Gay lingo or Swardspeak has really gone a long way since the start of the 21st century.

The propagation
of this language and form of communication is unstoppable. A once not- so- secret language used solely
by gays is now infiltrating both worlds of the media and the academe. Its exclusivity to gays, much to our
divas dismay, is now broken and gay lingo is being used by every girl, closet gays, young and old, and
even straight guys in town.

Almost everyone could speak and use this once hard to break code of communication. Admit it that
everyone could not escape the alluring and colorful language used by gays. Funny, witty, creative yet
irreverent all at the same time was how people describe this language (Cayabyab).

But before we continue discussing this language, let us first identify who and what are gays in the
Philippine society:

Filipino gays are mostly stereotyped as effeminate, cross dressers, hair dressers, camp and ridiculed.
Bakla, a derogatory Filipino word for gay, is commonly used A more benign slang word for gay men
is billy boy. For Filipino gays, the Tagalog phrase paglaladlad ng kapa (literally means unfurling the
cape) refers to the coming out process. Although gaysare generally tolerated within Philippine society,
there are still widespread cases of discrimination.(Wikipedia)Looking back at how gays were treated
before, it was actually very insulting on their part. They are constantly tortured by the taunts, mockery
and ridicules thrown at them. Now, these gays are appreciated by the public for the entertainment they
bring though there are these isolated cases of gay discrimination in certain aspects of our society.
Discrimination of gays have paved way to the creation of a code of communication which only gays
could use; but because of its daily usage on parlors, comedy bars, sidewalks and other places where gays
proliferate, peoples curiosity arose on what these words meant, eventually using it, thus the expansion of
gay lingo. But how about defining what gay lingo really is? There are actually different definitions given
by different people in of course different views and perspectives. The Wikipedia Online

Encyclopedia readily defined 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).

Gay lingo, also known as Swardspeak and gayspeak, have this nature of being dynamic, original, creative
and flexible (Wikipilipinas). Dynamic because it doesnt conform itself on a single culture but allows
more freedom to its speakers. It is original and creative in a manner that though it is harbored from a local
word, it is still given a twist, cleverly defined and spoken with gusto. A gay lingo speaker must have a
vast knowledge on everything under the sun and trivial ideas that would really stand out when spoken and
used. Its flexibility makes it easier for users to describe events and happenings without even confiding a
dictionary or a grammar book since it has no actual past, present and future tenses for verbs, comparative
and superlative forms for adjectives and it doesnt follow subject- verb agreement rules.

Gayspeak, like any other language, is constantly changing. But unlike other languages, word sand terms
in this colorful tongue undergo change so quickly that it would be impossible to come up with a
dictionary of the language that wouldnt become obsolete within a matter of months, weeks, or even days.
In spite of this, there is a thread that holds this language together, and that is freedom, freedom from the
rules and dictates of society (Suguitan, 1).
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 homosexualsexiled [them] away from the 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, the gays observed no rules at all. Thus blossomed a language that
some gay activists even found to be an effective code in front of the enemies.

It was said, according to certain researches, that gay lingo has originated since the 60s. There were these
gays who have coined terms to create a language of their own. In a study of ethnography in Dumaguete
City, bayot speak or much more known as gay lingo, was some form of a secret code for gays used
when talking with each other. It was done so, so that non- gays would not understand a single word they
say when they tell stories and experiences they had from work or other events (Pontenilla).

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 speakers social status. It has a lot to do with socio economic 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 (Language
links).

According to Montgomerys
Introduction to Language and Society
as cited in Suguitans paper, anti-languages are extreme versions of social dialects which tend to arise
among subcultures and groups that occupy a marginal or precarious position in society (96). Given
this definition, gay lingo was also considered an anti- language. Or at least it used to be. With the gained
acceptance and popularity today, gay lingo wasnt an anti- language at all, but an expression of the
societys fight against a homophobic culture.

It was also referred to as, by some contemporary linguists, a Pidgin. Pidgins are created out of necessity
by certain groups of people, a way of communication exclusive to them. According to these linguists, a
pidgin must have been derived from a lexifier or a mother language; gay lingo having English, Tagalog,
Nipponggo and Spanish as its lexifiers. A comparison could be made on this-- the Chabacano dialect we
have is considered a stable pidgin because it has its own set of grammar rules. On the other hand, gay
lingo is still a pre- pidgin because it doesnt have universal grammar rules and it still needs further
linguistic studies. So whenever a person uses gay lingo, no one will question whether your grammar is
wrong or not, and even your pronunciation a correct one or not (Santos).

Gay lingo is also associated with certain variations of Tagalog or sociolect. Examples of these are Englog,
Taglish, Carabao English and Coo English, rampantly used also by Filipinos.
In a column written by Michael Tan, entitled The English Divide, he stated the connection of gay lingo
to Carabao English:

Chiswisang Backlush (gay slang) actually has a lot of this CarabaoEnglish (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 Im not ashamed of it, just as I am not
ashamed of my social status (A11).

It is not the dictionary that determines the meaning of a word, but the people who use that word. This
semantic principle is, perhaps, more obvious in gay lingo than in any other language. This is because gay
speak uses words that are part of a mainstream language (e.g. Filipino or English), but applies them
metaphorically. As a result, the words acquire core or sense meanings very different from that of their
roots. Another characteristic of meaning is although mental images may represent meaning; these images
vary from person to person. Thus one person might think of a sparrow when asked to picture a bird
while another might think of a parrot. This semantic principle also lends itself well to the study of gay
lingo. This is because the mental representations that certain words bring to mind among speakers of a
mainstream language are very different from the images that are thought of in gayspeak. (Suguitan, 2-
3). With this, the researcher presents a comprehensive list of commonly used gay words, their meanings
and how they are used in a sentence. Here is the list:

Anaconda (n): In English, this means a snake, but in gay speak it literally means seducing or having an
affair with committed men. It could also mean getting what is not yours or a traitor. It actually came from
the Filipino figurative phrase mang- ahas, which means the same thing. Ana is a shortened term for
anaconda. Synonymous to this are terms like serpentine, Ana Bayla, medusa, Anabelle Rama and
Valentina.

Anda (n): this term means money. Andalucia, datung and Thats entertainment are similar to this term.

Anetch: this means what/ which (ano). It is commonly used when asking questions like Anetch
gagawin mo today?

Award (v): if award in English connotes trophies and achievements, praises and appreciation, well it is
far more different in gay speak. It is actually an opposite of what in English it meant. Award in gay lingo
means reprimanded and scolded. So if a gay tells you this, Ay maganda yan, mare, ma- aawardan ka
jan! it means youre going to be scolded for what you did.

Backlush (n): this does not literally mean youre a gay, though sometimes it does. The gay word
backlush refers to any gender, or when someone doesnt know your name, that person will just call you
backlush. Bakla, baklabelle, bading are synonymous terms to backlush
.
Burol (n): this term that connotes landforms actually means mammary glands in gay lingo. Synonymous
to this are terms like Sierra Madre (big breasts), Hidden Valley (breast that are about to develop) and
Twin Peaks (breasts in general). Other terms similar to this are boobs, boobelia, boobies and boogies.

Bitter Ocampo (adj): this term means youre sad or bitter over something that had happened. It could
also mean that someones fuming mad or angry.

Chaka (adj): when someone describes something using the term chaka , it means that it is ugly or has
an unbearable figure, face or feature. Chaka Khan, chakaness and chapter also means ugly.
Chimay (n): this term refers to our Indays and yayas. Chimay literally means house helpers, maids or in
vernacular katulong/ kasambahay.Synonymous to these is the gay term chiminey cricket.

Cheese (n): in English, the word cheese means something that is eaten, the one that is put in sandwiches,
however, in gay lingo cheese means another thing. It refers to rumors, talks of the town and gossips. It is
the same with the terms chika, chismax, chismis, cheese whiz and cheese curls. I- spread na ang cheese
tungkol kay bakla, that is how the term cheese is used.

Chugi (v): this means that someone is eliminated, or dead.

Dramamin (v): it sounds like a medicine tablet but this term means gays acting like men orthose known
as closet gays. Its synonyms are terms like bonamin, paminta, pamenchu, pamenthols and pamintuan
.
Eksenadora (n): this refers to people who always likes to be figured in a scene, event orhappening.
Definitely a scene stealer! It is also the same with the colloquial term epal and mapapel because
these people like to be noticed always.

Enter the Dragon (v): this phrase means entering, or coming inside a room or gathering. The gay words
enter, entourage, entraka and entrabella are synonymous to this phrase.

Fillet (v): it means that you like something or you like the feeling of this thing.

Gander (adj): the word gander brings to us a picture of a male goose, but in gay lingo it means physical
beauty and things that has beauty in it. It came from the Filipino word ganda.

Hammer (n): this term connotes a tool used in carpentry. In gay speak, however it means a woman with
loose morals or a prostitute. It is the same with the term pokpok.

Imbyernadette Sembrano (v): this term sounds like the news reporter on television but in gay lingo it
means that someone feels irritated (imbyerna ).

In fairness (v): a term used to console someone over a loss. In fairness, okay pa rin yang ginawa mo ate
kahit bagsak.

Jowa (n): in gay speak this means a boyfriend or a girlfriend. It is similar to the term jowabelles.

Kape (v): if in English this means a beverage that makes someone feel brought back to life, in gay lingo,
it is somewhat related to it. Kape or coffeemate , in gay lingo, means being realistic or alert.

Kuya Germs (adj): this person is a well- known TV personality but in gay lingo, thisdescribes people
who are dirty or rugged. It also means bearer of germs.

Lafang (v): this means to eat.

Lapel (adj): this might bring to mind a microphone and this is where it was harbored. Amicrophone
makes your voice be more audible even at long distances, so the termlapel (a type of microphone)
means who are gifted with such booming, loud voice.

Lupita Kashiwara (adj): this refers to cruel or strict people.

Lucresia Kasilag (adj): it came from a common household name for crazy people, lukring, and this
term means also the same thing. It refers to crazy people or those that are out of their sanity or state of
mind.

Luz Valdez (n): another TV personality given a much different meaning. This term means you are a
loser.

Okray (v): this term means to criticize someone and something.

Pagoda cold wave lotion (v): since most of the gay population works at parlors and spa salons, they
attributed this lotion they use. It means someone is tired or out of energy. It came from the terms first
word, Pagoda, which if the last letter be eliminated, it comes up with the Filipino word pagod,
which also means tired.

Purita Kalaw (adj): this term means poor. It came from the first word purita which also means poor,
and the street Kalaw in Taft, Manila where there are these squatters on the street. Related to this term are
gay words purita, Squala Lumpur and poorness .

Rica Peralejo (adj): she is another TV personality attributed a different meaning. His term means rich,
wealthy and has a lot of anda (money). The wordrica in Spanish means rich.

Thundercats (n): for old people, this show might be familiar. And actually, it is for old people. The
terms thundercats, chandeliers, masyonda , and tanders all mean the same thingold people. Our lolos,
lolas and old maids are all referred to as thundercats , antique and old-fashioned.

Tom Jones (v): Tom Jones might be readily remembered for his novelty songs, Sexbomb among others.
However, in gay lingo, his royalty is decreased. When someone says hes tom jones , it means that that
person is hungry.

Warla (n): warla means war. It refers to people fighting each other; stated Oh warla na to ate!

Winnie Santos (n): this term means youre a winner.

X- Men (n): if in the movie, X- Men means people turned into superheroes and heroines, in gay lingo, it
also connotes the same thing, though not turned into superheroes. They are actually men turned gays;
closet gays who finally found the courage to unfurl their capes and show their effeminate side.

48 years (v): 48 years is actually a long span of time, and in gay lingo, 48 years is really Anong petsa
na?! because this term means youre taking a long time, very slow in doing things or in vernacular
napakatagal . As we have said, gay speak is constantly changing so theres no way of coming up a
concrete dictionary that would really define the words used in gay lingo.

Thinking about it, gay lingo is nothing but a hilarious play of words. Adding and subtracting something
from a Filipino root word like imbyerna- dette Sembrano is what they do. Then they twist some words
to fit a new meaning or rhyme it with popular names, brand or streets. Most are just spur- of- the- moment
word inventions they decide would be good enough to fill a gap in conversation like chuva and chenes or
maybe to describe an indescribable event such as ek- ek (Cayabyab).
A Semantic Look at Feminine Sex and Gender Terms in Philippine Gay Lingo. She made a comparison
between how typical Filipinos and gay circles react to a foul word:

The Filipino term for menstruation, regla is another taboo word. Despite the fact that all women of child-
bearing age go through this natural process, the word regla is viewed as a foul, distasteful word. Mention
this unclean word and many Filipinos would wince. The euphemism bisita (visitor) was coined to avoid
mentioning regla . If you ask a woman in the Philippines to go swimming with you and she answers
Meron ako (literally I have), what she means is that it is that time of the month. Even that time of the
month is a euphemism for menstruation. Butin gay circles, nobody flinches at the mention of the word
regla. Add to regla the suffix belle and what results is a general term for women as mentioned earlier.
The word reglabelle has no negative undertones. It is merely a word that reflects one of the main
biological differences between men and women.

With this example, we could see clearly that there are terms and topics we should be careful talking about
because topics like these (i.e. the one stated above) are sensitive and sometimes censored, and are not
meant for public conversations except if it is really needed. Because to begin with, gay lingo was actually
made for secret and unknown conversations between gays, so there is a high propensity that the words
they create are rude or censored in nature. People who use gay lingo should also be careful and sensitive
because sometimes what we say is offensive or below the belt. It is better to discern first whatever we are
going to utter before we say it in public especially when using gay lingo.

Another thing is that it is advisable not to use gay lingo when talking to old people because they wont
understand it. It shouldnt also be used in formal conversations and forums because it would just affect
your personality and it would probably just annoy certain groups of people. Granting that its difficulty
and unusual jargon makes it unique, the way we use it should still be under control. Not all people like
hearing gay lingo and even accepting the whole package of gay culture.

Gay lingo in the Philippines is an art of its own but then it also needs an active listening skill that knows
how to discern whatever we say.

Language mirrors culture. As an example, Filipino people have different names for rice sinceit is the
staple food of our country. We have bigas (uncooked rice), sinangag (fried rice), tutong (burnt
rice), bahaw(left over rice), to name a few. To borrow Suguitans words, language does not merely
reflect culture, it also perpetuates it.

Sagarin comments on this dual nature of language:

Language is both a reflection of how we look at the world and at the same time determines how we shall
look at the world. The universe around us is there for each of us to see, but different individuals and
peoples will see this universe in divergent ways. Not only will this determine the development of
language, but the latter will itself determine how peoples look at the world; that is to say, how
they structure reality in their own minds (20).

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. It had 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 expand our Filipino
vocabulary, the freedom to express yourself in a more creative and wittier way and the freedom 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 Filipino communication and
consciousness and shows no signs of fading. We believe that whatever is the future of this language, one
thing is for sure: Pinoy lives would never be the same without the flamboyant jargon called gay lingo.
Bibliography:

Cayabyab, Ana Cordero. Chuva, Chenes Atbp: A Beginner.

Cruz, Isagani. 2006. Separate Opinion. Don we now our Gay Apparel. Philippine Daily Inquirer. A10.

Montgomery, Martin. 1995. An Introduction to Language and Society. Second Edition.

London:Routledge

Red, Murphy. 1996. Gayspeak in the Nineties. Ladlad 2: An Anthology of Philippine Gay Writing.
Edited by J. Neil Garcia and Danton Remoto. Pasig City: Anvil.

Sagarin, Edward. 1962. Anatomy of Dirty Words. New York: Lyle Stuart.

Santos, Miko D. 2008. Chiswisang Baklush en Leksh Edades de Impormasyones: Ang Gay Lingo sa
Panahon ng Impormasyon. University of the
Philippines.(www.pinoyblogosphere.com/author/mikodsantos/)

Suguitan, Cynthia Grace B. A Semantic Look at Feminine Sex and Gender Terms in Philippine
Gay Lingo. University of the Philippines.

Tan, Michael. 2007. Pinoy Kasi. The English Divide. Philippine Daily Inquirer.
A11en.wikipedia.org/gaylingo

www.wikipilipinas.com/gaylingo

www.languagelinks.com/gaylingo

www.bading.com