Friday, November 7, 2025

"Maistapak" and other Pangasinan words for "maarte"

 "Maistapak"


Having fun with Pangasinan language continues, what with new discoveries (or rather re-discoveries) from FB group pages focusing on the Pangasinan way of life.

One time, a random poster asked what maistapak means, and the answers proved to be another list of synonyms worth pondering on.

Maistapak -- that's another word I haven't heard for about, what, a hundred years? it turns out to mean:  dakël so ag to kaukolan o anapën (ang daming kailangan o hinahanap)

The synonyms, as alleged, are as follows:

"Dakel so andi-kakanaayan ya ibabaga to" (so many useless things he is saying)

Maarte - finicky

Makurisya -- never heard this bad-sounding guy before, but it turns out to mean metikuloso (meticulous)

Mapilipili - choosy

Delikado - delicate

Maistelo - from ma-style (full of style), presumably

Say gabay to, gabay to - what he wants, he wants (and gets it)

Pasidsirayew, Stariray, Pabida - show-offy

Ma-feeling - presumptuous

Mabaraan? - loves to rationalize or justifies things

Mayamay anta to - literally, knows a lot of things; figuratively, dispenses knowledge to show off

Mareklamo - complains a lot

Makorihe - tends to correct a lot of things

Makotaltik - ?

Metikuloso - meticulous

I know the list is incomplete because these words are words (or things) we grew up with. Children who were naturally finicky about a lot of things were sure to hear these words from straight-talking Pangasinenses. Other related terms not on the list are:

Arloste, maarloste

Artikuliti, maartikuliti

In German accent, Pangasinan language -- whatever perceived faults it may have -- is truly wunderbar! Aren't you proud?

No comments:

Post a Comment