This study presents, then, the first Tagalog texts in phonetic transcription and the first scientific analysis of the structure of the language[2]. Although the nature of the problem forbade the use of any material other than that obtained from Mr. Santiago, I have examined all the treatises on Tagalog accessible to me. No experience could show more clearly than the reading of these books the necessity of linguistic and especially phonetic training for anyone who wishes to describe a language. Not one of the works in the following list[3] contains an intelligible description of the pronunciation of Tagalog. The only general work of scientific value is the excellent second volume of P. Serrano Laktaw’s dictionary. Much as one may admire the pioneer courage of Totanes and the originality of Minguella, these venerable men were as little able to describe a language as one untrained in botany is to describe a plant. Among the authors of monographs are several good names and one or two of the greatest in our science: nearly all of these authors mention the difficulty under which they labored for want of an adequate description of the language.
[1] An English translation by Charles Derbyshire was published in 1912 by the Philippine Education Company in Manila and the World Book Company in New York, under the title “[The Social Cancer]”. [↑]
[2] The entire syntax and much of the morphology, especially whatever relates to the accent-shifts in word-formation, will be found to be new. I have of course refrained from any and all historical surmises beyond the indication of unassimilated loan-words. The system of transcription used is, with a few deviations, that of the International Phonetic Association. [↑]
[3] They were accessible to me chiefly through the courtesy of the Newberry Library in Chicago. [↑]
LIST OF BOOKS AND ARTICLES CONSULTED
Alter, F. C., Über die tagalische Sprache. Wien 1803.
Blake, F. R., Contributions to comparative Philippine Grammar. (Journal of the American Oriental Society, vols. 27, 28, 29, 30).
Brandstetter, R., Tagalen und Madagassen, Luzern 1902. (= his Malayo-polynesiche Forschungen, ser. 2, no. 2).