When people talk about the Kapampangan language, the discussion tends to revolve around how it sounds. Although first impressions are brought up about how the language is spoken, its distinct sound is commonly the center of attention. This comes as no surprise. After all, our usual first encounter with a different language is through speech.
The Kapampangan language has always had a reputation for sounding unpleasant. Compared to the melodic Filipino or the mellow-sounding English, Kapampangan seems to stand in stark contrast. For non-native speakers, it has been described as sounding sarcastic, hostile, and even downright rude.
I don’t blame them. Even I once thought that Kapampangan was all those things. With its multi-syllabic words and sharp “k” sounds injected in almost every syllable, every sentence really used to sound like an extremely difficult tongue twister.
However, as I began to immerse myself more in the language, I started to realize that maybe Kapampangan (and all languages for that matter) was more than what it sounds. Maybe the charm lies not in how it is spoken, but in how meaning is conveyed through it both in the literal and figurative sense. As for the latter, this is usually manifested in the language’s idioms.
Idioms are figurative expressions that are usually specific to a certain language. They can be beautiful and poetic, crass and nonsensical, or somewhere in between. Aside from being difficult to translate, they give us a glimpse into the vernacular and how it colorfully conveys meanings using figurative devices.
As such, in this article, I aim to give you, the reader, an introduction to Kapampangan idioms and hopefully a glimpse into the language itself. This piece is written without the intention of forcing you to like the language, but instead, my goal in writing this is to inspire readers to at least develop an appreciation for the complexities of languages through figurative expressions and their often perplexing and amusing nature.
This article will introduce to you five Kapampangan idioms that have always stayed with me since I first heard them spoken in my mother tongue. By this, I am not referring to the Kapampangan that is found in literary works or anything that is only familiar to the most traditional speakers. On the contrary, I am actually referring to the colloquial Kapampangan, the one that is part of the vocabulary of every native.
The first idiom (or panasbuk in Kapampangan), and probably my favorite one, is mitwag ya ing sabo. Translated literally, this idiomatic expression means ‘spilled soup’. A real head-scratcher for many, the clue here is to focus more on “spilled” than “soup”. This idiom figuratively means someone making a costly or major mistake. Personally, I have no clue as to how spilling soup has become equated with messing up in a big way, but if I have to make a guess, it’s probably because you can’t recover spilled soup. An accurate guess or not, you’ll hear this idiom a lot, especially during contests and games.
The next idiom is matni ya buntuk, which literally translates to “he/she has a loud head,” describing an intelligent person. The idiom is such because apparently, smart people’s heads are always brimming with ideas that cause ‘noise’ — hence, that person has a ‘loud’ head. So, if you want to compliment your brainy Kapampangan friend and shock her/him/them with your Kapampangan knowledge at the same time, just say “Ba, katni mu naman buntuk!”
The third idiom is maklak ya buntuk. If you’re thinking that it seems related to the previous one, you’re right. Actually, this idiom is its exact opposite. "Maklak ya buntuk" figuratively means that a person has a slow mind, or to be more candid, that this person is plain stupid. An interesting fact about this idiom is that it actually originated from the act of removing someone’s head lice! Live lice usually make a popping sound because of their eggs, but if they don’t make any noise, it probably means that they are empty. As such, the idiom's most widely known interpretation is “having an empty head." Unlike saying "matni ka buntuk" to someone, if you say maklak ka buntuk to a Kapampangan, expect him or her to feel extremely offended or for you to be labeled as mapanisti (judgmental).
Speaking of being judgemental, the next idiom in this list is kuskus balungus. "Balungus" refers to one’s lips, while "kuskus" means to rub two things together; hence, "kuskus balungus" literally means to rub and or smack one’s lips together. This is the feeling of anticipation and anxiety before an event occurs; done when a person is hungry and waiting for their food or excitedly anticipating something, for example. In this context, kuskus balungus means unnecessary fuss. The English idiom, “beating around the bush,” is very similar to it (only in their figurative meaning and not in the literal sense). Kapampangans usually use this expression to refer to politicians and other people who can’t walk their talk.
Saving the best for last, the fifth and final idiom is the way to win over any Kampampangan: ustu ya gogo or ustu ya panga gogo. “Ustu” means correct and “gogo” means to mix, so, this idiom literally translates to “it is mixed right”. In the figurative sense, it refers to something that tastes good or something that is done right. This idiom is believed to have originated from the process of making kalamay, a sticky rice dessert common in Pampanga, since making one involves stirring a pot with a wooden stick. Beyond food and labor, however, it can also be used to compliment anything and anyone. So, when you’re offered food by your Kapampangan friend’s or girlfriend/boyfriend’s parents, a sure way to let them know that you appreciate it is to say, “Ay tita/tito, ustu ya panga gogo.” Considering how much we love to cook and to share it with others, trust me, they’ll love you for it!
While Kapampangan might not be the most pleasant-sounding language, it certainly shines in other aspects such as its figurative devices. Learning idioms is a great way to become more familiar with Kapampangan and any language for that matter. Hopefully, this piece gave you a glimpse of not only the stereotypical harsh-sounding and crass Kapampangan, but also of the figurative, lilting, and profound one that I grew up with and feel deep affection for.
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About the author
Katrina Balingit, 19, is an incoming junior Literature student from Ateneo de Manila University. Her interests include food, foreign language, and film. She enjoys reading about culture and politics, cooking traditional local cuisine, and watching historical documentaries. In her free time, she likes to play video games and listen to mainstream music. She says that sitcoms are the superior TV genre and that second-hand bookstores should be saved. She currently lives in a small neighborhood in Magalang, Pampanga where she grew up.
