Philaristeia

Friday, May 15, 2015

Trillanes: We're not ready for war

Last Monday, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV admitted that the defense forces of the country, particularly the navy, cannot meet head to head with China alone when it comes to the point that a war over the much contested islands located in the South China Sea is inevitable.

"We cannot defend ourselves using the Philippine navy alone," said Trillanes IV during an interview last May 11, hours before he left for a trip out of the country for “senate affairs.”

Being a former Navy lieutenant and the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, he assessed that our Navy personnel can defend our territory to some extent if they have up-to-date facilities and arsenal.

Trillanes IV advised that we should accelerate the development of the [Armed Forced of the Philippines] organization for the country to "upgrade" its capacity to protect its territory and constituents.

“I trust our military’s resolve to protect our country’s interest no matter the odds,” proclaimed the senator.

The senator claimed that the Philippine government is determined to modernize our security repertoire through investments of up to date materials and ships.

The total of the national budget devoted to the Philippine Navy last year amounted to 13,874,987,000 alone.

The government devoted a total amount of 13,874,987,000 (in Philippine peso) of the national budget to the Philippine Navy last year with its aim of putting into effect its modernization program.

“Although we would not be engaging in an arms race with China, at least, we will have a minimum credible defense posture or at least minimum deterrent capability,” he stated.

"Let us exhaust all diplomatic channels," Trillanes IV backtracked saying that we could "engage China in a less hostile and antagonistic relationship."

The chance of there being a full-scale war between the countries in the region is low, but a violent confrontation is likely.

Trillanes IV recommended that ties with other countries and regional organizations "like Japan, Korea, the ASEAN, and the United States [of America]" should be strengthened for us to have aid and support if China decides to continue its aggressive actions in the region and the situation worsens.

He said that it is ideal if the claimants of the territories in the South China Sea solve the territorial dispute through bilateral and multilateral negotiations among themselves.

“Right now, since we cannot match the military capability of China, what we can do is to continuously voice out our concern and encourage our neighboring countries to join us in raising awareness to what's happening in the disputed areas, and in pressuring China to stop their activities in the disputed areas, “ explained the senator.

China seems to be against involving nations and organizations outside the region and prefer that only the claimants of the islands be caught up with the matter, which would work to their advantage considering China’s economic and military power is bigger than those of the other countries in the region.

Much like what the U.S. did last year, Japan announced that it will be partaking in joint naval exercises next month in the region near the Scarborough Shoal area, according to Japan Today.

China does not give the impression to be concerned with Japan’s recent activity in the South China Sea since military and navy exercises between the nations in the area are becoming common.

Japan’s decision to participate in the navy exercises signify Japan’s attention to the affairs of its southern neighbors.

Last month, the South China Sea issue was discussed during the 26th ASEAN summit but China rejected the statements and stance of the organization about the said topic claiming that most of the member countries are not involved at the disputes at all, and therefore, the affair is not between China and the ASEAN as a whole but between China and the individual countries it has disagreements with,” as reported by The Diplomat.

The territorial disputes have been going on since the 1970's and the countries involved have yet to find a solution to the problem.

The Philippines have taken the stance to resolve the dispute with the help of the global audience through the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) after Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's government filed a legal case against China denying its claims on some parts of the South China Sea territories last year.

“The Tribunal’s ruling on whether or not [the Philippines] has jurisdiction in the case will likely come sometime between mid-August and mid-December 2015,” speculated a certain Jay L. Batongbacal, the Director of the UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.

Senator Trillanes IV believes that only when all the nations involved in the maritime debate abide by the resolutions handed out by the international court/(s) could the disagreements perhaps be solved.

China refused to sign the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) because it "does not accept any of the procedures provided for in Section 2 of Part XV of the Convention with respect to all categories of disputes,” according to the statement filed by the Chinese government in 2006 as reported by the Huffington Post.

The dispute between China and the Philippines stated when Japan formally declared its abandonment of the Spratly Islands without declaring which country is its successor, leaving it as a nobody’s land, when it signed the Peace Treaty of San Francisco in 1951 with the Allied Powers after the events of World War II.

The Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia assert their claim by geographical proximity or being within their Exclusive Economic Zones, while Vietnam, China and Taiwan present historical evidences of the islands as part of their territory.

The ITLOS is an independent judicial court established by the UNCLOS in 1982 but only started to be active in October 1, 1996.

It is initiated with the intention to make formal judgements on maritime disputes around the world with the interpretation and application of the UNCLOS as its basis.

It just went over my head: Idiomatic expressions

At the head of the class – academic superior of the class
Head and shoulders above – clearly superior to someone or something
A head start – to start early
Have a good head on one’s shoulder – have good sense or judgment
Off the top of one’s head – in an impromptu way
Put one’s heads together – to think something together to form an idea
Use one’s head – to think
Make one’s head spin – drive you insane
Over one’s head – beyond one’s understanding or competence
Scratch one’s head – to think hard
Head over heels – to be in love with someone very much
Lose one’s head – to lose control; not being calm
Out of one’s head – in a wandering state mentally
Soft in the head – stupid, witless
Heads will roll – people will get into severe trouble
Talk someone’s head off - to scold or berate someone severely
Laugh someone’s head off - to laugh very hard and loudly
Hard-headed – a stubborn person
Thick-headed – a person who is stubborn and stupid at the same time
Hot-headed – a person who is constantly mad or who gets easily mad
Cool-headed - not easily excited or flustered
Knucklehead – a stupid person
Bonehead – a stupid person
Sleepyhead – a person who always lacks in sleep
Pothead – one who habitually smokes marijuana
Head off – to go somewhere
Head on – directly
Head in – to move in something head or first
Turn heads – people will notice
Keep one’s head above water – to retain self-control
At the eleventh hour – the last possible time
In the dead of the night – at midnight
A nightcap – an alcoholic drink taken before bedtime
A night-bird – a person who is active late at night
On the spur of the moment – without premeditation
One’s Sunday best – in one’s best clothes
To do something at the last minute – to do something late
It’s all in day’s work – part of what is expected
To have seen better days – be in a state of decline
To call it a day – to quit work and go home
To fight tooth and nail – engage in vigorous combat
To have the time of one’s life – a highly pleasurable experience
To kill time – to waste time
To learn something by heart - to do something without thinking
To have one’s heart in one’s mouth – to feel emotionally strong about something
To pull someone’s leg – to apply force into something
Not to have a leg to stand on – to have no support
To be on its last leg – to be final
To pay through the nose pay an excessive amount of something
To stick one’s neck out – to make oneself vulnerable, to take risk
To give someone the cold shoulder - to behave unfriendly
To rub shoulders with someone – to socialize closely
To toe the line – to follow or abide
To hold one’s tongue – to refrain someone from speaking
To make a slip of the tongue – to try to say something
To let one’s hair down – to be free
To escape by a hair’s breadth – to get away from a small distance
To have one’s hands full – has too many agendas
To be a handful – to be difficult to deal with
To be an old hand – someone who is familiar in doing the job
To get the upper hand of something – to get the advantage of something
To say something off-hand – to say something unplanned
To have a finger in the pie – to have an interest or meddle with something
To keep one’s fingers crossed – to hope with eagerness
To see eye to eye – to see on the same level
To keep a straight face – not having a definite expression
Elbow room – enough space to move about
To get something off one’s chest – to unburden
To play music by ear – to play something after listening for a few times
To be within earshot – close enough to hear it
To pick someone’s brains – to get information of something from someone
A bone of contention – the main point of an argument
To have one’s back against the wall – in a hard situation that is difficult to escape
To be up in arms – very angry
To break the back of something – to end the domination
To see red - angry
To see the red light – to notice to stop
To catch someone red-handed – to get caught
To have green fingers – to have a talent in growing plants
To turn grey – to become old
To see pink elephants – to see hallucinations because of drunkenness
To feel blue – to feel sick
To be dressed in black – to mourn something or someone
To beat someone black and blue – to beat someone until they have bruises
A feather in one’s cap – an act or deed in one’s credit
A wolf in sheep’s clothing – to deceive
To clip someone’s wings – restrain or reduce someone’s freedom
To take the bull by the horns – to confront a problem openly
To have butterflies in one’s stomach – to feel nervous
To rain cats and dogs – to rain heavily
To count one’s chickens before they hatch – to count one’s blessings before they’re gone
To have other fish to fry – other matters to attend to
To go to the dogs – to go to ruin
To wait till the cows come home – to wait patiently
To err on the safe side – to take a risk
To set the ball rolling – to go
To talk down to someone – to have a serious talk
To clear the air – to clarify
To throw someone’s weight around – to boss people around
A saving grace – to save someone or something from a total disaster
To affect ignorance (of something) – ignorance within the individual’s control
To be asking for trouble – wanting for trouble
To be barking up the wrong tree – to misdirect one’s attention
To beat the air – fight to no purpose
To blow one’s own trumpet – to brag
It all boils down to – to end
To buck one’s ideas up – to summon one’s courage
To buckle down to something – to settle for something with finality
To burn one’s bridges – to make anything going back impossible
To burn a hole in one’s pocket – spending money once they get it
To burn the candle at both ends – extreme effort without time or rest
To burn one’s fingers – harm oneself
To burn the midnight’s oil – to work in the middle of the night
To butter someone up – to ingratiate yourself with flattery
To buy a pig in a poke – buying what you like but regretting in the end
To call the tune – to decide what needs to be done
To catch someone napping – to be unaware of danger or trouble
To catch someone red-handed – to be caught in the act
To chop and change – to keep changing what you want
To cross the Rubicon – to commit something that inevitably commits one to follow
To curry favor with someone – to make someone like you by pleasing them
To cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth – to bring about one’s failure
To draw a blank – to cease the line
To err on the safe side – to take a risk
To feather one’s nest – to decorate one’s home acc. to his lifestyle
To fish in troubled waters – to involve in a difficult situation
To flog a dead horse – to insist in talking about something that no one is interested in
To fly in the face of someone – to challenge
To fly off the handle – to loose one’s temper
To follow the crowd – to do what everyone else is doing
To follow in someone’s footsteps – to be next
To gild the lily – engage in an wasteful activity
To hand out bouquets – to give something plentiful
To handle someone with kid gloves – to handle someone like a child
To harp on the same string – to keep talking or complaining
To hear something over the grape-vine – to hear news from someone who has heard it from someone else
To hold the olive branch – to say something to end the disagreement
To hit below the belt – to deal someone with an unfair blow
To iron out differences – to settle differences
To join forces – to come together
To jump on the bandwagon – to join others
To kill two birds with one stone – getting lucky twice
To know where the shoe pinches – to know the root of the trouble
To know which side one’s bread is buttered – to know where one’s best interest lie
To lead a charmed life – to have a satisfying life
To lead someone a dance – to confuse them by deception
To lead someone a dog’s life – to live a boring life
To lead someone up the garden path – to deceive you
To leave much to be desired – to be very unsatisfactory
Let by-gones be by-gones – forgive someone for what he/she did in the past
To let sleeping dogs lie – allow inactive problems to remain so
To let something drop – to let a secret out
To let the cat out of the bag – to reveal a secret
To let the grass grow under one’s feet – to stand still
To meet one’s Waterloo – to let a tragedy happen
To meet someone half-way – to meet someone in a certain destination
To mend one’s ways – to change his/her attitude
To mince one’s words – to soften the effect of the words
To mind one’s p’s and q’s – to practice good manners
To move heaven and earth – exert the utmost effort
To nip something in the bud – to stop something before it goes larger
To pat someone on the back – to congratulate him
To pocket one’s pride – to settle differences
To pour oil on troubled waters – to calm someone down
To rain cats and dogs – to rain heavily
To rest on one’s laurels – to rely on past achievements instead on working someone’s reputation
To ring a bell – to remind something
To rise to the occasion – to meet the challenge of an event
To rob Peter to pay Paul – to use one’s funds to pay debts
To roll one’s sleeves up – to prepare to get to work
To throw in the towel – to give up
To tighten one’s belt – to be strict
To wash one’s dirty linen in public – to talk to people about things that should be kept private
To weather the storm – to settle differences
To whistle for the wind – to influence someone that cannot be changed
To make one’s feet wet – to start a new job
To stick one’s neck out – to look out for another person
To stretch a point – to tell your idea
To smell a rat – to suspect that something is wrong
To speak volume – to talk louder
To steal someone’s thunder – to get attention
To spill the beans – to reveal a secret
To split hairs – to make petty distinctions
To stick around – to remain in a place
To run in the blood – be characteristic of a family that is passed
To be six feet under – to be buried
To die by one’s own hand – to commit suicide
To come to an untimely death – to come to a sudden passing
To be on piece-work – to settle in a negotiation
To cook someone’s goose – to damage or ruin someone
Straight from the horse’s mouth – from a dependable source
To hold one’s horses – to slow down, be patient
To look a gift-horse in the mouth – to be ungrateful for someone who gives you something
The lion’s share – the greater part of something
The leopard can’t change its spots – the person cannot change
To put the cat among the pigeons – to say something that causes people to be angry
To have a bee in one’s bonnet – to keep talking about something that is important to you
To take the bull by the horns – to confront a problem
To have other fish to fry – other matters to attend to
To keep the wolf from the door - To avoid the privation and suffering resulting from a lack of money

Because English is not just English

A cappella - without musical accompaniment
A fortiori - with greater reason
A la (à la) - in the manner of
A la carte - according to a list that prices items separately
A la mode - fashionable
A posteriori - derived by reasoning from observed facts
A priori - ideas, arguments, and assumptions that are based on conjecture, prejudice, or abstract reasoning rather than real-world experience
Ab initio - from the beginning
Accoutrement - accessory
Achilles heel - a vulnerable point
Ad hoc - for the particular end or case at hand without consideration of wider applicatio
Ad hominem (usage) - an attack on an opponent's character rather than by an answerto the contentions made
Ad infinitum - without limit
Ad lib(itum) - without restraint
Ad nauseam - to a sickening or excessive degree
Adonis - a handsome young man
Aegis - the power to protect
Affidavit - a written report signed by a person who promises that the information is true
Aficionado - enthusiast
Agent provocateur - a person employed to encourage people to break the law so they can be arrested
Agitprop - propaganda
Aide memoire - an aid to the memory
Alfresco - in the open air
Alibi - excuse
Alpha and omega - the beginning and ending
Ambiance - atmosphere or mood
Amok - in an uncontrolled state
Amour propre - self-esteem
Anathema - something or someone disliked
Ancien regime - a system no longer prevailing
Annus horribilis - a disastrous year
Annus mirabilis - a remarkable year
Ante - price
Ante bellum - existing before a war
Aphrodisiac - something that causes sexual desire
Apropos - with respect to
Attaché - a specialist working with someone else in a diplomatic mission
Au contraire - on the contrary
Au courant - stylish
Au fait - expert
Au naturel - in a natural state
Avant-garde– intellectual who develops new or experimental concepts, especially in the arts
Bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah – a Jewish boy and a Jewish girl
Belle vs beau – beautiful vs lover
Berserk - crazed
Bête noire – a person or thing avoided (literally “black beast”)
Blitz – air raid
Blitzkrieg – a war conducted with great speed
Bona fide, bona fides – authentic, good faith
Bourgeois, bourgeoisie – characteristic of the middle class, social class
Caesar’s wife – the associates of public figures must not be suspected of wrongdoings
Canard – false report
Capiche, capeesh, capische, etc - understood
Carte blanche – full discretionary power
Casus belli – an action that justifies the war
Cause célèbre – notorious person (literally “celebrated case”)
Caveat – explanation to avoid misinterpretation
C'est la vie – that’s life
Ceteris paribus – elements remained unaltered
Comme ci, comme ça – like this, like that
Confidant vs. confidante – one to whom secrets are entrusted vs a woman
Cordon sanitaire – a protective barrier
Corpus delicti – material substance
Coup d’état – violent overthrow of an existing government
Coup de foudre – love at first sight (literally bolt og lightning)
Coup de grace – decisive finishing blow
Crème de la crème – the very best
Cri de Coeur – passionate outcry
Crise de conscience – crisis of conscience
Cui bono? – usefulness as a principle in estimating the value of an act or policy
Cul de sac – passage closed at one end
Cum – akin, related
Danse macabre – dance of death
De facto – in reality
De jure – based on laws
De mortuis nil nisi bonum – of the dead, nothing unless good
De rigueur – prescribed by fashion, etiquette or custom
Debacle – great disaster
Déjà vu – already seen, illusion of remembrance
Demeanor – behavior toward others
Deo volente – God being willing
Dictum – a note-worthy statement
Diktat – an order that must be followed
Divorcée, divorcé, divorcee – divorced woman, divorced man, divorced woman
Dolce vita – a life of indolence and self-indulgence
Doppelgänger – look alike, a ghostly counterpart of a living person
Double entendre – ambiguity of meaning, a word or expression that can be understood in two different ways usually referring to sex
Dreidel – a four-sided toy marked with Hebrew letters and spun like a top in a game of chance
Drivel – to talk carelessly
Du jour – made for particular day
E.g. vs. i.e. – in example vs that is
En masse – all together
En route – on or along the way
En vogue, in vogue – in fashion
Entente cordiale – cordial understanding
Ergo - therefore
Erratum - error
Ersatz - imitation
Esprit de corps – common spirit existing in a group
Et al. – and others
Et cetera (etc.) – and so on and so forth
Ex officio – because of your job, office or position
Ex post facto – after the fact
Fabian tactics – avoidance of decisive contest
Fait accompli – accomplished fact
Fatwah – a legal opinion of decree handed down by Islamic religious leader
Faux pas – social mistake
Femme fatale - seductress
Fiancé vs. fiancée – male vs female future spouse
Floreat – may flourish
Force majeure – act of God
Forte – strong point
Futz vs putz – fool around vs a stupid person
Gaudeamus - let us rejoice
Gesundheit – a wish of good health to someone who has sneezed
Gist – essence
Gordian knot – a complicated or difficult problem
Gung-ho – extremely excited, over zealous
Habeas corpus – an order to bring a jailed person before a judge or court to find out if that person should really be in jail
Halcyon days – times of peace
Hara-kiri – ritual suicide
Hippocratic oath – an oath embodying a code of medical ethics
Hoi polloi - commoners
Honoris causa – honorary degree
Ibid vs idem – in the same place vs the same as something previously mentioned
Imbroglio – a complex dispute of argument
Impasse – a situation where no progress seems possible
Imprimatur – official approval
In absentia – without being present
In extremis – at point of death
In memoriam – in memory of
In toto – as a whole
In vino veritas – in wine there is truth
Incognito - unseen
Inter alia - among other things
Interim – a period of time between events
Iota – a small amount
Ipso facto – by the fact itself
Je ne sais quoi – something pleasant that cannot be explained
Kamikaze – divine wind
Kaput – no longer working
Kowtow – show of deference
Laissez-faire – do as they choose, little interference by the government to businesses
Lingua franca – mother tongue
Magnum opus - masterpiece
Mandamus – a writ issued by a superior court commanding the performance of a specified official act or duty
Mea culpa – my fault
Memento mori – remember that you will die
Mens sana in corpore sano – a sound mind in a sound body
Mensch – a person of integrity or honor
Midas touch – ability to make money in every venture
Milieu - background
Modus operandi (m.o, MO) – standard operating procedure
Modus Vivendi – way of life, manner of living
Monibus – Omnibus - a volume containing several novels or other items previously published separately
Moratorium – suspension
Muumuu – a long Hawaiian dress
Nebbish – a timid, meek or ineffectual person
Noblesse oblige – the obligation of nobility
Noel or nowel – Christmas carol
Nom de plume - pseudonym
Non sequitur – does not follow
Nota bene – used to call attention to something important
Nouveau riche – new rich
Nunchucks – weapon
Omerta – a rule or code that prohibits divulging information about certain activities specially of a criminal organization
Pandora’s box – source of many troubles
Papabile – Papal canditate
Par excellence – better that all others
Per diem – per day
Per se – by itself
Persona non grata – refers to a foreign person whose entering or remaining in a particular place o country is prohibited (literally “unwelcomed person”)
Pooh-bah - a person who has a lot of power or influence
Prima facie - on its first encounter or at first sight
Primus inter pares - first among equals
Pro bono - professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service
Pro forma - used to describe a practice or document that is provided as a courtesy and/or satisfies minimum requirements, conforms to a norm or doctrine, tends to be performed perfunctorily and/or is considered a formality (literally “as a matter of form” or “for the sake of form”)
Pro patria - for one's country
Pros and cons - a shortening of the Latin expression "pro et contra" (for and against)
Protégé - a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person
Proviso - a condition attached to an agreement
Quasi - seemingly; apparently but not really
Quid pro quo - means an exchange of goods or services, where one transfer is contingent upon the other (literally “something for something”)
Quorum - minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly
RIP/requiescat in pace - a short epitaph or idiomatic expression wishing eternal rest and peace to someone who has died, may he/she rest in peace
Raison d’être - the thing that is most important to someone or something
Realpolitik - a system of politics based on a country's situation and its needs rather than on ideas about what is morally right and wrong
Repertoire or repertory - a type of theatrical presentation in which a company presents several works regularly or in alternate sequence in one season, a theatrical company that presents productions in this manner, storehouse
Requiem – a mass for a deceased person, a musical composition for such a mass
Restaurateur - a person who owns or manages a restaurant
Résumé - a summary
Rite de passage - rite of passage
Sang froid - the ability to stay calm in difficult or dangerous situations
Sans - without
Savoir faire - the ability to behave in a correct and confident way in different situations
Schadenfreude - a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people
Schmuck - an obnoxious or contemptible person
Shtick - a usual way of performing, behaving, speaking
Sic - thus
Simpatico - likable and easy to get along with
Sine die - without any future date being designated (as for resumption)
Sine qua non - something that is absolutely needed
Skullduggery - underhanded or unscrupulous behavior; trickery
Smorgasbord - a meal with many different foods that are placed on a large table so that people can serve themselves
Spartan - Rigorously self-disciplined or self-restrained (a citizen of Sparta)
Status quo - existing state of affairs, particularly with regards to social or political issues, the way things are now
Stet – let it stand
Sub judice - a particular case or matter is under trial or being considered by a judge or court, “under judgment”
Sub rosa – denote secrecy or confidentiality, “under the rose”
Subpoena - a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure
Sui generis - in a class or group of its own
Summa cum laude or magna cum laude – with highest honor or with high honor
Tabula rasa - the mind before it receives the impressions gained from experience
Take the mickey out of someone - to tease or make fun of someone
Terra firma – solid earth
Tete-a-tete - a private conversation between two people
Toilette - formal or fashionable attire or style of dress, a particular costume or outfit
Touché or touché - used to admit that someone has made a clever or effective point in an argument
Tour de force - an exceptional achievement by an artist, author, or the like, that is unlikely to be equaled by that person or anyone else
Troika - a committee consisting of three members
Trojan horse - a person or thing intended secretly to undermine or bring about the downfall of an enemy or opponent, a hollow wooden statue of a horse in which the Greeks concealed themselves in order to enter Troy
Uber - denoting an outstanding or supreme example of a particular kind of person or thing
Ultra vires – beyond the scope or in excess of legal power or authority, “beyond the powers”
Vamoose - depart hurriedly
Verbatim - in exactly the same words as were used originally
Verklempt - chocked up with emotions
Vice versa – in reverse order from the way something has been stated, “the other way around”
Vis-a-vis - face-to-face with, in relation to
Viva voce - orally rather than in writing
Viz. - namely; in other words
Voilà - there it is; there you are
Vox populi - the opinions or beliefs of the majority
Whirling dervish - A person whose behavior resembles a rapid, spinning objects
Wunderkind - a person who achieves great success when relatively young
Zeitgeist - the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time

Thursday, May 14, 2015

That sounds smart

300 Words That Would Make You Sound Smarter

Abate - Diminish
Aberrant - Deviant
Abeyance - Suspension
Abscond - Escape
Abstemious - Abstinent
Admonish - Reprimand
Adulterate - Taint
Aesthetic - Artistic
Aggregate - Collection
Alacrity - Eagerness
Alleviate - Reduce
Amalgamate - Combine
Ambiguous - Debatable
Ambivalence - Uncertain
Ameliorate - Amend
Anachronism - Misdated
Analogous - Equivalent
Anomalous - Atypical
Antipathy - Animosity
Apathy - Indifference
Appease - Pacify
Apprise - Inform
Approbation - Approval
Appropriate - Suitable
Arduous - Laborious
Artless - Candid
Ascetic - Celibate
Assiduous - Meticulous
Assuage - Relieve
Attenuate - Lessen
Audacious - Reckless
Austere - Stern
Autonomous - Independent
Aver - Assert
Banal - Conventional
Belie - Contradict
Beneficent - Benevolent
Bolster - Strengthen
Bombastic - Pompous
Boorish - Uncouth
Burgeon - Flourish
Burnish - Polish
Buttress - Reinforcement
Cacophonous - Noisy
Capricious - Fickle
Castigation - Chastise
Catalyst - Stimuli
Caustic - Sarcastic
Chicanery - Fraudulence
Coagulate - Thicken
Coda - Conclusion
Cogent - Compelling
Commensurate - Corresponding
Compendium - Anthology
Complaisant - Acquiescent
Compliant - Amenable
Conciliatory - Placatory
Condone - Disregard
Confound- Astonish
Connoisseur - Savant
Cumbersome - Inconvenient
Debilitate - Enfeeble
Decorum - Propriety
Deduce - Infer
Déjà vu - Familiarity
Deify - Canonize
Delectable - Delightful
Demure - Modest
Deplorable - Contemptible
Dialectic - Debate
Dichotomy - Contradiction
Eclectic - Assorted
Eccentric - Bizarre
Elicit - Evoke
Elusive - Evasive
Emanate - Cast
Enigmatic - Mysterious
En masse - Unanimously
Endemic - Native
Eradicate - Exterminate
Evasive - Slippery
Faux Pas - Blunder
Fiasco - Failure
Futility - Uselessness
Fortuitous - Fortunate
Formidable - Fearsome
Fractious - Quarrelsome
Funereal - Cheerless
Fledging - Raise
Fidelity - Allegiance
Flippant - Talkative
Galvanize - Titillate
Gamut - Spectrum
Gargantuan - Colossal
Globular - Global
Gormandize - Overeat
Grandeur - Resplendence
Gradation - Scale
Gregarious - Extroverted
Gratuitous - Unwarranted
Halcyon - Tranquil
Haphazard - Danger
Hapless - Star-crossed
Herculean - Strenuous
Hiatus - Interval
Ignoble - Inferior
Ignominious - Degrading
Illicit - Unlawful
Impasse - Stalemate
Impertinent - Irrelevant
Jocular - Witty
Jettison - Discard
Jejune - Dull
Juxtapose - Compare
Jingoistic - Chauvinistic
Kibosh - Suppress
Kinetic - Active
Kudos - Prestige
Keynote - Essence
Kinesiology - Study of body movement
Laconic - Terse
Laggard - Sluggish
Lascivious - Lewd
Latent - Dormant
Lethargic - Inactive
Levity - Flippancy
Liaison - Relation
Loquacious - Conversational
Ludicrous - Laughable
Lucid - Clear
Malignant - Infectious
Maniacal - Frantic
Masticate - Chew
Maverick - Nonconformist
Mawkish - Sentimental
Megalomania - Egotism
Mendacious - Deceitful
Mesmerize - Enthrall
Misconstrue - Misapprehend
Mnemonic - Formula
Narcissistic - Vain
Narcolepsy - von Economo
Nascent - Developing
Nefarious - Atrocious
Ne plus ultra - Apex
Noblesse Oblige - Incorruptibility
Nocturnal - Nightly
Nom de guerre - Pseudonym
Nonchalance - Apathy
Non sequitur - Inconsistent
Oblivious - Clueless
Obsequious - Subservient
Obsolete - Outdated
Onus - Responsibility
Optimal - Best
Opus - Workpiece
Onerous - Burdensome
Ostensibly - Apparently
Ostracize - Reject
Onomatopoeia - Imitation
Pacify - Assuage
Pandemic - Broad
Paradigm - Archetype
Paragon - Epitome
Paroxysm - Convulsion
Paucity - Insufficiency
Peccadillo - Indiscretion
Pedantic - Academic
Penultimate - Second to the last
Perennial - Perpetual
Perpetuate - Maintain
Peruse - Inspect
Pervasive - Prevalent
Picayune - Petty
Pinnacle - Acme
Placid - Tranquil
Platonic - Passionless
Plethora - Overabundance
Polarize - Separate
Polemics - Rebuke
Portend - Predict
Posit - Hypothesize
Potable - Edible
Pragmatic - Practical
Precarious - Perilous
Precedent - Pattern
Precocious - Mature
Preemptive - Precautionary
Pretense - Charade
Primordial - Primeval
Pristine - Immaculate
Prodigal - Wasteful
Procrastinate - Dawdle
Proliferate - Generate
Promiscuity - Immorality
Protégé - Apprentice
Protocol - Agreement
Proverbial - Customary
Prudent - Discreet
Pulchritude - Beauty
Raconteur - Storyteller
Raillery - Banter
Raiment - Attire
Raison d’être - Reason for existing
Rambunctious - Boisterous
Ramification - Consequence
Rancor - Animosity
Rapacity - Theft
Rapprochement - Reconciliation
Ratiocinate - Think
Recalcitrant - Rebellious
Recant - Retract
Recapitulate - Recap
Reciprocity - Interchange
Recriminate - Accuse
Rectitude - Decency
Redact - Edit
Redolent - Evocative
Reflexive - Involuntary
Rejoinder - Rebuttal
Salacious - Indecent
Salient - Noticeable
Salubrious - Healthy
Sangfroid - Poise
Sapient - Wise
Sardonic - Sarcastic
Sartorial - Vestiary
Satiety - Gratification
Saturnine - Gloomy
Satyr - Lecher
Savoir faire - Tact
Scintilla - Particle
Scion - Heir
Secular - Civil
Sedentary - Inert
Serendipity - Blessing
Sinecure - Soft job
Sojourn - Visit
Spurious - Counterfeit
Supercilious - Arrogant
Tabula Rasa - Blank slate
Taciturn - Uncommunicative
Tangential - Extraneous
Tantamount - Identical
Tautology - Circumlocution
Teleological - the study of evidence of design in nature
Temerity - Audacity
Temper - Disposition
Tempestuous - turbulent
Tenet - Principle
Tendentious - Prejudicial
Tenacious - Steadfast
Tete-a-tete - Private conversation
Thaumaturge - Virtuoso
Titular - Nominal
Toothsome - Palatable
Tractable - Manageable
Transient - Ephemeral
Tryst - Rendezvous
Tumid - Bloated
Ubiquitous - Omnipresent
Umbrage - Vexation
Unassuming - Humble
Unbridled - Unrestrained
Unceremonious - Informal
Unctuous - Sycophantic
Ungainly - Awkward
Unilateral - Biased
Unimpeachable - Blameless
Unsavory - Revolting
Vacuous - Empty
Vagary - Whim
Vainglorious - Boastful
Vapid - Dull
Vanguard - Forefront
Vehement - Enthusiastic
Venal - Corruptible
Venial - Pardonable
Veracity - Truth
Verdant - Flourishing
Vers libre - Free verse
Vignette - Scenario
Vociferous - Insistent
Wanderlust - Travel
Wane - Diminish
Wanton - Extravagant
Watershed - Basin
Wayfaring - Traveling
Weltschmerz - Angst
Wherewithal - Ability
Xanadu - Utopia
Xenophile - Allophile
Yahoo - Savage
Xenophobic - Racist
Yawnful - Inspiring yawns
Za-zen - Meditation
Zeitgeist - Trending culture
Zest - Gusto
Zenith - Altitude
Yammer - Whine

It will be our own little language

              In the sociolinguistic sense, there are these things called registers. They are the distinguished way of speaking that is accustomed to a particular situation, such as the jargon of law or technological dialect. They do not occur only in formal settings like in the given examples above, they are also prevalent in informal settings, like Jejemon. Although it may go unnoticed, registers are also present in a household setting. There are words and expressions that are particular to some families. They may be made up or a consequence of one member of the family being linguistically influenced by friends and acquaintances. For instance, some family members may be studying in another town that has a different dialect. They may imbibe these dialects themselves and use it in conversations among family members. The rest of the family may end up using the dialect themselves.

             Since I am used to the way my family members speak, it may not be obvious to me that we speak differently. I may not be able to point out if there are special words that we use--I do not think there is at all--but there are slight differences from the way our community speaks from the way others do. I only noticed these differences when I studied in the university in Manila.

             One would be the pronunciation of "baliw." I grew up knowing that the emphasis should be on the first syllable of the word because that is the pronunciation I hear from the people around me. When I said the word to my block mates, they could not understand what I meant. I had to resort to saying it in English. When my block mates from Cavite understood, they said that the emphasis of the word should be on the last syllable.

              Another would be the "eh" at the end of the sentence. It should not be confused with the interjection that Canadians use. "Eh" is used like an inflection at the end and/or beginning of the sentence that gives a person an accent. It is quite similar to the "ah" at the end of the sentence in Batangas Tagalog. For instance, "Eh, hindi naman akin 'yan, eh."

             There is also the word "hane" that I got from studying in another town. It is so distinct to that place's dialect that they even have a festival attributed to the word. The word is used in replacement of the "okay" or "right?" that we put at the end of the sentence. For example, "Tatawagan mo ako, hane?"

             Communication is repetitive. Most of our words, phrases and sentences are something that we heard from someone else. We may have heard it from the television or from snippets of conversation from strangers, but when we are familiarized with a particular way phrasing thoughts, we tend to use what is already tried and tested. This is perhaps why cliches are prevalent. We would rather use secondhand words rather than use new ones that people may not understand immediately.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Pinocchio Korean Drama Journalism Insights

            Pinocchio is a Korean drama that talked about the media and the ethical dilemmas that jounalists experience in their work. It featured insights on the negative views on media and journalists, as well as the lives of the people heavily impacted by it.

           The television series portrayed how the people behind the media can be ruthless and ambitious due to the cutthroat competition among journalists and among media companies. Some reporters would take advantage of situations to make the story better. They would try to make their reports as humanistic as possible, since viewers would love to have some drama as a form of entertainment with their news.

          The show also included examples of "journalists becoming the news." A particular character in the story tried to create news by winning competitions or some other story to boost their popularity. It is a ploy to increase the ratings of their television station.

          The story also tried to show that this tense rivalry causes journalists to have little time for their families. This would lead them to have faulty relations in their homes.

          This "contest" between businesses described the idea that the media has its own agendas. It would resort to lies and deception to further its own gains. One character even described the newsroom as being “filthy” and a place breeds falsehood because all the people in it are liars. The individual accused news reporters of using speculations and rumors as the basis of their reports despite their lack of evidence. Proven or not, these untrue accounts would harm someone’s reputation or destroy a life when it gets disseminated to the public. The person said that reporters use their microphones and cameras as weapons to “kill” a person.

        One instance in the show even depicted how reporters would lie about their identities during interviews. The would do this to avoid suspicion if the interviewee is on guard and unwilling to divulge the truth to the media.

        All these negative views on media is not so prevalent in the Philippines. In abroad, though, it is different story. Many people would not easily trust the media especially tabloids and the social media.

        It might be confusing that the traits of the journalists in the drama contradicts the purpose of media. They were supposed to be the upholders of truth and clarity. These journalists are supposed to be another check and balance to other institutions in the society. Here, they are portrayed as another organization with selfish motives instead.

       One has to remember that they are people, too. Just like how other people change in times of desperation or due to their complicated circumstances, reporters also falter and question their own morality at times. Some are blinded by greed while some may be intimidated into going against their ethics.

       We cannot easily know who are already compromised or how we could prevent this. Indeed, the truth is difficult to obtain, especially when the people tasked to reveal it sometimes end up hiding it themselves.

Newspaper writers and gender

        Women started to work for the Philippine journalism industry after the Second World War. Before that, they were reduced to staying at home and taking care of their families. Perhaps this change was brought about by the sudden boom of media outlets after the years of suppression by the Japanese military. This event gave women the opportunity to join the numerous, proliferating newspapers and other news channels.

        Nowadays, names of women can be read on broadsheets. Sometimes, their bylines are seen accompanying the banner stories.

        In the survey that I did concerning the front page writers of a certain newspaper--particularly their gender in relation to the topic they wrote about--I concluded that there are more male headline writers than women. Though there are female journalists whose articles become banner stories in general, in my five-day survey, there is only one. The topic she wrote about was politics. In fact, the banner stories of the past five days are all political talk.

        The male writers in the front page wrote about politics except for one who took on the topic about the visit of One Direction in the Philippines last weekend. On the other hand, female writers had more variety in the subjects they wrote about. Some wrote about politics while others chose entertainment, lifestyle, technology and issues concerning health and science, respectively. An editorial by a female senator was present, as well.

        Current banner stories are about politics given the present situation of the country. Even before the Mamasapano and “Fallen 44” issue, the most trending topic in Philippine media was about the government, with the exception of the coverage on the visit of Pope Francis last January. The conditions of a country influences what stories newspapers are going to be focused on. As for the gender of the journalists, it is not as though there is discrimination or stereotypes on gender on topic assignation, but it is according to the editor’s judgment on a writer’s ability to handle specific news categories. It is the editor who is responsible for whoever gets a respective story. He appropriates according to what he perceives is the expertise of an individual writer. For instance, if the editor knows that a journalist is a sports fan or was part of the school varsity, it is likely that he would choose that journalist to write a story for the sports section.

        If ever there is some unequal treatment of both genders, it may be due to the editor. Writers do not make their own decisions on what they report, otherwise, there would be issues left untackled for the sake of well-liked topic that everyone might fight over. This would lead to unhealthy relationships within the same company.

        Though it is not entirely impossible for there to be discrimination in media offices, the present generation seems to be aware of it to try and eradicate it. Hopefully, today’s educated youth would be able to take our society to another step forward from this backward social views.