Sources of Slang

Loanwords
New meanings of
Tagalog words
Coinages
Numbers

Re-shaping Words

Wordplay
Metathesis
Reduction
Abbreviations
Mix-Mix

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According to R. David Zorc (1993), Filipinos derive their slang words by borrowing from other languages, by giving new meanings to pre-existing words, by coining or creating original forms, or by using numbers as a kind of "in-group" codes. (p. xii)

SOURCES OF SLANG WORDS

Loanwords

The most common place for derivation of Tagalog slang words involves borrowing from different languages through significant changing of meaning or grammar, which renders these words rather unintelligible to native speakers of the language from where the word was borrowed.  The major sources of Tagalog slang words are English (38%), Spanish (17%), Visayan (2%), Chinese (0.6%), Japanese (0.5%), Ilokano (0.1%), Kapampangan (0.1%).  

jas-jas	taken for granted, cheap (from English just)
toxic	loaded with work (from English toxic)
minus one	give someone the finger (from English minus one)
promdi	hick, unsophisticated person (from English from the [province])
basyo	caught in the act (from Spanish vacio, empty)
de kahon	bookish (from Spanish de, of + cajon, box)
kontrabida	villain, bad guy (from Spanish contra, against + vida, life)
pumapel	make advances to; try to please (from Spanish papel, paper)
bayot	homosexual (from Cebuano bayot, homosexual, effeminate)
gurang	old, aged (from Waray gurang, ripe, old, aged)
sibat	scram, split (from Cebuano sibat, leave without permission)
bakya	poor, tacky (from Hokien bak, wood + khiaq, slippers)
buwisit	unlucky, inxed (from Hokien bo, no + ui, clothes + sit, food)
tong	bribe, illegal collection (from Chinese tong, money put up in mahjong)
asoka	yes (from Japanese a soo ka, I see)
dorobo	trouble-maker (from Japanese dorobo, thief)
sayonara	goodbye (from Japanese sayonara, goodbye)
awanti	none, have no "x" (from Ilocano awan, none + ti [case marker])
baset	girl (from Ilocano bassit, little, small)
buldet	anus (from Pampango buldit, buttocks)
utol	brother, sister (from Pampango kaputul, sibling)
yabang	proud, boastful (from Pampango yabang, arrogance)

New Meaning of Tagalog Words

The second area of slang incorporation according to Zorc involves the attribution of new or innovative meaning to a pre-existing Tagalog word.  They are derived from the large collection of inherited vocabulary, but take on a major change in semantics. These innovations of pre-existing Tagalog words comprise about 15% of the Tagalog slang words. (p. xv)

aswang	mother-in-law (from Tagalog for evil spirit)
bawang	fat person (from Tagalog for garlic, based on the shape of a bulb of garlic)
ipis	bum (from Tagalog for cockroach)
luto'	game-fixing or cheating (from Tagalog for cook)
nagladlad ng kapa	showed one's true colors (from Tagalog literal: unfolded the cloak)
pagong	slow (from Tagalog for turtle)
pako'	ugly (from Tagalog for fern)
ube	one hundred pesos (from Tagalog purple yam [based on color of the 100 peso bill])

Coinages

The third area of slang derivation is composed of coined vocabulary (0.5%).  It involves the creation of new words and are hardly recognizable even though they may be based at times on other words.
(p. xv)

harurot	fast, speeding (based on sound of a broken muffler)
palpak	failure or failed attempt (from Tagalog lagpak, fall or fail)
syota	girlfriend, boyfriend (from Tagalog sinta)
tigidig	pimple, zit

Numbers

The last area of slang derivation is based on the use of numbers (0.5%) in various innovative ways. (p. xvi)

4 aces	wake (refers to card game played at wakes)
1-4-3	I love you (based on number of letters in each word of the phrase)
1-4-3-2	I love you too, except 2=too
5-2-5-4	I love you very much (from Tagalog mahal na mahal kita)
6-6-6	bad, evil (from Biblical reference to anti-Christ)
d2	here (from dito, with last syllable made into 2)

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RE-SHAPING WORDS INTO SLANG

There are several ways in which Tagalog slang words are re-shaped, mostly based on the talent of the speakers for inventing words.   Essentially, according to Zorc, words get re-shaped through wordplay, metathesis, reduction, abbreviations, and "mix-mix".

Word Play (31%)

Playing with words basically involves the re-ordering of sounds.  Specifically, this is done through dropping or adding sounds or syllables to the words from any language, which seems to be the most most common.

Examples:

alvarado	wrist watch (from Alba and Rado, which are local brands of wrist watches; and also a movie actor named Max Alvarado)
bayawak	brother-in-law (from Tagalog bayaw = brother-in-law, and Tagalog bayawak = monitor lizard)
bimay	female house help (from Tagalog slang chimay and English be my [girl])

Metathesis (10%)

This process of slang derivation pertains to the switching of sounds within a word, either through inversion of syllables or by a complicated re-arrangement of the letters.  This process can happen to native Tagalog words or borrowed words.

• Syllable switching
  
  astig = tough, unfeeling (from matigas, hard)
  bigtu= water (from Tagalog tubig, water)
  gasti = bum, loafer (from tigas, hard)
  
  
• Full reversal
  
  This involves reading the words backwards:
  
  adarit = woman lover (from Spanish tirada, aimed at)
  adnagam = beautiful (from Tagalog maganda, beautiful)
  atab = girlfriend (from Tagalog bata', child or youngster)
  atik = money (from Tagalog kita, income or profit)

Reduction (9%)

This process involves the shortening or truncation of words.

amboy = American boy (from English Am[erican] + boy)
syano = provincial, hic (from Spanish [provin]ciano)
yosi = cigarette (from Spanish ci[garri]llo, with syllable switching)

Abbreviations or Acronyms (5%)

Most of these words are understood only by an "insider" in a group.  Some of them are brilliant puns on well-known acronyms (like CIA or KGB).

AIDS	suffering from stress due to studies (from Acquired Insanity Due to Studies)
CIA	Imelda Marcos sycophant (from Certified Imelda Admirer)
KGB	closet gay (from Tagalog Kung Gabi Bakla)
PWU	whorehouse (from Tagalog Prostitutes Waiting Upstairs)

 
"Mix-Mix" (5%)

This process involves the blending of two or more languages within a given word, phrase or sentence.

anong say mo	What do you think? (from Tagalog ano, what? + -ng [linker] + English say + Tagalog mo, you)
baw lang	agree (from English bow + Tagalog lang, only or just)
labnat	needing love (from English love + Tagalog lagnat, fever)

 

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Source:
Zorc, R. David and Rachel San Miguel, Tagalog Slang Dictionary. Manila: De La Salle University, 1993.

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