High Hilarity in Pangasinan Language and Culture
Pangasinan culture is a motherlode of comedic possibilities.
This is probably because Pangasinenses are such a happy bunch, a natural at making light of situations. This is readily apparent in their general demeanor, manner of speaking, and almost every aspect of the culture.
If we examine Pangasinense feasts, we immediately discern a level of gaiety, a joyful atmosphere, in the noise of the videoke, the nonstop banter, the playful chatter, the overflowing food on the banquet table…
Pangasinan dances feature moves and props that are used for palastugan or pasirayewan – for pasikatan, payabangan, pissing contest for the sake of fun.
Many Pangasinan folk songs and novelty songs can be classified as malurey or magalaw (done in jest). The sung-through verbal joust, called turbaan, is particularly fun because it is a witty exchange between a man and woman who come off as quarreling lovers.
Indeed, if we take a closer look at Pangasinenses' day-to-day language, for example, the highly evocative wording and inventive phrasing point to a strong sense of humor.
Pangasinan riddles and Pangasinan idioms are especially full of hilarity.
Even everyday expressions uttered and routinely exchanged can be funny – how much more the out-and-out jokes?
If we take things apart linguistically, the humor comes through using various strategies. One popular devise is the use of hyperbole or exaggeration for comedic effect.
Examples:
Expression: “Akin antakotakot mo tan ah, ta sa-sankarangan?” (Roughly, “Why are you afraid of that person when he is just thimble-sized?”)
Expression: “Agmo nalingaw so layag mo'd samit. Karapas mo wadtan.” (“You can't see your ears with how delicious it is! Touch them, they are there.”)
Another devise is the use of outlandish imagery.
Example:
Riddle for papaya: “Paltak na baka, naknoy paminta.” (“Cow’s nuts, filled with peppercorns.”)
Another strategy is to go on a sarcastic, ridiculous, or absurd route.
Example:
Expression: Agka manisia, lakad tumbong nen Alicia (vulgar usage: You don't believe it? Get inside Alicia's butt!)
Pangasinenses are especially frank with regard to bodily functions or physiology and brutally honest even with sexual matters. When dropped even in polite company, or especially so in such a company, the comic bombs deliver without fail.
Sample exchange I myself have heard:
A: Pangasinan ba kayo?
B: Oho
A: Talaga? Marunong ba kayong magsalita ng Pangasinan?
B: Ay on. Balbaleg so paltak mo!
What is bastos, off-color, toilet humor, or sexually vulgar to many is often taken with a grain of, uhm, Pangasinan salt.
In all cases, there is that constant element of surprise, a factor of unexpectedness, that is why things get funny for the Pangasinan.
This is not to say that Pangasinenses are all about shallow laughter and hollow happiness. It is a more a case of being a people that feel deeply, as Pangasinenses are no stranger to extreme emotions and dispositions as well. In other words, Pangasinans know how to live life to the full – they have in spades what the French call joie de vivre.
In the age of social media, Pangasinan’s brand of humor comes to the fore through digital content creators. Maybe it’s the soc-med algorithm that is to blame, but the Pangasinan vloggers, YouTubers, and TikTokers that emerge at random on my Facebook newsfeed seem to be an entire army of zany comics. The ones that immediately caught my attention are the parodist with the screen name of Pulakit, the hilariously irritable and coquettish sari-sari store vendor Bernie Batin of Mapandan town, and the Saudi-based OFW ‘irap queen’ Oliver Castro of San Carlos City.
As of this writing, names of crazies with thousands of ‘followers’ continue to come up, with newcomers like Ponsyana (and her Sharon Cuneta ways), the Fil-Am Sarah Pyle, Benedix Ramos, and Myles dela Cruz. There’s even this lola named Julie ‘Kalarak’ Aoanan; having recently migrated to the US, she delivers comedic chops in that self-deprecating and thus very Pangasinan manner.
Truth to tell, these are all latter-day comics, all johnny-come-lately’s when compared to such comics as novelty singer-comedians Insyong and Gusting Tamayo, Sofing Tamayo, Pekto Pakaruskos, and other names who came before them on radio, in zarzuelas, in town fiesta programs, and so on.
Pangasinan humor/comedy has come a long way it may be considered a tradition by now, if we think about it.
(Images were, of course, screen-grabbed from the comics' pages)
Pangasinan culture is a motherlode of comedic possibilities.
This is probably because Pangasinenses are such a happy bunch, a natural at making light of situations. This is readily apparent in their general demeanor, manner of speaking, and almost every aspect of the culture.
If we examine Pangasinense feasts, we immediately discern a level of gaiety, a joyful atmosphere, in the noise of the videoke, the nonstop banter, the playful chatter, the overflowing food on the banquet table…
Pangasinan dances feature moves and props that are used for palastugan or pasirayewan – for pasikatan, payabangan, pissing contest for the sake of fun.
Many Pangasinan folk songs and novelty songs can be classified as malurey or magalaw (done in jest). The sung-through verbal joust, called turbaan, is particularly fun because it is a witty exchange between a man and woman who come off as quarreling lovers.
Indeed, if we take a closer look at Pangasinenses' day-to-day language, for example, the highly evocative wording and inventive phrasing point to a strong sense of humor.
Pangasinan riddles and Pangasinan idioms are especially full of hilarity.
Even everyday expressions uttered and routinely exchanged can be funny – how much more the out-and-out jokes?
If we take things apart linguistically, the humor comes through using various strategies. One popular devise is the use of hyperbole or exaggeration for comedic effect.
Examples:
Expression: “Akin antakotakot mo tan ah, ta sa-sankarangan?” (Roughly, “Why are you afraid of that person when he is just thimble-sized?”)
Expression: “Agmo nalingaw so layag mo'd samit. Karapas mo wadtan.” (“You can't see your ears with how delicious it is! Touch them, they are there.”)
Another devise is the use of outlandish imagery.
Example:
Riddle for papaya: “Paltak na baka, naknoy paminta.” (“Cow’s nuts, filled with peppercorns.”)
Another strategy is to go on a sarcastic, ridiculous, or absurd route.
Example:
Expression: Agka manisia, lakad tumbong nen Alicia (vulgar usage: You don't believe it? Get inside Alicia's butt!)
Pangasinenses are especially frank with regard to bodily functions or physiology and brutally honest even with sexual matters. When dropped even in polite company, or especially so in such a company, the comic bombs deliver without fail.
Sample exchange I myself have heard:
A: Pangasinan ba kayo?
B: Oho
A: Talaga? Marunong ba kayong magsalita ng Pangasinan?
B: Ay on. Balbaleg so paltak mo!
What is bastos, off-color, toilet humor, or sexually vulgar to many is often taken with a grain of, uhm, Pangasinan salt.
In all cases, there is that constant element of surprise, a factor of unexpectedness, that is why things get funny for the Pangasinan.
This is not to say that Pangasinenses are all about shallow laughter and hollow happiness. It is a more a case of being a people that feel deeply, as Pangasinenses are no stranger to extreme emotions and dispositions as well. In other words, Pangasinans know how to live life to the full – they have in spades what the French call joie de vivre.
In the age of social media, Pangasinan’s brand of humor comes to the fore through digital content creators. Maybe it’s the soc-med algorithm that is to blame, but the Pangasinan vloggers, YouTubers, and TikTokers that emerge at random on my Facebook newsfeed seem to be an entire army of zany comics. The ones that immediately caught my attention are the parodist with the screen name of Pulakit, the hilariously irritable and coquettish sari-sari store vendor Bernie Batin of Mapandan town, and the Saudi-based OFW ‘irap queen’ Oliver Castro of San Carlos City.
As of this writing, names of crazies with thousands of ‘followers’ continue to come up, with newcomers like Ponsyana (and her Sharon Cuneta ways), the Fil-Am Sarah Pyle, Benedix Ramos, and Myles dela Cruz. There’s even this lola named Julie ‘Kalarak’ Aoanan; having recently migrated to the US, she delivers comedic chops in that self-deprecating and thus very Pangasinan manner.
Truth to tell, these are all latter-day comics, all johnny-come-lately’s when compared to such comics as novelty singer-comedians Insyong and Gusting Tamayo, Sofing Tamayo, Pekto Pakaruskos, and other names who came before them on radio, in zarzuelas, in town fiesta programs, and so on.
Pangasinan humor/comedy has come a long way it may be considered a tradition by now, if we think about it.
(Images were, of course, screen-grabbed from the comics' pages)
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