http://www.filipinowriter.

com/philippine-gay-language-a-pidgin
I. Introduction

Inquiries about the meaning of the gay language in the Philippines have been raised
including the origin of the terms used. The Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia defines it
as a vernacular language derived from Englog, and is used by a number of gay
Filipinos. It uses elements from Tagalog, English, and Spanish, and some are from
Niponggo, as well as celebrities names and trademark brands, giving them new
meanings in the context of this unique language (Wikipedia). This is supported by
studies which show that the terms have evolved due to the contribution coming
from the different dialects and languages in the country introduced and used by the
speakers themselves, the gays.
As an observer, I was encouraged to conduct this similar study of which the output
will give a back up explanation to some intelligent assumptions facing it as form of
communication used by the people of the third sex, and come up with a clear
concept about its meaning. The result will also help provide some reasons of its
emergence in the country.
Specifically, my study aimed to: (1) determine the meaning of the gay language in
the Philippines; (2) trace the origin of some terms in use; (3) provide a brief
explanation of its emergence in the country.

II. Discussion

The gay language in the Philippines is a 'pidgin'. Filipinos of the third sex decided to
come up with a form of language that is only peculiar to them to facilitate
communication among the members with a slight intention of concealing the real
message behind the information being expressed.
My point of considering the gay language as a pidgin is in reference to the
Wikipedia, online free Encyclopedia that defines it as a simplified language that
develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not
have a language in common, in situations such as trade , or where both groups
speak languages different than the language of the country in which they reside
(but there is no common language between the groups). A 'pidgin' language is,
fundamentally, a simplified means of linguistic communication, as is constructed
impromptu, or by convention, between groups of people. A 'pidgin' language is not
the native language of any speech community, but is instead learned as a second
language. A 'Pidgin' language may be built from words, sounds, or body language
from multiple other languages / cultures. 'Pidgin' languages usually have low
prestige with respect to other languages.

This gives a clear idea to consider the gay language as a pidgin. This is also
strongly supported by the discussion in a research paper entitled "The evolution and
Expansion of Gay Language in the Philippines" (cited in
http://emai031791.multiply.com/journal/item/6) in which the researcher stated that
discrimination of gays have paved way to the creation of a code of communication
which only gays could use.
This claim is strongly agreed by 100% of the participants of my study as reflected in
the survey questionnaire I administered to them. On the other hand, my survey
proved that this pidgin is brought by the intention of these group of people, the
gays, to observe confidentiality of whatever issues or business they have in such a
way that nobody can comprehend it except those who belong to the groups.
Apparently, this pidgin has spread throughout the country since the speakers are
mostly part of the Arts industry. The spread could be inevitable like a virus for
some of the terms sound amusing that bring pleasure to the ears. This gives us the
analysis about the gays attitude of being jolly and funny as reflected in the
choice of words they use.
The emergence of the gay language can be likened to the need of the computer
experts to come up with various technical terms to be used as common codes by
the users in operating the computers. These common codes can be considered a
pidgin which can only be understood by users who are computer literate. This idea
is supported by the study conducted by Stephen Hinde and Guillaume Belrose
entitled Computer Pidgin Language: A new language to talk to your computer?
(cited in http://www.hpl.hp.com /techreports /2001). In this study, Hinde and Belrose
(2001) points out the need to have a Computer Pidgin Language (CPL) purposely to
teach people a new language that is efficient for dialogues with computers. Their
study is inspired by the aim to create a completely new language that people
would have to learn and practice to facilitate easy operation of the gadget.
For some consideration, it is learned that the words and terms used in this
Philippine gay language quickly undergo changes due to the speed contribution
shared by the speakers who come from the different places in the country . This
also results to the variance of the terms affected by individual dialects.

Examples of the gay language based on the data gathered in Southern Mindanao
are:
1. Ang - (adj.) means old (syn. ang mangga; mangage)
2. Bangles - (adj.) means dull; unintelligent (syn. bobang)
3. Biyao (adj.) means handsome (syn. biway)
4. Borlogs - (v) means to sleep
5. Boy George - (n) means pork

6. Brain - (adj.) means intelligent

7. Chaka - (adj.) means ugly
8. Chipipay - (adj.) means cheap
9. Dadats - (n) means 'money' (syn. datung)
10. Gas - (adj.) means hard (syn. gas abelgas)
11. Girlash - (n) means girl
12. Harija - (adj.) means mal-odorous smell (syn. hara; haring)
13. Itis - (demo. Pro) means this
14. Kohang - (v) means to get
15. Kohangera - (n) means thief
16. Kukkang - (adj.) means big (syn. kangkarots; kang; koh)
17. Lafang - (n) means food (syn. lapang; pang;, lapipang)
18. Madda - (n) means mother
19. Mahal kita - (adj.) means expensive
20. Murada (adj.) means not expensive
21. Natittay - (adj. means died (syn. natayya)
22. Nawiwa - (adj.) means lost
23. Nomers - (v) means to drink
24. Obayun - (v) means to buy
25. Wan tao - (n) means a person (syn. one minute)
26. Orocan - (adj.) means fake; untrue
27. Oyas - (v) means to leave; to go away
28. Pangka - (adj.) means crazy (syn. to be)
29. Pekaboo - (v) means to engage in sexual activity (syn. epek; oros)
30. Pocahontas - (n) means bisexual (syn. Poca)

31. Rahsa - (n) means rat

32. Rhapsody - (adj.) means delicious (syn. marirap; maorap)
33. Rock-a-by - (adj.) means destroyed; damaged (syn. narirak)
34. Sheta - (v) means saw (past of see)
35. Talbog - (adj.) means defeated; super ceded ( Syn. Hawadiha)
36. Tapeh - (n) means shoes
37. Tera - (adj.) means bad (syn. ters; thurs; Thursday; Theramyzine)
38. Tisa - (n) means gay ( syn. tisa mae; yutis; kona)
39. Tuhing - (adj.) means defeated (syn. tuhayla, nagwakas)
40. Umbag - (v) means to hit (syn. baging)
41. Umbao - (n) means man; boy
42. Wawang - (n) means sweetheart (syn. wawing; wang)
43. Wis - (Ind. Pro) means nothing (syn. was; witiring; warus; wiris; means
nothing).
44. Wis epek - (adj.) means not good
45. Yading - (n) means fare; pay
46. Yeh - (n) means human waste or 'shit' (syn. bonel)

These terms are derived from few dialects in the country. The English language is
also a source of which some words are derived from. Consider the following:
1) Ang is derived from Tagalog matanda meaning old.
2) Bangles and bobang are derived from Tagalog bobo meaning dull';
'unintelligent.
3) Borlogs is derived from Tagalog tulog meaning to sleep.
4) Boy George is derived from Tagalog baboy meaning pork.
5) Brain is derived from an English tern brain.

6) Chipipay is derived from an English term cheap.

7) Dadats is derived from colloquial Tagalog datung meaning money.
8) Gas is derived from Tagalog matigas and Tausug matugas meaning hard.
9) Hoh is derived from Tagalog and Tausug mabaho meaning bad odor.
10) Kuhangera is derived from Tagalog kuha meaning take.
11) Kukkang is a derivation of the word koh originally comes from Bisaya dakuh
meaning big.
12) Lafang is derived from English term food.
13) Madda is derived from an English term mother.
14) Nawiwa is derived from Tausug nalawa and Tagalog nawala meaning lost.
15) Nomers is derived from Tagalog inom and Tausug minum meaning to drink.
16) One minute is derived from English one + minuet to say one man since
some
Filipinos from the countryside pronounce the word man as min.
17) One tao is derived from English one + tao meaning one person.
18) Oyas is derived from Tagalog layas meaning to stay away.
19) Pangka is derived from Tausug dupang meaning crazy.
20) Rhapsody is derived from Tagalog and Tausug sarap meaning delicious.
21) Rock-a-by is derived from Tausug nalarak meaning 'destroyed.
22) Tapeh is derived from Sinama tapeh meaning shoes.
23) Tera is derived from Tagalog ingitera meaning envious.
24) Tisa is derived from Bisaya bayot meaning gay.
25) Ubayun is derived from an English term buy.
26) Umbagun is derived from Bisaya umbag meaning to hit.
27) Umbaw is derived from English term boy.
28) Wawang is derived from Tagalog asawa meaning spouse.

29) Wis is derived from Tagalog wala meaning nothing.

30) Yading is derived from Tagalog and Tausug bayad meaning fare; pay.
31) Yeh is derived from Tagalog and Tausug ta-e meaning human waste.
Other terms are derived from a persons name whose personality is reflected in the
words.
Examples:
1) Chaka - is derived from an international singer Chaka Khan.
2) Gas Abelgas - is derived from a Filipino TV News reporter named Gas Abelgas.
3) Harija - is derived from someone named Harry who is believed to have body odor.
4) Orocan - is derived from a plastic product called Orocan.
5) Pocahontas - is derived from the American-Indian Walt Disneys character
Pocahontas.

III. Conclusion
As a researcher, I concluded that the gay language in the Philippines is truly a
'pidgin' considering its meaning based on the factors why it is formed by the
speakers, and its features serve as a fact or proof.
My study also concluded that just like other 'pidgins' in the world, this gay
language will soon become a Creole if acquisition continues since it is noted,
based on the oral interview, that some women in the country are beginning to
acquire this pidgin through constant contact with the speakers.

Reference
1. Stephen Hinde and Guillaume belrose (2001). Computer Pidgin Language: A New
Language to Talk to Your Computer?
2. http://www.hpl.hp.com/techreports/2001
3. http://emai031791.multiply.com/journal.item/
4. Wikipedia, the free Online encyclopedia