It’s likely America’s greatest linguistic export: O.K. A caller raised in the Philippines is curious about its origin. The hosts give him an answer, and also point out a familiar word in English that derives from the caller’s...
fifth freedom n.— «Mindanao Business Council chairman Romero Serra said the granting of full fifth freedom traffic rights in the Bimp-Eaga region is a start to further smoothen air transport linkages in the region.» —“Tourism tops...
xylothism n.— «Xylothism is a disease and psychological disorder derived from the Greek words “xylon” for wood and “othism” for pushing. A xylothist is a derogatory description of a chess player gone wrong.» —“Pestaño: The exquisite...
Cha Cha n.— «Arroyo is pressing ahead with her plans for constitution change, also widely known in the Philippines as “Cha Cha”, short for Charter Change. Under the proposal, the present two parliamentary bodies would be reduced to one...
umbraphile n.— «In the Philippines in “88, however, communist insurgents called off the revolution for a few days so as not to upset the visiting umbraphiles.» —“Under the Spell of the Eclipse” by Phil...
swardspeak n. a cant spoken by Filipino gay and transvestite men. Editorial Note: Swardspeak is a mix of Tagalog (Pilipino), Spanish, English, and other languages spoken in the Philippines and dates back to at least as early as the 1970s. Swardspeak...