Philippine English: A Quantitative Study on Undergraduate Language Students’ Attitude from a Non-Metropolitan Teacher Higher Education Institution

Abstract

This study examined the attitudes of undergraduate language students toward Philippine English (PhE) in a non-metropolitan teacher education institution. Specifically, it explored students’ attitudes across four dimensions—experiences, observations, perspectives, and future recommendations—and assessed their acceptance of selected PhE grammatical and lexical features. A quantitative descriptive survey design was employed, involving 52 Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English students selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale and analyzed using weighted mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that students generally hold favorable attitudes toward Philippine English. Respondents reported regular use of PhE in both academic and everyday contexts and perceived it as widely used within their environment. Students strongly recognized PhE as a legitimate variety of English and associated it with Filipino identity, while also expressing comfort in its use and interest in its inclusion in formal instruction. However, a relatively moderate level of agreement was observed regarding its broader application beyond local or educational contexts. In terms of linguistic features, most PhE grammatical and lexical items were accepted, although respondents demonstrated selectivity by showing lower agreement toward less conventional or highly informal forms. These results suggest that Philippine English is both functionally embedded and socially valued among future educators, while still subject to considerations of appropriateness and context. The study highlights the importance of addressing localized language varieties in teacher education and provides insights into how language attitudes may influence future instructional practices.