Filipino Dictionary Primer: Tagalog Idioms as Snapshots of Filipino Culture
The words and phrases you will find here are rare expressions you would encounter on a Filipino dictionary. Contrary to the belief that your own language has more expressions than anyone's language, we would say that each language is unique.
If you want a philosophical proof of the preceding statement, we would gladly give you one. The proof lies in the fact that there are different languages that express similar concepts. Since a single concept can be expressed in different words and tongues, this means that the grammatical, semantic and pragmatic aspects of language inhere in something that is more universal than the particular languages itself. This universal form is something which linguistic researchers are trying to define. We will leave that to them and not attempt to do it here.
Ok, ok, ok! We do not want to sound like philosophers here. There can be philosophical notions on language but we are more interested in the fun part of language. We are about to present funny idioms which are still used nowadays although much of the usage has declined, owing to the fact of the evolution of newer idioms and expressions, especially among the youth.
A great wealth of idioms can be found in Filipino literature. However, to understand Filipino literature, like any other literature for that matter, one must understand the language of the particular literary work. If you have no time to learn Filipino, it would be fine to learn a few words or some expressions. If you want to impress other Filipinos, then you may want to learn the idioms.
We first start with the difference between Tagalog and Filipino. The Filipino dictionary is almost similar to Tagalog but involves plenty of borrowings from foreign languages (especially Spanish and English) and other indigenous languages. Filipino is the official national language of the Philippines. Tagalog, like Cebuano and Ilocano, is an indigenous language, widely used in Tagalog regions in Luzon, among of them Palawan, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), and the National Capital Region. To finally remove the confusion between Tagalog and Filipino, just remember that Filipino is Tagalog plus other adapted words from other languages.
Tagalog idioms is a study in diversity. Some expressions are rough translations of idioms in English. The expressions "iron fist", for example, finds a literal equivalent in the Tagalog "kamay na bakal". Some terms borrowed overseas undergo changes to suit the local tongue, or are played around with, as when someone refers to the United States as Tate. Filipino terms "kudeta" (coup d' etat), and "burgis" (bourgeois) are other examples.
But what can really tickle the tongue as well as the mind are those terms and expressions that can only be understood if they are taken in the context of Philippine society. Expressions such as "kinukulili ang tenga" won't be understood by someone who doesn't know what kulili is (it's the black, burnt stuff found under old cooking pans) even if a word-by-word translation is made.
The terms and expressions listed here and their meanings, as well as the majority of what this writer has laid out in the introduction, is taken from an introduction by Thelma B. Kintanar to a dictionary of Filipino idioms, and from parts of a copy of that same Filipino dictionary.
Enjoy. "bahala na" - this translates to "Let things happen," or "Leave it to chance." Bahala na is derived from Bathala, the Filipino term for God or a powerful deity, hence the expression is often used to proclaim a desire to leave things to a higher power. "bakya crowd" - this term refers to a group of poor, unsophisticated people. The term is most often used when people refer to themselves for self-deprecatory humor. "basag ang pula" - literally, "(an egg) with its yolk broken." The term refers to people who are disoriented, as when someone is too stunned to be spoken to. "binukayong oo" - bukayo is a native desert known for its long shelf life, and oo is the Filipino word for yes. The term, therefore, is a way of calling a girl's assent after a long courtship. buruhin ang sarili - an expression which means to remain single. It literally means to put oneself in a pickled or a fermented solution. The expression is usually related to the expression nabagoong, bagoong being a sauce made from salted fish or shrimp left to ferment. Nabagoong refers to someone who has found a dead-end in a job, or more generally, someone who has been marooned in a position. "buhay alamang (paglukso patay)" - this refers to a short, difficult life, especially of the poor. The alamang is a tiny shrimp that dies as soon as it leaps out of the water. "butiking Pasay" - refers to someone who is remarkably scrawny (butiki is Filipino for house lizard). Pasay is a city in the National Capital Region, but it is not clear as to why it is used in the expression. "isang bakol ang mukha" - bakol is an open, four-cornered basket, and the expression is used to describe a scowling face, which resembles a bakol "kalatog-pinggan" - literally, the clattering of platters, and is used to call someone who is always on the prowl for parties to gatecrash, etc., as if the sound of those dishes beckons him to do so. In festivities in rural Philippines, it is very difficult to keep track of who of those in attendance are the invited ones, or who of them only sneaked in. "lagyan ng gripo ang tagiliran" - literally, to put a faucet in one's side. The expression means "to stab someone." "ligaw Intsik" - literally, courtship Chinese style. Apparently, Filipinos regard visits at noon or early afternoon, usually with gifts, as a style of wooing peculiar to Chinese people. "Mang Pandoy" - Mang Pandoy is the name of a farmer who once appeared in television shows to tell people about his plight, hence the term is used to refer to the Philippine poor, especially the urban poor "mukhang Biyernes-santo" - refers to someone who looks grave, or utterly destitute. Biyernes-santo is Good Friday, and the term uses the grief associated with the death of Jesus Christ. It is very indicative of the Catholicism of most Filipinos. Another expression indicative of the religiosity of some Filipinos is naghugas kamay, which means, to free oneself of guilt by making an excuse. It refers to the washing of hands done by Pontius Pilate during Christ's trial. "palay na ang lumalapit sa manok" - literally, the grain is already the one chasing the hen. Perhaps indicative of the predominantly agricultural economy, the expression is used to describe a girl who is taking the initiative in courtship.
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