The Filipino words in 'Encarta Dictionary'

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THE FILIPINO TERM FOR ‘MOUNTAIN’ that is ‘bundok,’ has entered the internationally used Encarta Dictionary (Microsoft® Encarta® 2006) as the supposed etymon (origin of a word) of a term that is declared to also mean ‘mountain.’

Search for the term ‘boondock’ and the dictionary will give you the following: noun, Philippines, same as mountain (sense 1) [Mid-20th century. < Tagalog bundok ]. The pronunciation guide for the word instructs us that the stress is on the first syllable [boon-] and the second one [-dock] is pronounced somehow similar to the way the English term ‘dock’ (place for ships to moor) is uttered. (The whole word roughly sounds like the way the Filipino family name ‘Bondoc’ is pronounced).

But the thing is, the word ‘boondock,’ (with its ridiculous spelling and awkward pronunciation) is not used (even) by Filipinos themselves. In fact, the term may not be known in the Philippines, if not for dictionaries like that of Microsoft Encarta. The persons behind the dictionary had perhaps consulted someone who inadvertently misrepresented the country and the Filipino language.

Some other Filipino words (or words that are claimed to have originated from the Philippines) which appear in the Encarta Dictionary are ‘asalto,’ ‘despedida,’ ‘jeepney,’ ‘kundiman,’ ‘querida,’ and ‘tao.’ As to the word ‘tao’ that means ‘man,’ the dictionary declares that its plural form can either be ‘tao’ or ‘taos.’ (So how we wish ‘maraming taos’ [many men], especially Filipinos, would have the chance to read this!) (Jaypee de Leon, Batasan Highschool)

Related artcle/s:

Is there such thing as 'Filipino English?'

How to cite this article:

Jaypee de Leon. “The Filipino words in Encarta Dictionary” @ www.OurHappySchool.com