It's " full-fledged" NOT " "full-pledged" !

               Many Filipinos are guilty of this error . They say                     “ full- pledged”. THIS IS WRONG ! It’s “ full-fledged”.

          “ Fledge ” is a verb  that refers to a stage in a bird's growth.  It  means  to develop feathers  necessary for flying ; or to leave the nest after  acquiring such feathers. A “ fledgling ” , on the other hand , is a young bird that has just learned  how to fly.  

“Full-fledged”  has three figurative definitions .

1.       having attained complete status 

       Paula is now a full-fledged lawyer. ( This is the most common context in which this expression is used. )

2.       total or complete  

       The senator promises to make public a full-fledged report on the abuses of  big  pharmaceutical companies.

3.        full blown  

     We will launch a full-fledged  fund-raising campaign  for disabled war veterans .

          Why do many  Filipinos  make a mistake on this ? It’s due to  overlapping of  contexts.  Most Filipinos  take an oath after passing a government board exam  , and  before practicing their profession. The “oath-taking ceremony ”  is usually a formal occasion that takes place in a grand venue . It’s really a cause for  celebration  for Filipino families. Now , an "oath" is almost synonymous  to a           “ pledge ".  Within this cultural context ,  many Filipinos mistakenly  assume that “ full-pledged” is the correct term. They think it refers to someone who has taken a pledge or oath to his or her  profession. But , again , this is wrong . The word should be “ full-fledged” ---to describe a young  person  who is now ready to practice his or her profession , or who is now capable of independence.