Introduction

The Philippine English (PhE) language reflects a dynamic interplay between the
Philippines' rich linguistic heritage and England's influence, which traces its roots back
to colonial times. A distinct phonological landscape, which distinguishes Philippines
English from its peers in the world, has developed because of this special fusion.
According to Berowa (2023), varieties of the English language are primarily associated
with speech specifically, it’s distinctive phonological features. Furthermore, according to
Berowa the PhE have been widely documented since 1969 which were primarily based
on the production of the educated Filipinos, and on the accent spectrum or continuum
belongingness of the speaker. One of the defining features of Philippine English
phonology is its accommodation of indigenous languages and regional dialects. This
includes the incorporation of phonetic elements from Philippine languages such as
Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, and others, resulting in a melodic quality and unique
cadence distinct to Philippine English speech.
Nonetheless, the influence of American English brought about by more than 40
years of American colonialism has eliminated a long-term barrier to Philippine English
phonology. The adoption of specific phonetic accents, articulation patterns, and
intonational forms that are evocative of American English are examples of this influence.
Despite these influences, the phonology of Philippine English demonstrates a distinct
set of traits, such as the counting of vowel sounds, the substitution of consonants, and
rhythmical patterns, which distinguish it apart from other varieties of English spoken
across the globe. These nuances capture the nuanced nature of Philippine English,
which is an etymological hybrid derived from an affluent embroidered artwork of social,
verifiable, and interrelated elements.
Objectives
Below are the objectives of the paper.
1. Select one (1) video clip from the internet (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) that
shows PhE production for each of the following speaker communities:
a. Acrolect
b. Mesolect
c. Basilect
2. Observe and note the differences and similarities in the use of English in the
different video clips, in terms of:
a. Segmental features, such as:
i. Vowel sounds
ii. Consonant sounds
b. Suprasegmental features, such as:
i. Stress
ii. Pronunciation, etc.

Methodology
Research Design
The analysis utilized descriptive-qualitative research design to Interpret the
findings within the context of Philippine English phonology. Furthermore, Thematic
Analysis also used to identify the recurring themes or patterns relate to phonological
variations found on the videos.

Data Collection
In collecting the data for the analysis, the researcher chooses videos from
YouTube following the criteria to carefully observe each video clip in a structured format,
noting specific instances of segmental and suprasegmental features observed.
The researcher gathered videos from the internet following the criteria below.
1. Select video clips that feature authentic, unscripted speech from native speakers
of Philippine English.
2. Ensure that the chosen videos represent the diversity of speaker communities in
the Philippines, including Acrolect, Mesolect, and Basilect
3. Choose video clips with clear audio quality, allowing for accurate transcription
and analysis of phonological features.

Data Analysis
In analyzing the data, the researcher, used transcription to accurately capture
pronunciation and intonation patterns; and identified similarities and differences in the
use of English among the Acrolect, Mesolect, and Basilect speaker communities.

Presentation of Data

1. Acrolectal
Brief Discussion: According to Nordquist (2019) an acrolect refers to the variety of a
creole that has no significant difference from Standard English, often spoken by the
most educated speakers; The term acrolect was introduced in the 1960s by William A.
Stewart and later popularized by linguist Derek Bickerton in Dynamics of a Creole
System (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1975).
 v=5sjE0mIxO-c
Image 1
Acrolectal

Transcription:
Over 50 Chinese ships and fishing boats were spotted in the west Philippine Sea on
Monday March 11. In a press conference on Tuesday March 12, armed forces of the
Philippine spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padila says there were seven
China Coast guard vessels, 47 maritime militia and several fishing boats in the west
Philippine Sea as of 4pm on Monday the Chinese vessel were detected in Scarborough
Shoal and Pagasa Island. On the other hand, Padila says there are no significant
sightings in the other features of the West Philippine Sea. Meanwhile the AFP will
conduct rotation and reprovision mission in the first week of April to four outposts in the
West Philippine Sea namely Pagasa Island, Kota Island, Panata Island and Parola
Island. China claims almost the entire South China Sea overlapping the west Philippine
Sea and maintains its presence at various points in the area however, Beijing’s claim
was invalidated by the July 2016 ruling of the permanent court of arbitration.

2. Mesolectal

Brief Discussion: According to Nordquist (2019) the mesolect, on the other hand, has
several distinctive grammatical features such as the dropping of some indefinite articles
and the lack of plural marking on some count nouns. Also, there are several loan words
from other languages.
 https://youtu.be/IvLsBOOEHEM?si=SYl-WIlhKtYA2UyI

Image 2 Mesolectal

Transcription:
Hey guys, Welcome back to my YouTube channel. Today, I just finished work and I
wanted to show you how I get unready after a full day at work after a full day of fort so
one of the things that I really enjoy doing is skin care time I find it very relaxing and I
think most of the girls can relate to that so I'll be showing you step by step the things
that I do before going to bed OK so the first thing that I'll be using is my micellar water
so we'll just split it onto the pads using cotton pads I like to use organic cotton pads that
is large you just like that all over the face and I like to do this before washing my face
just to remove the first layer of the makeup and I feel like my face is cleaner actually I
started using micellar water like last year lang and parang for me easier lang to remove
to do this first before washing so any cotton pads is fine but for me I just like to use the
big ones para sakto siya sa face ko so this one I got from muji so usually and yung
cheeks muna yung inuuna ko and then after that I proceed with ice you see that all the
powder and the dirt and the after micellar water I'll be removing my I make up using
another micellar water but this time with oil so I'm using waterproof mascara and I have
eyes shadow, eye liner and I feel like it's easier to remove it with oil face mask micellar
water so sometimes I use any oil that's fine too kung anong available that is totally fine
as long as it's gentle and it won't hurt your eyes just press it and leave it for 10 seconds
and as you can see lahat ng eyeliner its slowly fading away but admit that it's really
important to use waterproof mascara especially when we're taping of me crying scenes
or every time the may shooting ako and the whole waterproof mascaras keep your
eyes and eyelashes on fleek without that smudge under your eye and then when some
people you see meron na silang mark ng mascara I think that's because the hindi
waterproof mascara so take note of that order proof this guy…………

3. Basilect
 Brief Discussion: According to Nordquist (2023) The basilect has more significant
differences such as copula deletion and do-deletion within direct questions. It is also
characterized using words that are typically considered slang or colloquialisms."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=wvp590KDnuU
Image 3 Basilect
Transcription:
All my ah fellow filipinos now this is my side listen look and listen and learn [insert
laughter]

Analysis

Comparing these three speakers, it is well observed the distinct phonological

differences across the sociolects. While the news reporter maintains formal
pronunciation and vocabulary, the actress introduces a blend of formal and informal
elements in pronunciation and lexicon. On the other hand, the ordinary citizen Filipino
employs informal phonological features and colloquial vocabulary, reflecting a more
relaxed and conversational tone. The pronunciation of “Philippines” while the Acrolect
use the standard pronunciation of the word "Philippine" [ˈfɪ.lɪˌpin] the stress falls under
the first syllable which commonly found on English words for this structure. Meanwhile,
for the basilect the pronunciation of "fellow" as [ˈfɛ.loʊ] includes vowel reduction in the
first syllable and a diphthong [oʊ] in the second syllable, which may vary from the
standard pronunciation. Additionally, the stress is placed on the first syllable, consistent
with English word stress patterns. Both Philippines and Fellow almost follow the same
phonological structure, In "Philippine," the stress falls on the first syllable "Phil-,"
pronounced as [ˈfɪ.lɪ] and in "fellow," the stress also falls on the first syllable "fel-,"
pronounced as [ˈfɛ.loʊ].
Although booth speaker adheres to the same stress patters, the acrolect pronounces
the consonant cluster (/fɪl/), whereas "fellow" starts with a single consonant (/f/) but is
pronounced as (/p/) as in “pellow” This difference reflects variations in phonological
features between the two sociolects, with the Acrolect maintaining more complex
consonant clusters compared to the Basilect. Furthermore, [maɪˈsɛ.lər] water is
continuously brought up by the mesolect, Both "micellar" and "Philippine" include
consonant clusters, with "micellar" containing /sɛl/ in the second syllable and
"Philippine" containing /fɪl/ in the initial syllable. While the stressed vowel sounds differ
between the two words ([ɛ] in "micellar" and [ɪ] in "Philippine"), they both represent
standard English vowel sounds. Also, both "micellar" and "Philippine" exhibit primary
stress on the first syllable. However, in "micellar," the stress falls on the second syllable,
whereas in "Philippine," it falls on the first syllable. Both speakers share some
similarities in their phonological structures, but have differences in stress patterns,
vowel sounds, and their consonant clusters that contribute to their distinct
pronunciations by which the mesolect tends to have a more relaxed and variable
pronunciation compared to the Acrolect, which maintains a more formal and standard
pronunciation.

Conclusion

Examining the phonological differences among various sociolects—namely the Acrolect,

Mesolect, and Basilect provides profound insights into how language, social dynamics,
and individual identity interact. These sociolects not only mirror the linguistic diversity
within a community but also act as indicators of social standing, educational
background, and cultural identity. The Acrolect, with its formal, authoritative language,
reflects institutional situations such as news reporting, where clarity and precision are
essential. On the other hand, the Mesolect is a blend of formality and informality that
uses common language and experiences to appeal to a wide range of listeners. In the
meantime, the casual speech patterns of the Basilect strengthen community links and
cultural linkages by encouraging a sense of inclusivity and unity among speakers.
Through a careful examination of certain phonological instances like "micellar" and
"Philippine," we are able to identify the minute variations in consonant clusters, vowel
sounds, and stress patterns that set these sociolects apart. The diverse language
landscape produced by social, cultural, and historical influences is reflected in the
variances in pronunciation, even though there are certain commonalities in syllable
structure and stress placement.
Understanding these phonological differences enriches our appreciation of linguistic
diversity and challenges the notion of a single language standard. Instead, it highlights
the richness of human expression and the diverse ways in which we communicate.
Moreover, it underscores the importance of embracing linguistic inclusivity and
acknowledging the array of speech varieties within a community. It is by accepting
linguistic diversity that empathy, understanding, and cross-cultural communication are
fostered in today's connected globe. Building a more inclusive and equitable society
where every voice is heard and respected begins with appreciating and respecting the
subtleties of sociolect variance.

Reference:

Berowa, A. (2023). Characterizing philippine english phonology in read and

spontaneous speech styles. Journal of English Education Vol. 9 No. 1, 2023.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30606/jee

Nordquist, R. (2019). Definition and Examples of Acrolects in Language.

Link: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-acrolect-1689057