Abstract:

This paper reflects a small set of problems drawn from a 1999 conference concerned with endangerment to Chabacano and held at the Ateneo de Zamboanga, which meetings the author was privileged to attend. Metalinguistic interest there included attention to the Zamboangueño lexicon with respect to origins and orthography. Interest was tilted to the Spanish component away from Philippine sources. Selected difficulties which result are discussed with respect to possible impact on preservation. Concerns raised by contemporary contact with Tagalog have led to proposals for schooling treatment, but questions both unsettled and even not yet addressed about who speaks Zamboangueño and about how Zamboangueño works suggest a need for more descriptive and analytic work. Voice (passive? ergative?) and verb serialization are two exemplifications beyond phonology and orthography of areas needing study. The paper ends with a question about Western history in the labelling of Zamboangueño as Chabacano.

Author: Michael L. Forman