Doubts

In the light of day and sobriety, my interest in creating an online Filipino dictionary wanes. There is no doubt that the endeavor would benefit the cause of the Filipino language. But is that a cause worth advancing?

Modern Filipino vocabulary today draws heavily from other languages, such as English and Spanish. Foreign influences have skewed the natural development of our language, and no formal system exists to devise words for modern concepts and objects. When the need arises, a bastardized form of the English word is used (e.g. "telebisyon"for television), but no formal rules govern this, and spelling is often arbitrary. For convenience, many English words aren't translated, and modern Filipino sentences are filled with English words.

To compound matters, globalization has kept a heavy presence of foreign culture in the country. The formation of Filipino, a young language, will definitely be influenced by American English. If new Filipino words will just be taken from the English language, then why not scrap it altogether and just adopt the English language as the country's official language?

Then there is the fact that I'm already fairly adept with the English language. I can already perform complex linguistic acrobatics with English. It would be a shame not to put that skill to good use. If I should study Filipino, I will have to immerse myself in it, and that requires cutting down on English media. Can Filipino language become enriched enough to match the flexibility of English, and is it worth my time to learn it?

Is Filipino still worth saving, or should I just concern myself with other endeavors?

Reference: Filipino language on Wikipedia

Brainstorming: Online Filipino Dictionary

I am interested in creating an online Filipino dictionary that is current, constantly updated, robust, and user friendly. It will contain definitions for all Filipino words, as well as tracking the development of new ones. With Filipino usage and comprehension skills down among students, the dictionary's search must be able to handle mispellings, word variations, and slang terms users are expected to type. Like Google, it must be able to suggest words when mispellings occur. The definitions must have the word etymology, whenever possible, and liberal usage examples. The definitions must be in Filipino. However, it might have to contain the translation and definition in English as well. The user interface will be intuitive and friendly.

What I Need

• I need a parser, which I will feed with books, comic strip dialogue, interviews, conversation records, radio transcripts, TV transcripts, etc. I need to collect materials from those sources.
  
• I need to build a database of words. I will liberally use other existing dictionaries to define words, but when disputes arise, or when the word is new, I might have to provide my own definition. So in the database, I have to keep track of the word usage as well.
• I need software. There may be existing ones, but perhaps I can attempt to start from scratch and program what I need myself. I may have to use MySQL, and PHP. It will be educational. I should check existing tools, software, studies, to see if I can adapt current materials, or at least, learn something.
• I need to study the Filipino language. For the etymology, I may have to study other languages as well. I may have to study languages.

I might have to enroll in a University while I'm undertaking this project. There are benefits. One, I can enroll in a language program and learn Filipino and language in general. Two, I have access to the University's resources. Three, if I keep my load light, I will have lots of free time to work on the project. And four, it will stop relatives from complaining.

That last one is important. Leaving the house regularly to attend University classes prevents the perception that I'm not slacking off. If I undertake this project on my own, it would appear to my relatives that I'm just staying home being useless. Still, the choice of subject of study might raise eyebrows.

As in most traditional Filipino families, my family keeps close ties with our extended family. However, my mother's brothers and sisters they have taken it to an extreme. They constantly meddle in each other's affairs and criticize each other's beliefs, lifestyles, and families. This often leads to angry, shouting arguments. In spite of the arguments, my aunts and uncles still share common values. After all, as siblings, they were raised together in a single household. For example, they believe there are only two phases of man's life: studying and working. If you're not doing either one during any given moment of your existence, then you're wasting your life away. They also have traditional beliefs on what kind of work is respectable. They respect lawyers, but not policemen. They respect doctors, but not teachers. They respect highly paid executives in successful multinational companies, but not volunteers in local non-government organizations. Don't get them started on artists.

My choice to pursue scholarly non-profit studies in language--language! Of all obscure, impractical subjects--will elicit outright vehement objections.

And so, I might also have to pay for my own studies. A grant from the government or some private entity will help, if I am able to create formal project proposal. But really, this is just a personal project.

More tomorrow, when I regain consciousness.