In the evolving landscape of linguistic studies, The Archive has been a repository of a century of scholarship on Philippine languages, making it a custodian of the discipline’s intellectual heritage, preserving the work of generations of linguists and providing a treasure trove of knowledge that continues to inform and inspire current and future scholars. Starting 13 August 2024 and every Tuesday thereafter, old issues of the journal beginning from 1923 will be made available to the public in a digital format.
A short history of the Journal
The Archive: A Journal Dedicated to the Study of Philippine Languages and Dialects is the official journal of the UP Department of Linguistics. It was established in 1923 by Otto Johns Scheerer (1858-1938), one of the founders and heads of the Department (then named as the Department of Oriental Languages). The journal, with the original title of The Archive: A Collection of Papers Pertaining to Philippine Linguistics, was a collection of papers written by the students of Scheerer considered worthy of wider dissemination. They were distributed in pamphlet form with the aim to incentivize good research among students and to foster scholarship on Philippine languages (Santiago, 2022).
The issues spearheaded by Scheerer ran from 1923-1932. It was then revived in 1970 under its current title. The revival was conceptualized as the main platform for research generated by the Diliman Linguistic Circle, later renamed as the Philippine Linguistics Circle. Three prominent linguists were instrumental in the reestablishment of the journal—Ernesto A. Constantino (1930-2016), Ernesto H. Cubar (1929-2021), and Consuelo J. Paz (1933-2022). They managed the issues from 1970 to 1998. The journal was again revived in 2018 and divided into three categories: the Regular Series which is a peer-reviewed publication for original works dealing primarily, but not exclusively, with Philippine languages and dialects; the Special Publications which is a venue for publishing single, extensive works on the grammars of Philippine languages; and the Classics Series which reprints monumental works in Philippine linguistics that paved the way for further research in the field, and continue to influence current studies on Philippine languages.
A storied legacy
Over the decades, The Archive has published a wealth of papers that have shaped the trajectory of linguistic research. Articles range from synchronic, theoretical, diachronic, and comparative studies with pioneering articles in phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, language documentation and preservation, translation, sociolinguistics, etc. Notably, the journal has been a space where diverse linguistic traditions and perspectives converge, offering a look into the languages and dialects of the Philippines, as well as the issues reflective of the time they were documented.
A digital future for accessibility
As part of its centennial celebration and in anticipation of the next century of linguistic scholarship, The Archive has undertaken the project of making all its issues from 1923 onwards available online.
This digital archive not only preserves the journal’s rich history but also makes it accessible to scholars, students, and language enthusiasts all around the world. This will be an invaluable resource for linguists and researchers, offering insights into the evolution of languages and linguistic thought over the past century. By making these issues readily available, the journal is bridging the gap between past and present, allowing contemporary scholars to build on the foundations laid by their predecessors.
Looking forward: The next 100 years
The Archive is looking forward to the future of linguistic studies while remaining grounded in its commitment to rigorous scholarship. As it enters its second century, the journal will continue to be a venue for the dissemination of research, promotion of linguistic diversity, and a platform for the exchange of ideas. The UP Department of Linguistics aims that from this point forward, publication of the journal will be continuous and that it will remain a depository of Philippine linguistic scholarship into the far future.
References
Santiago, V.C. (2022). One hundred years of scholarship on Philippine linguistic diversity: A brief history of The Archive. The Archive: A Journal Dedicated to the Study of Philippine Languages and Dialects, 3(1-2), 167-174. https://www.journals.upd.edu.ph/…/article/view/9335/8249
The Archive: A Journal Dedicated to the Study of Philippine Languages and Dialects is the official journal of the UP Department of Linguistics. Every Tuesday since 13 August 2024, old issues of the journal beginning from 1923 have been made available to the public in a digital format.
The Archive is currently migrating to its new host website at Saliksik and articles are currently only available by request. Kindly send an email to the editorial team at
Scholars interested in contributing articles to the journal may visit <https://linguistics.upd.edu.ph/…/the-archive-journal/> for additional details or email the Managing Editor at
Published by Divine Angeli Endriga
