The Filipinos fixation on titles might have militaristic nature in origin. Somebody (there will always someone!) might say this is a colonial heritage, but lo, titles have been around even before the Spaniards came. Such as Datu Humabon, Rajah Sulayman, etc.

Aside the formal reference (Mrs. Mr. Ms.) which sometimes denote position, why is it a continuing point to differentiate individuals from mere mortals?

You have lawyers (Attorney, Judge), medical (Doctor), etc. Where it might be proper to address individuals who have finished a masters or a doctorate. Rank, military or law enforcement, I see it as respect...

But then you have "manufactured" titles such as superstar, megastar, direk (which I hate the most!), engineers (not architect, mind you), nurse, bossing, sir, etc...

And then of-course, families would proudly display diplomas outside the house to let every passer-by know how to address the resident or members thereof.

Comments?

You serious? Im not aware of that besides doctors having to state their identity outside their house because its also their clinic...

Then you never really ventured out in the Philippines. They usually get it made out of wood, with a neighbor in Nueva Ecija earning a living on making these signs.

titles are a filipino thing. i mean each person by the time they can walk even have nickname, and a teasing theme. ie pipe, hapon, supot, i know a guy who use to be called "piyip" cause he couldn't say "philips" brand of smokes.

eh baka namn ngongo yun.

When you are a gangster in the Philippines, your first name should have a BOY at begining of your alias.

ex.
Boy Spuknik
Boy Tarugo
Boy Baluga

This gives a sense of authority to your gang and if you a a BOY at the beginning of your name of alias, they think that you are really tough.

Title (before the name)

Ka... (rural designation?)
Kumander...(NPA leader or dominant wife?)
Mang.../Aling... (known but non-relative elder)
Ate.../Ditse.../Manang.../Sanse... (hierarchal female sibling by age)
Kuya.../Diko.../Manong... (hierarchal male sibling by age)
Atang... (Grandfather)
Inang... (Grandmother)

http://news.inq7.net/opinion/index.php?ind...&story_id=22004

^^^

Rofl! Kumander = dominant wife?

Ditse, sanse, diko are Chinese in origin.

Pretty funny because when one of my sisters turned 18, I threw a debutant party for her and she asked me to wear my dress greens. Suddenly, the whole neigborhood was addressing me as "Staff Sergeant Faber" and some old-timemers calling me Technical Sergeant (an old designation for my Army rank).

The first one to address me as Direk would be kicked out of my set!

i hate that $hit. whenever old filipnio guys find out i'm in the army, they're like hey sir.

what piss me off sometimes is when some filipinos "sir" white people.

^ Yeah, true. I mean, I know we are hospitable and respectable people, but it's not really necessary for us to address every white foreigner as 'Sir' as if they're of high importance.

I think you guys are trying to make somehting out of nothing. Walang problema akong makita , gina bigyan ka respeto kase soldado ikaw. Shouldnt you should be honoured? shouldnt you be proud? .

^^^

It might be something out of nothing to most, but titles creates stratum and caste system. Some are purely used out of respect, there isn't wrong with that. But once it is used to create boundaries, it becomes a problem.

Some of the more famous ones are Don and Doña, Señorita and Señorito. Although it might have been lost in translation, innocent titles now comes with a connotation of power.

I don't mind being addressed with my rank, only if the one addressing me is a serviceman.

I have a relative who works as an Engineer (Civil). I found out, the proper way to address him is Engr. Bassig. I asked my sisters since when an engineer deserved a recognition as far as title is attached to his name.

^ ^ Far cry from the way we address our superiors here in the US. In the company I work for, we address everybody in a first name basis. Whether it's the engineering department director or the vice-president.

But we call the CEO King, because that's really his first name.

Hmm, what about Commander Robot?



That must be the gayest name you can give yourself. I mean at leat try to sound like your menacing but Commander Robot?

Ok OK...how about gangs....have u heard of the Takusa Gang(Takot Sa Asawa)!!!

It's in human nature....titles perhaps gives us vanity.

In reality no matter how much you talk about men are created equals, a leader always arises. No culture in the world started without heirarchy even some animal groups has it's own.