'Uswag, Alimuom': Teachers explain meaning behind uncommon words for Buwan ng Wika 2023

MANILA, Philippines — We used to celebrate Linggo ng Wika. Today, it is celebrated as Buwan ng Wika, or National Language Month, every August.

When we talk about language, it does not mean only Filipino, or Tagalog, which is the base of the Filipino language. It also means some or all of the over 180 languages and dialects that exist in the Philippines.

The country has a host of languages and dialects because it is made up of different ethnolinguistic groups, indigenous groups, communities and racial influences that manifest their own culture and history through words. There are words we always use, and yet in every language, there are words we do not always hear. Oftentimes, those that are uncommon end up being the most beautiful and poetic to the ear.

There are no better keepers of our languages and dialects than Filipino teachers, who regularly champion the magic of our country’s diverse languages.

To celebrate the National Language Month this August, it might be the perfect time to expand our vocabulary a little bit more by learning some words that come from our own languages. Five of these are listed below, handpicked by some of our Filipino teachers, who also provide their English translations and explain what they mean.

Uswag

(Cebuano/Bisaya) To develop or improve.

Tyron Casumpang, a Humanities and Social Science strand coordinator at Far Eastern University High School, shared “Uswag” as his first favorite word from the Cebuano/Bisaya language, one of the main tongues spoken in the Visayas.

Its English meaning “develop” has no direct translation in Filipino — “pagpapaunlad” (progress) or “pagpapalago” (growing an enterprise) would be the nearest.

Alimuom

(Tagalog) Petrichor, a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.

For Tagalog, the main regional base of the national Filipino language, Casumpang provided “Alimuom” as his second favorite Filipino word. This poetic term has a direct translation in English, the scientific word “petrichor” or, in simpler terms, “vapor.”

Bulaos

(Bulakenyo) A narrow path or walkway leading to another place.

Dr. Marvin Reyes, a member of the Department of Language and Literature faculty at San Beda University, described “Bulaos” as a Bulakenyo word for a trail or small alley.

Bulakenyo is actually a dialect of Tagalog and Filipino spoken in the Central Luzon province. According to Google Translate, it can also mean “roar” in main Filipino.

Pagbuburo

(Tagalog) Process of fermentation.

Nancy Mari Milate of the O.B. Montessori Center shared the Tagalog term “Pagbuburo.” The process incorporates sugar or salt with water into the food and the absence of oxygen starts the chemical reaction.

Filipinos will recognize the root word “Buro,” which also refers to a local dish made by fermenting fish in red yeast rice.

Urong

(Tagalog) To wash the dishes.

Rodolfo Andres, another teacher from the O.B. Montessori Center, explained “Urong” as washing the dishes, glassware and utensils used in every meal.

It is also a second, largely unknown definition that greatly differs from the word’s common usage to mean retreat or turning back. This definition is now only spoken by elder generations of Tagalog speakers to remind children to clean up after eating.

These five words are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to a whole trove of uncommon words among the different Filipino languages.

For any other word that is not familiar, Google Translate can help — it’s inclusive in how it covers not only Filipino, but also other languages in the country in Cebuano and Ilocano, and possibly more in the future. 

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