Discovering the language
Language belonging to the Austronesian language family, Tagalog was decreed the national language of the Philippines in 1937 and called filipino then pilipino in 1961 (hence the three names for the same national language: tagalog, filipino and pilipino). It is spoken by around ninety million people in the archipelago (as a mother tongue or second language learned at school in addition to English), and has an abundant literature in which all genres are represented.
Studying Filipino at Inalco
Curriculum
Filipino has been taught at Inalco, within the Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, since 1965. No other place in Europe offers Philippine Studies taught at undergraduate level with a comprehensive curriculum: languages, literature, history, geography, ethnology, linguistics.
Training objectives
The new "Languages, Literatures and Civilization of Southeast Asia" undergraduate degree in filipino-tagalog aims to acquire language skills, complemented by a solid knowledge of the cultures of the area concerned, in their historical and contemporary dimensions. Mastery of the chosen language, both written and oral, is paramount.
At the end of a three-year course, the graduate:
- has acquired the linguistic means and cultural knowledge necessary for prolonged immersion in the countries whose language he or she is studying;
- can exchange, orally or in writing, with his or her interlocutors, professional or otherwise;
The student intending to do research (master's or doctorate) is able to:
- collect, analyse and exploit the main types of data and documentation;
- carry out field surveys;
As part of undergraduate studies, students acquire in-depth knowledge of Southeast Asian societies through various disciplinary fields, and tackle the major issues facing the region. Finally, they become familiar with the methodological and disciplinary tools required for certain professional practices and for further study at Master's level, to which the bachelor's degree opens by right.
