View source for Swardspeak

{{Infobox Language
|name=Swardspeak
|nativename=Chuva
|ethnicity=[[Gay]] community
|states= [[Philippines]]
|speakers=
|familycolor=Creole
|fam2=[[Taglish and Englog]]
|script=[[Latin alphabet|Latin]] 
|iso2=cpe}}

'''Swardspeak''' (or '''''Chuva''''') is a secret language that came from the [[code-switching|mixed language]] with the names [[Taglish and Englog]]. It is used by [[gay]] people in the [[Philippines]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://unitedsea.blogspot.com/2007/07/deciphering-filipino-gay-lingo.html |title= Deciphering Filipino Gay Lingo |date= 27 July 2007|work= |publisher= United SEA|accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref>

Swardspeak uses word from [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]], [[English language|English]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]], [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]], and other languages. Names of Celebrities and trademark brands are also used.<ref name="Gayspeak: Not for gays only">{{cite web|date=30 April 2010|title=Gayspeak: Not for gays only|url=http://www.thepoc.net/thepoc-features/buhay-pinoy/buhay-pinoy-features/6340-gayspeak-not-gor-gays-only.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201034008/http://www.thepoc.net/thepoc-features/buhay-pinoy/buhay-pinoy-features/6340-gayspeak-not-gor-gays-only.html|archive-date=1 December 2010|work=|accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="Kritika Kultura">{{cite web|url= http://www.philjol.info/index.php/KK/article/viewPDFInterstitial/754/699|title= GAY LANGUAGE: DEFYING THE STRUCTURAL LIMITS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE PHILIPPINES|date= August 2008|work= Kritika Kultura, Issue 11|publisher= Kritika Kultura|accessdate= 25 December 2010|archive-date= 24 March 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090324065359/http://www.philjol.info/index.php/KK/article/viewPDFInterstitial/754/699|url-status= dead}}</ref>
 
Gay people use Swardpeak to make themselves feel special.<ref>{{cite web|author=|title=swardspeak|url=http://www.doubletongued.org/index.php/dictionary/swardspeak/|work=|accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref> The language changes a lot.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://bangkok2005.anu.edu.au/papers/Suguitan.pdf |title= A SEMANTIC LOOK AT FEMININE SEX AND GENDER TERMS  IN PHILIPPINE GAY LINGO |work=  |publisher= University of the Philippines |accessdate= 25 December 2010 |archive-date= 19 February 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110219075318/http://bangkok2005.anu.edu.au/papers/Suguitan.pdf |url-status= dead }}</ref> People who use the language are called ''Bekimons''. This word is from the words ''bakla'' (gay) and ''[[Jejemon]]''.<ref name="Gayspeak: Not for gays only"/><ref>{{cite web|date=July 7, 2010|title=Ang Bekimon (Baklang Jejemon)|url=http://pinoylgbt.com/ang-bekimon-baklang-jejemon/|work=|accessdate=23 December 2010|archive-date=4 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204162635/http://pinoylgbt.com/ang-bekimon-baklang-jejemon/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The word "Swardspeak" came from the 1970's book called "Swardspeak: A Preliminary Study".<ref>{{cite web|date=June 5, 2006|title=The Filipino Gayspeak (Filipino Gay Lingo)|url=http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?i=289&subcat=13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128201330/http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?subcat=13&i=289|archive-date=28 January 2012|work=|accessdate=24 December 2010}}</ref> "Sward" is slang for "gay male" in the Philippines.<ref>{{cite web|author=|date=May 13, 2005|title=GAY SPEAKS on "SWARDSPEAK"|url=http://badinggerzie.blogspot.com/2005/05/gay-speaks-on-swardspeak.html|work=|accessdate=24 December 2010}}</ref>

==Rules==
Swardspeak is a form of [[slang]].<ref>{{cite web|date=2008-05-05|title=On Philippine gay lingo|url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/views-and-analysis/05/05/08/philippine-gay-lingo-danton-remoto|work=|accessdate=25 December 2010}}</ref> It changes a lot and the meaning of words are hard to know.<ref>{{cite web|author=|date=November 16, 2008|title=Gay Lingo (Made in the Philippines)|url=http://philippines-butchokoy.blogspot.com/2008/11/gay-lingo-made-in-philippines.html|work=|accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref> The rules are explained below.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://unitedsea.blogspot.com/2007/07/deciphering-filipino-gay-lingo.html |title= Deciphering Filipino Gay Lingo|date= 27 July 2007|work= |publisher= United SEA|accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref>

*The first [[wikt:syllable|sound]] changes to the letter "J" or "Sh" or to the sounds "Jo-", "Sho-", "Ju-", "Shu-", "Ky-", or "Ny-".

{| class="wikitable"
|----
! scope="col" width="200" |Word
! scope="col" width="200" |Language 
! scope="col" width="200" |Meaning
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak meaning
|----
|shorts
|[[English language|English]]
|trousers
|nyorts
|trousers
|----
|{{lang|tl|alalay}}
|[[Tagalog language|Tagalog]]
|assistant
|julaylay
|assistant
|----
|{{lang|tl|asawa}}
|Tagalog
|spouse
|jowa
|lover
|----
|{{lang|tl|asawa }}
|Tagalog
|spouse
|jowabelle
|lover
|----
|{{lang|tl|bata }}
|Tagalog
|child
|kyota
|child
|----
|{{lang|tl|kapatid}}
|Tagalog
|sibling
|shupatid
|sibling
|----
|{{lang|tl|mabaho }}
|Tagalog
|stinky
|kyoho
|stinky
|----
|{{lang|tl|punta}}
|Tagalog
|to go [to a place]
|jonta
|to go [to a place]
|----
|}

* The last sound changes to "-ash", "-is", "-iz", "-ish", "-itch", "-ech", "-ush", or "-oosh" as a [[suffix]].

{| class="wikitable"
|----
! scope="col" width="200" |Word
! scope="col" width="200" |Language 
! scope="col" width="200" |Meaning
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak meaning
|----
|{{lang|ceb|dyotay}}
|[[Cebuano language|Cebuano]]
|a small amount
|jotis
|a very small amount
|----
|{{lang|tl|ano }}
|Tagalog
|what
|anech
|[[Exclamation point|exclamatory]] what
|----
|{{lang|tl|ito }}
|Tagalog
|this one
|itich
|this one
|----
|{{lang|tl|taba }}
|Tagalog
|fat
|jubis
|very fat
|----
|{{lang|tl|taray }}
|Tagalog
|bitchy
|taroosh
|very bitchy
|----
|{{lang|tl|wala}}
|Tagalog
|nothing
|wash
|nothing
|----
|}

*Changing "a", "o", or "u" sounds with "or", "er", or "ur", especially with "l".

{| class="wikitable"
|----
! scope="col" width="200" |Word
! scope="col" width="200" |Language 
! scope="col" width="200" |Meaning
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak meaning
|----
|hello
|English
|hello
|heller
|hello (used as a wake up call)
|----
|{{lang|tl|kaloka }}
|Tagalog 
|maddening or insanely [entertaining]
|kalurkey
|maddening or insanely [entertaining]
|----
|{{lang|tl|ganda }}
|Tagalog
|beautiful
|gander
|beautiful
|----
|}

* Changing places of letters in a word. Used mostly in [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]] swardspeak.<ref>{{cite web|date=June 5, 2006|title=The Filipino Gayspeak (Filipino Gay Lingo|url=http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?i=289&subcat=13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128201330/http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?subcat=13&i=289|archive-date=28 January 2012|work=|accessdate=24 December 2010}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|----
! scope="col" width="200" |Word
! scope="col" width="200" |Language 
! scope="col" width="200" |Meaning
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak meaning
|----
|{{lang|ceb|dili }}
|Cebuano
|no, not
|ilij
|no, not
|----
|{{lang|ceb|lain}}
|Cebuano
|bad, unpleasant
|nial
|bad, unpleasant
|----
|{{lang|ceb|uyab }}
|Cebuano
|lover
|bayu
|lover
|----
|}

* [[Pun]]s,  [[code-switching]], [[wikt:onomatopoeia|onomatopoeic]]  [[Anglicization]] of words.

{| class="wikitable"
|----
! scope="col" width="200" |Word
! scope="col" width="200" |Language 
! scope="col" width="200" |Meaning
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak meaning
|----
|{{lang|ceb|bayot }}
|Cebuano
|gay
|biyuti
|beautiful, pretty
|----
|drama
|English
|drama
|drama
|melodrama, exaggeration, drama [queen]
|----
|career
|English
|job
|karir
|to take seriously (used as a [[verb]])
|----
|carry
|English
|carry
|keri
|to carry [oneself well]
|----
|feel 
|English
|to sympathize
|fillet o'fish
|to be attracted to someone
|----
|[[GI (military)|G.I.]]
|English
|a member of the United States [[Military of the United States|armed forces]]
|g.i. joe 
|a foreign lover, particularly [[United States|American]]
|----
|opposition party
|English
|opposition party
|opposition party 
|a [[party]] with a lot of unexpected problems
|----
|gurang 
|Hiligaynon
|old
|wrangler
|old gay man
|----
|''Wake up and smell the [[coffee]].'' 
|Philippine English
|''Wake up and smell the [[rose]]s.''
|kape
|to be realistic
|----
|{{lang|es|madre}}
|[[Spanish language|Spanish]]
|mother
|mudra 
|female friends with children
|----
|{{lang|tl|antipatika }}
|Tagalog 
|obnoxious, unpleasant
|[[antibiotic]]
|obnoxious, unpleasant
|----
|{{lang|tl|baboy}}
|Tagalog
|pig
|[[boy band]]
|fat kid 
|----
|{{lang|tl|libre }}
|Tagalog 
|free (as in the price of goods), to treat someone out for free
|liberty
|free (as in the price of goods), to treat someone out for free
|----
|{{lang|tl|pokpok  }}
|Tagalog
|prostitute, to pound, to hammer
|[[hammer]]
|prostitute
|----
|{{lang|tl|silahis }}
|Tagalog
|[sun]beam, ray
|silahis
|[[bisexual]] male
|----
|}

* Words from [[popular culture]], mostly celebrities or TV shows. Based the things they were famous for, because parts of the words [[rhyme]], or both.

{| class="wikitable"
|----
! scope="col" width="200" |Person / Object
! scope="col" width="200" |Word
! scope="col" width="200" |Language 
! scope="col" width="200" |Meaning
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak meaning
|----
|[[Crayola]]
|cry
|English
|cry
|crayola
|to be sad
|----
|[[X-Men]] 
|ex-man
|English
|a male person who came out
|X-Men
|a male person who came out
|----
|Gelli de Belen 
|jealous
|English
|jealous
|gelli de belen
|jealous
|----
|Noel Coward 
|no
|English
|no
|noel coward
|no
|----
|[[Oprah Winfrey]] 
|promise
|English
|promise
|oprah winfrey
|promise
|----
|Sharon Cuneta 
|sure
|English
|sure
|sharon cuneta
|yes, sure
|----
|[[Jesus Christ Superstar]] 
|[[resurrection]]
|English
|resurrection
|jesus christ superstar
|fashion make-over, to change into [more fashionable] clothing
|----
|Maxine Hong Kingston
|taxi
|English
|taxi
|taxina hong kingston 
|[to wait for a] [[taxicab]]
|----
|[[Optimus Prime]] 
|transformation
|English
|transformation
|optimus prime
|fashion make-over, to change into [more fashionable] clothing
|----
|Coffeemate
|''Wake up and smell the [[coffee]].'' 
|Philippine English
|''Wake up and smell the [[rose]]s.''
|coffeemate
|to be realistic
|----
|Carmi Martin 
|{{lang|sa|[[karma]]}}
|[[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]]
|karma
|carmi martin
|karma
|----
|Anaconda (film)
|{{lang|tl|ahas }}
|Tagalog 
|"snake", slang for "to betray"
|anaconda 
|traitor, to betray
|----
|Mazinger Z
|{{lang|tl|bading }}
|Tagalog 
|[[gay]]
|badinger z 
|homosexual)
|----
|[[Barbra Streisand]]
|{{lang|tl|bara }}
|Tagalog 
|to block
|barbra streisand  
|to be rejected bluntly, blocked
|----
|[[Pinocchio (1940 movie)|Jiminey Cricket]]
|{{lang|tl|chimay }}
|Tagalog
|housemaid
|chiminey cricket
|housmaid
|----
|[[Tommy Lee Jones]]
|{{lang|tl|gutom}}
|Tagalog
|hungry
|tommy lee jones
|hungry
|----
|Julie Yap-Daza<br />(famous the book ''Etiquette for Mistresses'')
|{{lang|tl|huli }}
|Tagalog 
|to be caught
|julie yap-daza 
|to be caught [cheating]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://msmistress.wordpress.com/2007/04/28/etiquette-for-mistresses/ |title= Etiquette for Mistresses|author= |date= April 28, 2007|work= |publisher= |accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref>
|----
|[[Jupiter]]
|{{lang|tl|kapatid}}
|Tagalog
|sibling
|jupiter
|sibling
|----
|Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara 
|{{lang|tl|lupit }}
|Tagalog 
|cruel
|lupita kashiwahara 
|cruel
|----
|Mahalia Jackson 
|{{lang|tl|mahal }}
|Tagalog 
|expensive, precious, dear
|mahalia jackson
|expensive
|----
|Mariah Carrey
|{{lang|tl|mura }}
|Tagalog 
|cheap
|murriah carrey 
|cheap
|----
|Rita Gomez
|{{lang|tl|nakakairita }}
|Tagalog 
|irritating
|rita gomez
|irritating, annoying
|----
|Pagoda Cold Wave Lotion
|{{lang|tl|pagod }}
|Tagalog
|tired, exhausted
|pagoda cold wave lotion
|tired, exhausted
|----
|[[Ayatollah Khomeini]]
|{{lang|tl|payat }}
|Tagalog 
|thin
|fayatollah kumenis 
|thin
|----
|[[Pocahontas]]
|{{lang|tl|pokpok }}
|Tagalog
|prostitute
|pocahontas
|prostitute
|----
|[[Winston Churchill]]
|{{lang|tl|sosyal }}
|Tagalog 
|high society
|churchill
|high society
|----
|[[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]]
|{{lang|tl|tomguts}}
|Tagalog
|hungry
|tom jones
|hungry
|}

*From other languages like Japanese.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://hoowanted.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/gay-lingo-collections/ |title= Gay Lingo Collections|author= |date= July 5, 2009|work= |publisher= |accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|----
! scope="col" width="200" |Word
! scope="col" width="200" |Language 
! scope="col" width="200" |Meaning
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="200" |Swardspeak meaning
|----
|{{lang|ja|ビール}} (bīru)
|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]
|beer
|berru
|beer
|----
|{{lang|ja|男}} (otoko)
|Japanese
|male
|otoko
|manly man
|----
|{{lang|ja|私}} (watashi)
|Japanese 
|me, I
|watashi
|me, I
|----
|{{lang|es|chiquito}}
|Spanish 
|small
|chiquito
|small
|----
|{{lang|es|coño}}
|Spanish 
|[[vagina]]
|coño
|high society
|----
|{{lang|es|coño}}
|Spanish 
|vagina
|coño
|speaker of [[Taglish and Englog#Coño English|Coño English]]
|----
|{{lang|es|puñeta}}
|Spanish 
|obscenity, means "in a fist"
|puñeta
|[[profanity]], equal to "[[fuck]]"
|----
|{{lang|es|Siete Pecados}}
|Spanish 
|[[seven deadly sins]]
|siete pecados
|nosy, gossipmonger
|}

==Examples==
*Tagalog [[nursery rhyme]] "''Ako ay may lobo''" (I Have a Balloon) into Swardspeak.<ref name="Kritika Kultura"/>

{| cellpadding="2"  style="text-align: center;"
|----
! scope="col" width="300" |Tagalog
! scope="col" width="300" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="300" |English
|----
|''Ako ay may lobo ''<br>
''Lumipad sa langit  ''<br>
''Di ko na nakita ''<br>
''Pumutok na pala ''<br>
''Sayang lang ang pera,''<br> 
''Pinambili ng lobo''<br>
''Sa pagkain sana,''<br> 
''Nabusog pa ako.''<br>
|''Aketch ai may lobing''<br>
''Flylalou sa heaven''<br>
''Witchels ko na nasightness ''<br>
''Jumutok lang pala ''<br>
''Sayang lang ang anda ''<br>
''Pinang buysung ng lobing''<br>
''Kung lafangertz sana''<br>
''Nabusog pa aketch ''<br>
|I had a balloon<br>
It flew up in the sky<br>
I can't see it anymore <br>
[I didn't know] it had popped<br>
Wasted my money<br>
Buying the balloon<br>
If I had bought food instead<br>
At least I would have been satisfied<br>
|----
|}

*Tagalog nursery rhyme "''Bahay Kubo''" (Nipa Hut) into Swardspeak.

{| cellpadding="2"  style="text-align: center;"
|----
! scope="col" width="300" |Tagalog
! scope="col" width="300" |Swardspeak
! scope="col" width="300" |English<ref>{{cite web|title=Philippines Children's Songs and Nursery Rhymes|url=http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=1017&c=20|work=|accessdate=25 December 2010}}</ref>
|----
|''Bahay kubo, kahit munti''<br>
''Ang halaman duon,''<br>
''Ay sari-sari''<br>
''Singkamas, at talong,''<br>
''Sigarilyas at mani''<br>
''Sitaw, bataw, patani''<br>
''Kundol, patola, upo’t kalabasa''<br>
''At saka meron pa''<br>
''Labanos, mustasa''<br>
''Sibuyas, kamatis, bawang at luya''<br>
''Sa paligid-ligid''<br>
''Ay puno ng linga''<br>
|''Valer kuberch, kahit jutay''<br>
''Ang julamantrax denchi,''<br>
''Ay anek-anek.''<br>
''Nyongkamas at nutring,''<br>
''Nyogarilyas at kipay.''<br>
''Nyipay, nyotaw, jutani.''<br>
''Kundol, jotola, jupot jolabastrax''<br>
''At mega join-join pa''<br>
''Jobanos, nyustasa,''<br>
''Nyubuyak, nyomatis, nyowang at luyax''<br>
''And around the keme''<br>
''Ay fulnes ng linga.''<br>
|Nipa hut, even though it is small<br>
The plants it houses <br>
Are varied<br>
Turnip and eggplant, <br>
Winged bean and peanut<br>
String bean, hyacinth bean, lima bean.<br>
Wax gourd, luffa, <br>
white squash and pumpkin,<br>
And there is also radish, mustard,<br>
Onion, tomato, <br>
Garlic, and ginger<br>
And all around<br>
Are sesame seeds.<br>
|----
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Books==
*''Visayan Swardspeak: The language of a gay community in the Philippines"'' - Crossroads, 1990
*''“’Performing’ the Filipino Gay Experiences in America: Linguistic Strategies in a Transnational Context.”'' Beyond the Lavender Lexicon: Authenticity, Imagination and Appropriation in Lesbian and Gay Language. New York: Gordon and Breach, 1997. 249–266
*''“Global Divas: Filipino Gay Men in the Diaspora”'', Duke University Press Books, November 19, 2003. {{ISBN|978-0822332176}}

{{Taglish and Englog}}

[[Category:Austronesian languages]]
[[Category:Dialects of English]]
[[Category:LGBT]]
[[Category:Languages of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Romance languages]]