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| Graphics is not mine. Credits go to the link provided. |
How many times you’ve told someone ‘keep your head above water’ or ‘I’ll
drop you a line’? Many times,
right? But it doesn’t mean you literally
wanted the other person to keep his head above water or that you’ll drop
someone a line. Figurative language,
like idioms, has a funny way of conveying a message yet the person who received
it still understands what it means. However,
idioms are best understood by people who are born, raised or exposed to the same
culture, while those who live in another country also has a set of idioms that
are unique like the Filipino idioms. So, when visiting the Philippines, get
acquainted with some popular Filipino idioms as it will help you better
understand the language and consequently break communication barriers.
In this chapter, you be presented with some
popular idioms, the approximation of its meaning, how it will be used in a
sentence and how it will be pronounced in syllabication.
Filipino
idiom: balat-kalabaw
English
translation/context: Literally,
balat means skin and kalabaw is a water buffalo that is
thick-skinned. Out of this literal translation, Filipinos has been able to
refer insensitivities or dense as being thick-skinned thus being balat-kalaw. To simply put it, the idiom means as being
insensitive or dense.
Usage
in sentence: “Si
Pedro ay balat-kalabaw,” Marty said which means ‘Pedro is being
insensitive’.
Pronunciation:
ba-lat - ka-la-baw
Filipino
idiom: balat-sibuyas
English
translation/context: You
already know the meaning of balat so
that leaves you with sibuyas which
means an onion, and out of this, you’ll have onion skin in literal
translation. Onion skin on this context
is referred to the sensitivity of a person wherein the ‘sensitivity’ was
likened to the thinness of the onion skin.
Usage
in sentence: “Si
Maria ay balat-sibuyas. She was easily affected by what Pedro said,”
Marvin relayed which means that Maria is sensitive because she was easily
affected by what Pedro said.
Pronunciation:
ba-lat – si-bu-yas
Filipino
idiom: bantay-salakay
English
translation/context: Literal
translation of bantay is to keep
watch while salakay is to
attack. The idiom refers to the trait of
a person that connotes negativity wherein he will pretend or will show his good
side but will grab the opportunity once no one is looking; in short, the person
is an opportunist.
Usage
in sentence: “Norberto
took advantage of Jessica’s situation.
He offered her marriage after knowing that Jessica’s family was in big a
financial problem. Norberto was bantay-salakay.”
Pronunciation:
ban-tay sa-la-kay
Filipino
idiom: basag-ulo
English
translation/context: Literal
translation of basag is break while ulo is a head. Just like bantay-salakay,
the idiom refers to the trait of a person that connotes negativity wherein the
person is the type who is always looking for trouble and even instigating
troubles.
Usage
in sentence: “Oswald
is a basag-ulo. He is always looking
for a fight.
Pronunciation:
ba-sag u-lo
Other idioms are segregated or grouped according to what it
connotes of refer like characters or traits, situations and many more.
