Language Use and Language Attitudes: The Case of Cavite Chavacano

The present study examines domain-specific language use and language attitudes among the remaining speakers of Cavite Chavacano. Under the UNESCO framework for assessing language vitality, Cavite Chavacano is severely endangered in terms of intergenerational transmission and critically endangered regarding its proportion of speakers (Lesho & Sippola, 2013). Language attitudes shape linguistic behaviors, including patterns of language use and transmission, which are critical for language maintenance. This research examines: (1) the relational roles and frequency of language use within family and public domains, and (2) the language attitudes of remaining speakers toward Cavite Chavacano. Through a direct approach, questionnaire data were analyzed quantitatively to assess speakers’ mean frequencies of language use and attitudes. Findings reveal that parental-aged speakers exhibit a notable decline in use, especially within familial contexts. Conversely, grandparental-aged and elderly speakers regard Cavite Chavacano as an integral marker of Caviteño identity and support its inclusion in education. Despite positive attitudes, the frequency of use is decreasing across domains, particularly public ones, driven by broader sociocultural trends favoring dominant languages, namely, Tagalog and English, highlighting the need for developing targeted strategies to address endangerment.