︎Frankenstein
n.— «There’s an ironic local expression that sums it up: Frankenstein. It describes an old object or concept injected with new life through fresh components—”antique” chairs bolstered by new arms and legs, jeepneys revamped with transplanted motors and fresh paint jobs (a new MTV program, Pimp My Jeepney, is in the works), to ukay-ukay, or rummage-sale, vintage clothes stitched together with modern materials and prints. To me, Frankenstein explains the city’s visual style as well as its strength and resilience. Improvisation and cheerfully making do characterize the Filipino attitude toward poverty.» —“The Bold and the Beautiful” by Lara Day in Manila, Philippines Time Apr. 25, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Old. Elderly. Senior. Why are we so uncomfortable when we talk about reaching a certain point in life? An 82-year-old seeks a more positive term to describe how she feels about her age. And: a linguist helps solve a famous kidnapping case, using the...
Imagine telling someone how to get to your home, but without using the name of your street, or any other street within ten miles. Could you do it? We take street names for granted, but these words are useful for far more, like applying for a job or...