Re/construing Our World: An Ecolinguistic Perspective on Tagalog Nominal Group Resources

• Main Authors: Martin, James R, Cruz, Priscilla Angela T
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2022
• Subjects: Tagalog grammar; nominal group; systemic functional grammar; functional language typology; ecolinguistics; critical literacy; educational linguistics; Reading to Learn; Education; English Language and Literature
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/english-faculty-pubs/178; https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.2021.2024354
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

This paper focuses on Tagalog nominal groups and the way they are used in a children's picture book narrative. Its purpose is two-fold. On the one hand it presents an analysis of Tagalog nominal group structures, proposing Function Marking, Focus, Specifier, Numerative, Epithet, Deictic, Thing and Qualifier functions. On the other hand it is concerned with the way Tagalog nominal groups are used to construe an environmentalist perspective that could be used to inform critical pedagogic practices in Philippines’ primary schools. Models of teacher/student interaction addressing this challenge are provided and adapted for bilingual/multilingual classrooms – drawing on the evolving teaching/learning cycles of the so-called ‘Sydney School’ of educational linguistics (its development as Reading to Learn pedagogy and curriculum in particular).