Passi0n for Muzic
Friday, April 13, 2007
TOWARDS AN HERMENEUTICS OF THE WORD ORAGON
Have you ever wondered why Bicolanos are called oragon or why they would like to be called as such? The word has no exact translation in any other language. On the other hand, it can nearly mean anything.It can either be positive or negative, a compliment or an insult, depending on how it is used in a sentence, how it is addressed to a person and whom it is addressed to.People from the media, like Bicolano Conrado de Quiros, helped popularize the term. A publication for the Bicol region, much like the pepper, a penchant for which the region is known, added spice to the flavor by naming itself Oragon. Today, you surf cyberspace and you will find a page in the Website labeled Oragon.The word indeed has traversed time as well as linguistic detours, evolving from the vulgar and profane to the colloquial then to its present acceptable form. But while it has been used and sometimes even abused, the clamor for its definition and true meaning has remained as such: a clamor. And this is why I intend to make one step further by trying to offer an explanation of the word on the force of its etymological consideration, by attempting to work towards an hermeneutics of oragon.But first off, I propose that one cannot venture into the search for the true meaning of the word oragon without at the same time undertaking the arduous task of the “oragon-ization” of the Bicolano. The former serves as the facade of the latter; the latter serves as the backbone of the former. These two processes taken into one constitutes a dual movement from foundational philosophy to applied philosophy, from the “oragonism” of the Bicolano to the word oragon as used and perceived by the Bicolano.This means that while the word oragon is undergoing the process of being transformed from a vulgar word into its present acceptable form, the Bicolano is also at the same time, being transformed into a new image that is now oragon. In other words, the word oragon is absracted to fit the portrait of the Bicolano in the same manner and at the same time that the Bicolano is “oragonized” to fit the new meaning given to the word oragon. This is the evolution of the word oragon and the “oragonization” of the Bicolano showing only how clearly language is tied up to a particular culture and vice versa.Language is a very important conveyor of sense but how does the Bicolano make sense of the word oragon whenever he pronounces and uses it? Like every Filipino in general, the Bicolano is not exquisite in the use of language. Thus, there is a vast area of ambiguity in the way the Bicolano uses it. Without noting and considering the context of the utterance of this word, everyone will be left in the guessing game as to what the speaker really meant in using it at the very moment that he pronounces it.Thus, the most evident interaction established between the text and its context, the word and its world, thereby forming the so-called hermeneutic circle, in the employment of this word.The word oragon originally started as a vulgar word. In fact, with the exception of the dictionary authored by Malcolm Warren Mintz and Jose del Rosario Britanico (Bikol-English Dictionary, New Day Publishers, Quezon City, Philippines, 1985), no other Bicol dictionary has ever listed this word in their entries. Perhaps other authors selfishly considered themselves prudent enough not to include this word in their entries. Perhaps they were lost as to its real meaning. Or perhaps they considered it too vulgar and therefore unacceptable.We couldn’t blame them. The fact is, the word indeed is vulgar - or at least it was once considered as such. So vulgar that it was originally used only in reference to the pigs. What’s more, it was solely referred to an act which, perhaps mainly because it was done and executed by the pigs, was considered as - in Filipino - “baboy”: the procreative act.Etymologically, the word oragon (adj.) is derived from the root word orag which as a verb (orag’), refers to the act in which a boar is made to impregnate a sow. This is synonymous with the words kasta and kasbang. As a noun (o’rag), it refers to the ability or the capacity of a boar to impregnate a sow.This boar-sow context gave rise to a number of other derivatives. We shall try to analyze the linguistic considerations of each word first, by considering its literal sense and original and etymological context, i.e., the “piggish talk” as situated in the boar-sow context, then by juxtaposing it with its abstracted sense, i.e., as it is used in reference to persons and outside of the boar-sow context.1. Ma’orag (v., future sense): In its original context, this word refers to the act to be executed by the boar which is tasked to impregnate the sow. Literally translated, it means “to do the sexual act” and following its vulgar context, “to f__k.” In a non-literal sense however, it can assume a different meaning. You ask a person with Ma’orag ka? And you will most approximately mean “You wanna fight me?” or “You wanna challenge me to a fight?” although literally, your words will be translated as “You wanna do the sexual act with me?” or in a more vulgar sense, “You wanna f__k me?” In the literal sense, it is an invitation to a sexual act; in the non-literal sense, it is a challenge to a duel.2. Mao’rag (adj.): Originally, this word refers to the capability of the boar in impregnating a sow. Literally, it means “virile or capable in the sexual act or in impregnating someone.” When you say for instance Mao’rag an baboy you mean “The boar is capable in impregnating a sow.” Outside of this boar-sow context however, it means a totally different thing. You observe how a Bicolano pick a fight for instance and you will most probably hear him say Si isay an mao’rag digdi? Literally, it means “Who is capable in the sexual act here?” or, “Who is good in impregnating a woman here?” In this non-literal context however, it means “Who is good enough for me to fight here?” or, “Who is brave or man enough to challenge me in a fistfight here?”3. Ooragan’ (v., future sense): Originally, this refers to the act of impregnating a sow by the boar. Literally, it means “to impregnate,” “to do the sexual act” or in the vulgar sense, “to f__k.” However, when you tell a person Ooragan’ ta ika, you do not mean it literally, say “I will have sex with you” or “I will make you pregnant” or the American vulgar “I will f__k you.” Rather, most approximately, you are admonishing a person “I will do you harm.” This is qualified with the words “You are the object of my hatred,” “You are the object of ill will,” or “You are to be assaulted.”4. Maka’oorag or Makaora’gon (adv.): Originally, this refers to the sow which is in heat, just about ready for impregnation by the boar. Literally, it can be translated as “sexually arousing.” When you say for instance Maka’oorag na an baboy you mean “The pig is now in heat.” In reference to a person however, it takes another meaning. For instance, when you hear Rep. Edcel Lagman (a Bicolano from Tabaco, Albay) say Maka’oorag si Jose Almonte (also a Bicolano), do not fall into the belief that the solon meant “Jose Almonte is sexually arousing” or “Jose Almonte arouses my libido” or in a more qualified context, “I want to f__k Jose Almonte.” That would be too literal and the National Security Adviser would surely consider those words too harsh, cruel and downright insulting - unless of course the person who utters those words happens to be a woman and they happen to be in a totally different situation. Most approximately, the speaker here only meant “Jose Almonte irks me” or “Jose Almonte is a pain in the ass.” Again, when you hear a Bicolano say Maka’oorag na si Jose Almonte, do not fall into the false interpretation that he meant “Jose Almonte is now ready for impregnation” or that “Jose Almonte is already in heat.” Most approximately, the speaker only meant “Jose Almonte is becoming a pain in the ass.”5. Nahingora’gan (v., past tense): Originally, this refers to the sow which has been made pregnant by the boar. When you say for instance, Nahingora’gan na an baboy, you mean “the sow is now pregnant.” When used in reference to a person however, say Nahingora’gan ka, it literally means “You were impregnated.” In an abstracted sense, however, it means “You got what you wanted” or “You got your lesson.”6. Ora’gon (adj.): Originally, this refers to the boar which is now known for its versatility in making a sow or sows (note the plural form) pregnant. Literally, it means “versatile in the sexual act or in making someone pregnant.” In its abstracted sense, however, it becomes confusing. For here, the only key to understanding this word is the context against which this word is uttered. For instance, you say Ora’gon si Ka Nognog (Sotero Llamas, a Bicolano from Tabaco Albay), and you probably mean “Matinik o matibay si Ka Nognog.” Here, it is a compliment. But you say it directly and personally to a person, say Ora’gon ka Honasan (Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan, a Bicolano from Bulan, Sorsogon), and you will be interpreted to mean another thing. Most approximately, your words would mean “You irk me, you enrage me, you are daring me or you are exhausting my patience, Honasan.” It could also mean an expression of a condemnation or a curse, say “Tarantado ka Honasan.” In which case, it could be qualified with the words Purbaran ta an o’rag mo, Honasan (Literally, “Let’s see how virile you are Honasan” but in an abstracted sense, “Let’s see how far you can go, Honasan”). Similarly, you say Ora’gon si Roco (Sen. Raul Roco, another Bicolano), and you surely do not mean “Roco is lascivious or versatile in the sexual act” nor do you mean that “Roco is versatile in making a woman pregnant” (what with his title of being an honorary woman!) although that would be what those words would literally mean. Rather, you mean most approximately “Roco is versatile in everything - and that of course includes the sexual act! This means Roco is courageous, exemplary, in short, simply the best in everything, an expert in a rough sort of way, one hell of a guy.There are a number of other derivative words that can be ranked with the foregoing words derived from the root word orag. The word Paorag’ for instance literally refers to the process or to the act in which a boar impregnates a sow. In its abstracted sense, it can mean a prostitute or a cheap girl. Likewise, the word Inora’gan can be literally translated as “f__ked.” Used in reference to a person however, it means another thing. For instance, you say Inora’gan si Joker Arroyo (another Bicolano), and you literally mean “Joker Arroyo was f__ked.” In its abstracted sense however, these words mean “Joker Arroyo got mad.”It would be clear from the foregoing words that in the course of the evolution of these words, the pigs lost their exclusive right to these words’ phonetic usage. Whether what was considered as piggish is now considered as human, or whether man (and in this case, the Bicolano) has now become piggish, the fact is, these words are now used as human attributes or in reference to human values.Some people will perhaps consider this as funny. But then a number of Filipino words likewise reflect diverse and funny origins. For example, the word forgiveness is “patawad” in Filipino, a word oftenly used by vendors, meaning “to haggle.” “Pakawan” in Ilocano means “to cancel everything” and “pasaylo” in Cebuano means “to let it pass.” Also, it is a funny thing that Filipinos even import market words in their concept of the Divine and Holy. And as Dr. Florentino Hornedo, a noted authority in the hermeneutics of some Filipino words notes, the words “pagmamahal” and “pagmumura” are imported from a non-formal marketplace context.How shall we attempt to define the word ora’gon then? As mentioned earlier, there is no word in any other language that captures the exact meaning of this word. However, this word evolved, and is still evolving, from its very limited and exclusive use into its present heterogenous concept. And significantly, much unlike the Hegelian Absolute, it traverses a non-dialectical evolution.We have tried to show both the literal as well as the non-literal meaning of the word oragon. And yet the Bicolano is never known to employ this word in the literal sense. The Bicolano has succeeded in elevating this word to the abstract, and while coming up with inexact and awkward translations, he nonetheless retained at the same time its original genus and diferentia. No exact translation was offered but he himself nonetheless prepared the ground for hermeneutics to deconstruct or decontextualize, and subsequently, interpret the products of its linguistic speculation in a higher level of criteriological impetus.In this score alone, the Bicolano has already proved his being ora’gon.
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