The Second Syllable

 

I've been noticing it for a while, but never gave it much attention until I rode an e-jeep and the conductor started talking to the driver: "Pare, 'matic yan, 'matic," (That's 'matic,bro).  I was trying to figure out what 'matic meant. Until it dawned on me that it was actually the short cut of 'automatic.' I nodded my head. Happy to know that I learned something new that day. Then I went to the bathroom and the women in the ladies' room started shouting at someone outside, "'Chard. Hintayin  mo kami,'Chard. Dyan ka lang," ('Chard. Wait for us, 'Chard. Stay there).

Then it dawned on me... the second syllable.

Though there is 'Richie' or 'Rich' as nicknames in the Philippines, I believe 'Chard for the name Richard has the strongest Filipino influence. So I thought further and wondered why, until I realized... Aaahhh... Lola (Grandma) is called 'La, Lolo (Gandpa) is called 'Lo; so nowadays,  Tita  (Aunt) is called 'Ta and Tito (Uncle) is called 'To. 

Because we have gotten used to calling our elderly by the second syllable of their names, this has influenced shortcuts of other names as well. Christian is 'Tian, Edgar is 'Gar, and  Argie is 'Gie. There is also 'My and 'Dy, which are shortcuts of Mommy and Daddy.

A simple greeting would be 'Musta, which is short for Kumusta (How are you?), and the answer to that is 'Buti naman (I'm fine) and that is short for Mabuti (fine). I now remember, as a teacher, I'm called 'cher.
 

 I find it fascinating to know that we use the second syllable for nicknames. So,when in the Philippines, remember, no matter how big the Gutierrez twins are, they will never be Rich and Ray. Here in my country, they will always be 'Chard and 'Mond.