I'm a regular reader of the online editions of Philippine newspapers, including Manila Times and Malaya. This week's focus (at least to me) was the Ping Lacson vs. Jinggoy Estrada showdown in the Senate. In both Manila Times and Malaya, the reporters called their exposes and counter-exposes "privilege speech." Shouldn't it be "privileged speech"?
Jonathan
Grammatically speaking, the correct term should be “privileged speech,” where “privileged” (with the “d”) is an adjective that means “not subject to the usual rules or penalties because of some special circumstance; especially not subject to disclosure in a court of law <a
privileged communication>” (
Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary). The usage without the “d” in “privilege” is, of course, the norm for the term “parliamentary privilege” (also “absolute privilege”), which grants protection to legislators from civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislature.
In the Philippines, however, the term “privilege speech” (without the “d” in “privilege”) has gained wider currency particularly in the reportage of Philippine newspapers and broadcast media outlets. This is most likely because this spelling of the term has been enshrined
in the “Term of Office and Privileges” of the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines, which I quote below (italicizations mine):
“5. Scope of Privilege Speech:“Personal and Collective“A question of privilege consists of a question affecting the rights of the Senate collectively or of its members individually including its privileges, reputation, conduct, decorum, dignity and integrity of proceedings.
“A Senator may rise to a question of personal privilege at any time, but he cannot interrupt or take another Senator from the floor for that purpose without the latter’s consent. However, the reading of the Journal cannot be interrupted by a question of personal privilege neither can a question of privilege be raised when there is no quorum or when the roll is being called.
“Under this provision, a member of the Senate may raise a question of privilege by a statement or remark on the floor and if sustained by the Chair, the member is entitled to speak.
“After the
privilege speech of a Senator, another member was recognized on a question of personal privilege to clarify certain matters in which he participated and which was left out in the
privilege speech of the former.
“A member rose to speak on a question of personal privilege as his name was linked in a news item which was considered as a malicious publication.”
I must acknowledge therefore that the Philippine mass media’s usage of “privilege speech” without the “d” in “privilege” simply reflects—whether grammatically right or wrong—the grammatical choice of the Philippine Senate itself.
