Carino: How Swardspeak started, truli-ly

Saturday, February 11, 2012

THE above title is what became of the title of a piece I originally called “Swardspeak: Some Etymology.” It was about, precisely, the etymology of what has come to be called Gayspeak, a language we all use at one point of time or other. Think bading, which rhymes with charing, and is so much chorva. Merece. Care ko. Hannich?

This language has its roots in the Dulaang UP of the 70s, a “lingo” invented by one Ricardo “Rikki” Dalu, one of that original theatre crowd. To him must be attributed language root words “bongga”, “”badaff”, later becoming “bading”, “imbiyerna”-“imbudo”-“im”! and a whole host of other words that have become part of the Filipino lingua franca.

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This language, coined “Swardspeak” by yet another of that original Dulaang UP crowd, ought actually to be called Theatrespeak, since it was born and bred backstage and on it. It caught on, was appropriated by the badings, and called Gayspeak, but in truth, it wasn’t originally gay. It was originally theatrical.

At any rate, above-mentioned Rikki will be at the University of the Philippines Baguio on Wednesday, 15 February, to lecture on said language, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Rikki’s lecture is titled: “My lLife in Pink – an Account of the Evolution of Gay Lingo.” The activity is the second Talastasan Series lecture for the current schoolyear and is presented also as part of the College of Arts and Communication college week, which is next week. Entrance to the lecture is free.

Also part of the college week activities is the Dulaang UPB play "Ang Pinakamakisig sa mga Nalunod sa Buong Daigdig" that runs from the 14th to th 17th, at 7:00 p.m. Matinees are at 4:00 p.m., and tickets are at PhP100. Student price is PhP80.