This Friday, I want to discuss some flaks on expressions or words in Hiligaynon and English—and the mindtrip of some Iloilo people.
Before all else is the word “La Paz.” It is the name of a city in Bolivia and it is the name of a district in this city. It is spelt “La Paz” and not “Lapaz.” I think spelling it “Lapaz” makes me think that the writer is so careless or unschooled. “Lapaz” as a spelling takes off a slaphappy Ilonggo.
Next off is “sa lugar.” So they say, it is declared by a passenger when he/she gets off a jeepney on the street of Iloilo City. It is understood by many as that the jeepney should move out of a line of traffic. Well, it is not. The right word is “para.” It is impossible to direct a jeepney or any other vehicle to the curb when the gridlock is heavy—“sa lugar” is way out. So, don’t dump on the driver!
“Don Benito Lopez Memorial Hospital” was the former name of the West Visayas State University Medical Center. It was ages ago. But it seems that Ilonggos have all memory of the past. I think it is so has-been, and the present name must lay claim to its mission to the present residents of the city. By the way, “West Visayas State University Medical Center” is not “Western Visayas Medical Center.” The latter is in Mandurriao.
“ISAT” was the former name of Western Visayas College of Science and Technology. Most of its students I’ve met told me that they go to ISAT. Is “Western Visayas College of Science and Technology” a substandard name? Is “ISAT” better than “Western Visayas College of Science and Technology”? I don’t know why there is a flapdoodle in telling the new name of the college. Has the reputation lost edge after its name was changed? Or possibly they just want the college to be limited or local to Iloilo only?
Towns which are outside Iloilo City are not districts of the city. So, don’t say “Leganes, Iloilo City” or “Oton, Iloilo City.” But Jaro, La Paz, Mandurriao, Molo, and Arevalo are subdivisions of Iloilo City aside from the city proper. Iloilo City is not Iloilo!
Ilonggos like using the pound sign (#) before a number especially when they write an address. I think it is de trop. The pound sign is commonly used by restaurants and companies in Iloilo City. This typifies how unlettered they are.
Ilonggos like to use “pinaka-latest.” “Pinaka-latest” is disused. “Pinaka” is like a suffix “-est” in English or the adverb “most” placed before an adjective to indicate that it is a superlative adjective.
An ellipsis has three dots (…) that follow some sentences. Ilonggos abuse it by using two dots or more than three dots. Yes, four dots are allowed when the last one functions as a period.
Most Ilonggos say "Fall in line." I think it is very vague. I think the proper way is "Stand in line."
"Take out" and "dine in" are common in Iloilo City but they are not English. “To go" and "For here" are more appropriate. I suggest restaurant owners change these two wrong set phrases by telling their staff the right ones.
What is "Kill the lights"? It is wrong. It is very strange in English. Why don’t we say "Turn off the lights"?
Most Ilonggo cell phone users say “I am lowbat!” or "Lowbat ako." Are they batteries, too?
It is a wrong way to pose a question like “You are going, no?” or “She knows the answer, no?” It is like using Hiligaynon.
Some Ilonggos would say, "I think I did good." Then this: "Hi, how are you doing?" "I'm doing good." "Good" is an adjective, not an adverb, so to modify how you did/does/are doing, you would have to use the adverb "well." So, it should be "I think I did well," or "I'm doing well."
"It was a blunder mistake." The word 'blunder' means mistake, so you could say "It was a blunder" or "It was a big mistake."
Don't use "order for food" instead of "order food," as in "Let's order for spaghetti."
Many students use "get down" to mean to disembark, usually from a jeepney. "Where are you getting down?"
Use of "Mr." and "Mrs." as common nouns for wife/husband. For example, "I saw Mary's Mr. yesterday." or "Her Mr. is not feeling well."
The use of the English words "uncle" and "auntie" as prefixes when addressing people such as distant relatives, neighbors, acquaintances, even total strangers who are significantly older than oneself is common in Iloilo City. Very funny.
The word "amount" is used to denote a sum of money, such as "Please refund the amount." or "The amount has been billed to your credit card."
The word "dress" (noun) is used to refer to clothes for men, women, and children alike: "She bought a new dress for her son."
Ilonggos like to use "blood pressure" or "BP" to refer particularly to high blood pressure, as in "I have BP!" to mean "I have high BP or hypertension."
Don't use "reduce" to mean "lose weight" as in "I need to reduce!"
In Iloilo City, "kindly" is used to mean "please." "Kindly disregard the previous message."
"ATM" stands for "Automated Teller Machine." So, when you say "ATM Machine" you're really saying "Automated Teller Machine Machine." This is obviously redundant.I think it'd be better if you just say "I'm going to the ATM."
Ilonggos use "send" to mean"‘take one to a place by car." "Father sends my brother to school every day." is incorrect. "Father takes my brother to school every day." is correct. Too, " Father drives my brother to school every day."
I think "It was still bright outside." is wrong. I think the right one or better is "It was still light outside."
I hope that after reading this read you'll realize that those lapses are so subtle that we can't notice them used by us unconsciously. I hope this can help you become critical, too.
Have your say at inkslinger215@live.com.
"SOME FLAKS ON EXPRESSIONS OR WORDS IN HILIGAYNON AND IN ENGLISH" was Roger's article for his column "Conspectus" in Panay News on Friday, March 12, 2010.
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