The Impact of Swardspeak Language to Fil PDF

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The Impact of Swardspeak Language to Fil...

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University of Mindanao Tagum College English 9 (Introduction of Linguisic) 1st term- S.Y. 2014-2015 The Impact of Swardspeak Language to Filipino Sociolinguistic

Chelton Candle Rey C. Sangga 09100127652 BSED-English

ABSTRACT

Growing up into a society that socially accepts gays and other members of the LGBT, children grow accustomed to the gay language and mostly involve it in their daily lives. Gays have been a great subject to social discrimination, taunts, ridicules and mockery. One of the ways the discriminated gays thought of was to come up with a code that only they will understand in order to hide from the prying eyes and ears of the society they move in. But because of the everyday and frequent use of the code in parlors, sidewalks, comedy bars and other places where gays frequently hang out. Today’s modern generation, many youth are engaged in different languages. Some of us have experienced being near to a group of gays who were talking in quite a different language and you were surprised that you could understand some of the words they were saying. That language is what we called gay lingo but in 1970s, it is Swardspeak. Here in the Philippines, they called the term, "Swardspeak" or "Gay Lingo". Nowadays it is one of the most prominent kinds of language that most of the youth rather people engaged to. It consists of mainly Filipino language, but also uses elements of English, Spanish and other Asian or foreign words (especially Japanese), gays make uses of words that are derived from other words and try to make the words colorful and enticingly comical. It is also their way of speaking and their own mannerisms that make it different to those of the females. Because of the spread of Swardspeak, many Filipino try to engange them and makes use of it.

The freedom of the gay language allows it to be a good subject for a study on the grammaticall rules involved with this because the language is free from the dictates of the society. The language’s continuous update on words that also constantly reaches the masses that are exposed to the language. Gay language is also an influence not only to the youth but also to adults.

INTRODUCTION In the Philippine s, the gay community has their own unique slang called swardspeak. It is the “gay lingo” derived from English and Tagalog (one of the languages spoken in the Republic of the Philippines) as well as other languages and dialects in the Philippines, such as Cebuano, Waray, Bicolano and also the “bekimon” is a colloquial word for "gay") took off from the growing popularity of the jejemon subculture, which refers to those who deliberately exaggerate ordinary words by adding or subtracting letters, or by using a mixture of upper-case and lowercase letters, in written communication.. These dialects are rich sources of several words and phrases that the gay community in the Philippines incorporated in their own dynamic language. The word “sward,” which is defined in the dictionary as turf, is a Filipino slang meaning a male homosexual. Swardspeak as it is more popularly known in the Philippines also incorporates words from Spanish and Japanese. Names of celebrities and politicians, both local and international, plus trademark brands are used in this homosexual slang. Names, brand names, words and phrases are all given new meanings in swardspeak Most gay slang, gay lingo, gay speak or gay languages arose as a form of anti-languages. Anti- languages are usually developed by marginalized communities as a secret language. Under an oppressive society where homosexuals and their lifestyle are often looked down upon, a need for a language understood only by them and perhaps by individuals friendly to the gay community, was necessary. Since 1960’s where an evolution of the Filipino language sprouted called Taglish or TagalogEnglish where one of its steady sources has been gay language, which has generated so many words and idioms that have been inserted in the mainstream of the everyday Taglish. As the gays started to be accepted by the society, the language grew gradually adding more and more terms from different sources. Gay language has also influenced the way the society converses and is empowering the gays more, giving them an identity and a trademark. As this language continues gradual evolution and acquiring more words, more and more rules also come along. Gay language has now paved its way from the streets and parlors to classrooms, offices and even media. Gay language is today a widely known language where words are frequently used in the everyday conversations. The language has become a trend that the society adapts to the changes and new words casually, like how we use newly accepted words in the English language. Gay language is not spoken only

by the gays nowadays but also straight men and women. There may be numerous reasons why even though the language is not taught to us, we easily adapt and learn the use of the words. The language is powerful enough to even television shows, radio programs and interviews sometimes use the words from the gay language. Lots of queer studies have been done abroad. But in the Philippines there are a few studies considering the Philippines has a variety of language involving queer studies but exists as a language, not just texts that imply homosexuality. The language has also been mentioned in international studies but few studies are conducted by the Filipinos.

SUBJECT AND RESEARCH LOCALE The research aims to gather the influences of Swardspeak, Gaylingo or Bekimon adapted by the mainstream language like English, Filipino and Cebuano. This study was able to determine categories of impacts of Swardspeak through: Media Radio Programs Internet Text Messaging Books Significance of the Study This research study was conducted to determine the various ways the gay language form home and community. Learn more about the gay language, the use of words and their origins and what social activities did give it more influincual. This study aims to benefit the following groups: Speakers of the gay language: This study will benefit the speakers by allowing them to know impact of their own slang and provide a formal information on the gay language. Language Students and Professionals: This study allows the language students and professionals to partake information that may be utilized upon studying other varieties of language. A more indepth study of a language that the common people speak. History of Gay Language in the Philippines According to Remoto (2008), since 1960’s Taglish reached the masses, many gay words have been inserted and spoken by common people. In 1970s, gay language has even become a mediator among the languages in the Philippines. Gay words of the 1970s still exist, but are

continuously updated – in beauty parlors and offices, universities and streets, media and boutiques. When 1980’s came, the gays started to use names of people in show business and entertainment, geography and the sciences, media and politics, culture and the arts. Definition of the Gay Language Casabal (2008) defined “Gayspeak” or gay language as a form of sublimation of gay people against the domineering power of patriarchy and since then, has successfully penetrated the society. Gay language is composed mostly of terms derived from existing terminologies from other language and as well as the native language of the speaker, but though the language uses existing terminologies; it is not the language that determines the definition of the terms, but the speaker. This semantic principle is very prominent in the gay language because it uses words that are part of a mainstream language and then applies it metaphorically giving it a streak of connotative definition. (Casabal, 2008; Lunzaga, Bendulo, Felisilda, 2012; Saguitan, 2005). Murphy Red, in his article Gayspeak in the Nineties, as cited by Suguitan in A Semantic Look at Feminine Sex and Gender terms in Philippine Gay Lingo, gives a background on this vibrant language in the Philippines:

The centuries-old bigotry against homosexuals…exiled [them] away fromthe mainstream. On the margins gays saw, though only through rose-tinted glasses,a semblance of freedom in terms of self-expression. Even in their language, thegays observed no rules at all. Thus blossomed a language that some gay activistseven found to be an effective code in front of the “enemies. (p. 41)

Linguists have classified gay lingo as a sociolect or a social dialect. A sociolect, to be defined, is a variation of language based on the speaker’s social status. It has a lot to do with socioeconomic standing- rich or poor, professional or amateur, age, ethnic group, religion, and of course, gender. A sociolect must be based on agreed context of usage. Because of this definition, gay lingo is considered a sociolect. It is actually used by gays and for their sphere of influence only, meaning it is exclusive. There was no intention of letting non- gays use it because it is argot, or a secret language, a code made by gays and for gays. However, it had slowly been introduced in the mainstream and is generally used today (Languagelinks n.d.).

Gay lingo is also associated with certain variations of Tagalog or sociolects. Examples of these are Englog, Taglish, Carabao English and Coño English, rampantly used also by

Filipinos.“Chiswisang Backlush” (gay slang) actually has a lot of this Carabao English (and Carabao Spanish)…and just as chiswisang backlush develops partly in response to discrimination, a way of poking fun at society, Carabao English deliberately twists, even mangles English words’ pronunciations and meanings, a way of saying, hey, how how the carabao, my English is carabao but I’m not ashamed of it, just as I am not ashamed of my social status (A11).

It really has no specific formula to come up with such gay word. The most important about this is the delivery and expression—that is the feminization of speech. That is the reason why gay lingo is far better said than it is written.

As we have said earlier in this paper, gays are constantly ridiculed and mocked and even isolated before. In this part, we are going to discuss how gays and their language have been increasingly accepted in public though there are those contrary to it.

Isagani Cruz, in his much debated column in a The Philippine Daily Inquirer entitled “Don we now our gay apparel” , stated the fine line of how gays were treated before and how they are appreciated now in public:

Homosexuals before were mocked and derided, but now they are regarded with new-found respect and, in many cases, even treated as celebrities. Only recently, the more impressionable among our people wildly welcomed a group of entertainers whose main proud advertisement was that they were “queer.” It seems that the present society has developed a new sense of values that have rejected our religious people’s traditional ideas of propriety and morality on the pretext of being “modern “and “broad-minded.” (A10).

Gays also reasoned out that because of this kind of treatment they received before, they created their own language. According to them, it is their own way of enabling themselves of resisting the dominant masculine culture therefore freeing them from cultural assimilation(Wikipedia).

A lot has happened since the gay community in the Philippines felt the need to fight against a homophobic culture. Because of the use of gay lingo in print, film, television, and radio, this formerly marginalized sector has found acceptance (Suguitan, 1). Red even says that “the faggotification of television gave homosexuals (and gay lingo) a good chance at re-penetrating (andmenacingly for the minions of patriarchy, re-dominating) the mainstream culture (42).”

Given that description, media is really a constant source of information since then. As it wasstated above, television appearances and radio guesting’s gave them a big break to introduce the

language they have by injecting it to their interviews and even creating novelty songs with gay lingoin it. Its charisma and appeal made viewers and listeners love it.

The most common use of gay lingo in media is the showbiz slang (Santos). An example of this is the talk show Startalk in GMA 7 which has a segment entitled “Da Who”. The segment hosts,though proven straight guys and girls, pepper their blind items about celebrities and politicians withso many gay terms and words. Other television shows also inject gay terms like “bonggang- bongga”,“chuva”, “chenes”, “kemerloo”, “ek- ek” and many more in their conversations especially when it is a gag show like Bubble Gang wherein Michael V and Ogie Alcasid, their mainstay artists, act as gays.

Local shows have their share of “siyoke” [gay men], including actors like the one rejected by a beautiful wife in favor of a more masculine if less handsome partner. And, of course, there are lady-like directors who are probably the reason why every movie and TV drama must have the off-color“ bading” [gay] or two to cheapen the proceedings (Cruz, A10).

Radio programs especially FM stations also use gay lingo. The radio station where DJ’s Chris Tsuper and Nicolliala hosts have always used gay lingo. In their radio segment entitled “Tambalang Balasubas and Balahura” they give pieces of advice to their listeners through the use of gay lingo.

The internet is no excuse for the sudden expansion of gay lingo. Since we are in the information age, the internet served as a bridge to learn more about gay lingo. Internet forums, threads, blogs and chats use this language. Some gays and pro- gays created their own websites just to showcase this colorful tongue and to tell its readers about how gay lingo came about.

Text messaging was also a tool to expand gay lingo. It is because most of us Filipinos own a cell phone unit and use it every day to contact our friends and other people. Through text messaging, many use the gay lingo as a form of informal communication while some send jokes about gays, making them more acceptable in our society.

Aside from the media, the academe was also infiltrated with the gay culture included in which is the gay lingo.

Traditional books use gay lingo or gays as the primary concept. An example of this is the newly edited dictionary compiled by the UP College of Arts and Letters which includes gay terms and the fictional comic book “Zsa zsa Zaturnah” written by Carlo Caparas. It is a story of a gay working in a parlor that was turned into a superhero (ine). Because of its acclaimed fame to readers,it was decided to be turned into a theatrical musical play and eventually a movie which both adaptations favored a good response from viewers (Santos).

Conclusion Gay lingo is one of our inherent rich languages and therefore it is also a part of our culture right now. No matter how many people oppose it, gay lingo has really been stuck in the daily routine of speaking. We may not know it, but we are continually using the language of gays as we speak

we actually added color and fun in our ordinary conversations and in a way had boosted the morale of our fellow Filipinos when it comes to speaking. How? As we have said, gay lingo is a portmanteau of Taglish and Carabao English; in a way people started asserting themselves in speaking in English through gay lingo even though they know that it is grammatically wrong. It has been a way of poking fun at the society, being proud of your social status and eventually breaking the barrier of communication between the peoples.

Gay lingo truly mirrors and reinforces the culture of freedom. It is the freedom to expandour Filipino vocabulary, the freedom to express yourself in a more creative and wittier way and thefreedom from dictation given by the society. It does not encourage hedonism as other conservatives would believe. As we could see the status of gay lingo now, it is now in the mainstream of Filipinocommunication and consciousness and shows no signs of fading. We believe that whatever is thefuture of this language, one thing is for sure: Pinoy lives would never be the same without the flamboyant jargon called gay lingo.

RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the gathered information Swardspeak can greatly affect one’s language and communication. This study can be recommended to all readers especially to English major students and other language learners, this can help them to be guided in their proper and accurate English grammar. In this study they can also be aware on how Swardspeak occur in the society and become a kind of Code switching. This study is also intended to all teachers who mostly have gay students that engage in swardspeaking during class hours with their awareness, they’ll further understand the reasons most gay students use the said language. Also for them to do some action in strictly commanding students to not use any gay language during class hours and other formal conversation. This study ask for actions in commanding action to all to make an action about the expansion of Swardspeak Language. Too much engagement to swardspeak may cause great difference in using his/her English grammar in formal conversation or in his everyday communication. Swardspeak Language is unnecessary to be used in everyday conversation or to be even part of any vocabulary f or it affects one’s communication skills.

WORK CITED Baker, P. (2002). "Polari - The Lost Language of Gay Men" Routledge Studies in Linguistics. Casabal, N. (2008). Gay Language: Defying The Structural Limits Of The English Language In The Philippines. Kritika Kultura, 74-101. Retrieved December 27, 2014, from https://www.ateneo.edu/kritikakultura De Quiros Gianan, E. (2008). The Evolution and Expansion of Gay Language in the Philippines. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/33341979/The-Expansion-and-Evolution-of-Gay-Languagein-the-Philippines#scribd Harris, K. (2005). Queer Theory Definition & Literary Example. Retrieved February 9, 2015, from http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/harris/Eng101_QueerDef.pdf Lunzaga, A., Bendulo, H., & Felisilda, V. (2012). Morphological Analysis of Gay’s Spoken Discourse. IAMURE International Journal of Lesbian, Gays, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies, 1, 1-16. Retrieved December 27, 2014, from https://www.academia.edu/5483090/1lunzaga Remoto, D. (2008). On Philippine gay lingo. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/views-and-analysis/05/05/08/philippine-gay-lingo-dantonremoto Rubrico, J. (n.d.). Sociolinguistics: Society and Language. Retrieved February 9, 2015, from http://www.languagelinks.org/teaching/lecturenotes/lecturenotes_SocialVariationsinLang uageUse.pdf Saguitan, C. (2005). A Semantic Look At Feminine Sex And Gender Terms In Philippine Gay Lingo. 1-11 Turner, R. (1971) 'Words, utterances, activities'. In: Douglas, J.D. ed. Understanding everyday life: towards a reconstruction of sociological knowledge. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul (1970): 169-87 Quinion, Michael (1996). "How bona to vada your eek!". Retrieved February 9, 2015 from http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/polari.html...