for everyone |
Here's one I composed before I go on a retreat with the XVDs.
"METANOIA & MENTAL COLONIALITY (Or, thank goodness for Google)"
[A] It’s usually attributed to William Shakespeare, in Julius Caesar: “Those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me”. But virtually the same phrase had been used the year before (1600) by another Elizabethan playwright, Thomas Dekker: “I’ll be sworn he knows not so much as one character of the tongue. Why, then it’s Greek to him”. Actually, the phrase is older than both of them: it comes from a Medieval Latin proverb “Graecum est; non potest legi” (It is Greek; it cannot be read). Both the Latin and the English meant then just what the phrase does now, to refer to something that is unintelligible. As an aside, the Spanish version of this proverb is “hablar en griego”, which is commonly said to be the origin of the word gringo, so somebody who is called agringo is literally accused of speaking Greek and hence being unintelligible.
So, why do people continue to throw around such unintelligible phrases, especially when they begin to run out of good arguments or when they are too lazy to explain any further? You remember your Religion teacher. “Father, please explain again why God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one and the same Person?” “My child, it’s a Mystery.”
So, what else is there to do these days except to Google it. “Metanoia.”
“Pronunciation: \ˌme-tə-ˈnȯi-ə\ Function: noun
Etymology: Greek, from metanoiein to change one's mind, repent, from meta- + noein to think, from nous mind Date: 1577 Meaning: : a transformative change of heart; especially : a spiritual conversion”
Ayun pala naman, eh, so, why didn’t you say so in the first place.
Why not? For the same reason that lawyers will sometimes mouth some old Latin phrases (“vox populi vox dei;” or “res ipsa loquitur”) like some magic shibboleths to cap an argument they are starting to lose, or to impress the judge, or in place of settled jurisprudence to the contrary. Very often, however, it could be a case of “mental coloniality.” We like to think that colonials are most impressed by foreign phrases, Greek, Latin, Spanish, English or even chabacano. That, or for emphasis, to impress the other guy how smart we really are. Why do you think the drinking song of Ivy Leaguers is “gaudeamus igitur.”
When we are really pissed off at Inday, we curse in Spanish. When we find ourselves in some classy Makati mall, we converse in English. Our yuppies like to hang out in coffee shops with fancy European ambience evidently unaware that coffee is grown mostly in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa (Ethiopia) where it was first discovered. I mean you don’t know about coffee until you’ve tasted Benguet or Batangas coffee.
But not to fret. Even the Romans at the height of their power as rulers of most of the known world in their time suffered from an acute case of “colonial mentality.” During what historians now refer to as the Hellenic Age, which lasted about 350 years, the Romans spoke in Greek, studied Greek, dressed like Greeks, watched nothing but Greek plays (by Greek actors), designed and built their magnificent edifices along Grecian lines (the Roman Pantheon comes from the Greek word pantheon which means “temple of the gods”). Where do you think Jesus picked up the term “hypocritos” - a Greek term referring to the mask that Greek actors used to wear at their Greek plays which they staged for the Roman rulers. It is said that Jesus must have picked it up as a young boy helping his father, Joseph, who must have been among the carpenters/construction workers hired to re-built the luxury town of Sepphoris which the Romans had razed to the ground to quell a rebellion. Sepphoris must have been the equivalent of Broadway in its time, where Greek plays were regularly staged for the affluent Romans. Jesus must have been a young and curious bystander.
Jesus used “hypocritos” to drive home his point, and in the process to impress his Aramaic/Hebrew audience. My God, he speaks Greek!
So, what’s my point. My point is that sometimes we should not be ashamed to use some words in the vernacular that may convey some nuance which may be more meaningful to the poor pinoy. I know this will require a whole treatise in itself. Suffice it to say for now that sometimes listening to the Mass said in Pampango or Iloko jogs my calcified brain or awakens or evokes certain concepts which I never realized existed until I heard them in the vernacular. Yun nga pala ang ibig sabihin noong salitang Ingles na iyon na lagi ko na lang naririnig.
The problem I believe is that we think our dialects are inadequate to convey some of the things we want our audience to understand. On the contrary, with a little effort and consultation with the experts in the vernacular, we have words that only the Filipino can feel, will understand and relate to. The problem is that we will not give these dialects a chance. The problem is that English will be the “lingua franca” for the next few centuries.
Since this is far from a scholarly treatise but a simple essay, let me suggest to you one word, one simple word in Pampango. Do you know the word in Pampango for “good” - one of the most commonly abused words in the English language? Good, in English, must mean a hundred different things. How are you? Good. That’s good. Good boy. He’s a good driver, golfer, plumber, mechanic, doctor. He’s good. Hit me. No, I’m good. Good weather. Good deal. Good bye. Good buy. Good hunting. Good morning, afternoon, night. My goodness!
So, when a parent or preacher tells somebody “be good,” isn’t that rather confusing? I mean, how meaningful can that be?
But there’s a good word in Pampango – “maganaca.” You cannot use it in blackjack or lucky nine. It cannot be used to translate “good morning.” You cannot use it to describe the lunch you just had. What’s even more interesting is its unique root word. It comes from “ganaca.” It roughly translates as “considerate.” What’s strange is that “maganaca” is “good” in Pampango, not considerate. In Tagalog, that would be “maalalahaning,” But the Tagalog word for good is “mabait,” not “maalalahanin.” So when the Kapampangans say “maganaca ya,” they are not describing your badminton skills. They mean one thing and one thing only – you are a good man. How meaningful is that.
So, if metanoia means a conversion, it may be time to learn Pampango. JAMES L.
thebusters wrote on Jun 13, '08
Hi Da-
Been enjoying your blogs. Find myself looking forward to reading them. They’ve become a part of my daily “reflection”. Maybe na nga, this is your calling. Who knows, baka you’ll be the next Bo Sanchez… And thanks for the kind words on Anica’s Reading List. I’m amazed myself at how she devours pages… And she’s not just a bookworm, not “geeky” at all. She’s able to engage in very sophisticated, albeit “spirited” discussions, with mostly grownups, nonetheless… and yet she has figured out how to navigate her not being “mainstream”… she's very “popular” in school, as the kids would say, (may-pinagmanahan… who kaya?) The teachers/admin/parents find her very inspiring, the other kids are just in awe of this little “adult”. I just hope she’s able to maintain this through the coming “troublesome puberty years”. Your apos are really turning into quite the accomplished young adults… Liam is very much into his hockey – played a semi-pro hockey league in Canada twice this year (and he only just turned 13). Katerina is a member of a professional Children’s Symphony in PA, sits first chair, if I’m not mistaken (violin, but she’s is also a phenomenal pianist; also may pinagmanahan, not you this time ☺)… Anica -well who knows, but as mentioned, can you imagine petite little her commanding quite the presence in her Middle School. She’s into fencing now, and still does yoga. The younger apos, I’m sure will all follow suit and do well in whatever they choose to pursue. (Hey, my comment became an update.) Anyway, blog, on… At least you know there’s one faithful reader out here… Love you! |
Hi. lu, tnx so much for ur instant comment. u know it means so much to me so have u as a faithful reader. it's worth all the effort. i guess the same is true the other way around. i cannot thank God enough for all the blessings and graces i have received all through my life. now as a grandfather, i feel doubly blessed. you see, with grandchildren and grown kids, i have absolutely no control. so what else is there to do except to say "Dear God, kayo na po ang bahala." Hanggang doon na lang yata ang akin kakayahan/magagawa. Thank you for making me realize that you're in charge after all, that you are out there looking out for all of us." It's a wonderful feeling to be totally dependent on Him! So, have faith. All's well and as it should be.
tnx. luvya.DAD |
Sori, mang rene, cant agree with your suggestion abt metanoia and metamorphosis. the two are completely different animals. in fact that's the trouble when pipol try to use foreign terms needlessly. we have very little notion of their meaning and etymology (there's another Greek-based word for you). As I have tried to suggest, we should instead try to make it fashionable that whenever possible we look for a vernacular equivalent that we can better relate to, instead of taking the easy way out - by employing some foreign terms to drive home our point. tnx rgards
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Atty. James, context, just like Lux, is not everything but it's a good beginning. I once heard a story about Picasso, the abstract painter. He became a victim of a street crime. When asked for description, he gave the police a sketch of the suspect. The next day, three suspects were arrested -- a can opener, a fire hydrant, and a pair of eyelashes.
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