bow-Wow Theory: Language is derived from animal sounds (e.g., "quack").
Pooh-Poo Theory: Language arises from intense feelings (e.g., "ouch").
Ta-Ta Theory: Language develops from hand gestures combined with speech.
Yo-He-Ho Theory: Language is born from communal effort (e.g., lifting heavy objects).

Wave Algorithm Theory by Dr. Henry Otley Beyer claims the first settlers in the Philippines were Negritos, Malays, and Indonesians.
Tabon Cave discoveries in 1962 linked the earliest humans in the Philippines to the local ancestry.
Homonid remains found in the Philippines date back to between 50,000 and 67,000 years ago—specifically, Homo luzonensis.

"Auster" (south wind) and "nesos" (island) indicate Austronesian origins.
Wilheim Solheim II is recognized as the father of archaeology in this context.
Peter Bellwood suggests migration from southern China and Taiwan around 5000 BC.

Indigenous people were labeled as barbaric, uncivilized, and pagan by Spaniards.
The primary goal of the Spanish was to spread Christianity, leading to a suppression of native languages.
Five religious orders established schools to promote the learning of Spanish and local languages.
Instruction in Spanish was mandated, creating a bilingual education system.

Despite efforts, the Spanish language teaching initiatives often failed to take root.
The Doctrina Christiana, written in Spanish, was suggested for education promotion.

The rise of nationalism in the Philippines peaked during the late Spanish period.
Andres Bonifacio established the Katipunan, proposing Tagalog as the official language for governance and expression.
The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato recognized Tagalog, but it didn't declare it a national language.

Following Spanish colonization, American forces introduced English as a dominant language in education.
English was mandated as the medium of instruction across all educational levels.
The 1901 Act No. 74 established English as the language of instruction and resulted in the widespread use of the three R's: reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Following the transition to American rule, recommendations were made to incorporate regional vernaculars alongside English.
The administration encouraged the inclusion of bilingual textbooks, linking various regional languages with English.

Difficulty in communication across regions due to diverse local languages justified the promotion of English.
English was seen as crucial for national unity, cultural growth, and access to global commerce.
Significant expenditures on English education highlighted it as a national priority for coherence in societal communication.

Most Filipino students only achieved up to the fifth grade, making English instruction inefficient.
Instruction in vernaculars was deemed more effective for primary education.
Establishing a common language was necessary to cater to the majority of Filipinos.

Filings for national language establishment occurred, leading to the creation of the National Language Commission on November 13, 1936.
The Commission was tasked with researching the official national language selection process.