EL ESPAÑOL EN FILIPINAS charts the vicissitudes of the beginning with the traumatic rupture with the traumatic rupture in Spain in 1898. The text also explores the development of Hispano-Filipino culture from the late nineteenth century through the American occupation, the Spanish Civil War, and World War lI, events that drastically impacted Spanish-speaking communities. Tragically, these historical developments transformed the leading language of the late nineteenth-century illustrados, early nationalists, and the clase directora (ruling class) into a language of a minority. The narrative not only highlights the efflorescent Hispano-Filipino literary tradition but also delves into the performing arts during a time when Spanish-language theater, radio shows, musical concerts, and public oratory were prevalent. This tumultuous and fascinating history is intertwined with the great vision and struggles of the Academia Filipina de la Lengua Española to uphold and give luster to a language associated with five hundred years of Philippine history and culture. Shorn of postcolonial nostalgia, the book tackles with honesty the role and future of the Spanish language and Hispano-Filipino culture in the twenty-first-century Philippines.

L 20
W 2
H 26
Pages: 272
Copyright 2025
Vibal Foundation Inc.