Discussing the Term: Maniniyot
I was recently introduced to this term by a co-worker who said she'd been called one by her friend when said friend learned that she is now a photographer at The Picture Company. Supposedly "maniniyot" is the tagalog / filipino word for "photographer".
Ok, first off, as far as the word goes, I'm not even sure if it's a real word. I can't begin to fathom what tagalog root-word could've birthed such a word (obvious from this reaction perhaps my revulsion to the term) if it is at all, in fact, tagalog. But language being such that it is, evolving I mean, I'm sure it was only a matter of time before we would invent such a word.
Spurred on by curiosity and annoyance, googling (also an invented word now that one thinks about it) the term pointed me to several websites and blogs having to do with photography, and to a youtube video entitled "Mr. Kodaker (Ang Maniniyot) - Max Surban - Karaoke". All said links, none of which providing definitions, only allusions, irked me a bit more. "Mr. Kodaker" or the term "kodakero" would make more sense as Kodak was one of the more popular brands of film back then, which gave birth to the term "kodakan" for a picture-taking session.
I can only assume that the root word of "Maniniyot" is, in actuality, the word "shoot". That's what photographers do, after all. They take pictures, they shoot their subjects with their cameras. However, I can't appreciate how it has evolved into said label for my profession. Personally, I would've preferred "Litratista" - yung kumukuha / gumagawa ba ng litrato.
Medyo may pagka-elitista ano?
Yun lang.
Ok, first off, as far as the word goes, I'm not even sure if it's a real word. I can't begin to fathom what tagalog root-word could've birthed such a word (obvious from this reaction perhaps my revulsion to the term) if it is at all, in fact, tagalog. But language being such that it is, evolving I mean, I'm sure it was only a matter of time before we would invent such a word.
Spurred on by curiosity and annoyance, googling (also an invented word now that one thinks about it) the term pointed me to several websites and blogs having to do with photography, and to a youtube video entitled "Mr. Kodaker (Ang Maniniyot) - Max Surban - Karaoke". All said links, none of which providing definitions, only allusions, irked me a bit more. "Mr. Kodaker" or the term "kodakero" would make more sense as Kodak was one of the more popular brands of film back then, which gave birth to the term "kodakan" for a picture-taking session.
I can only assume that the root word of "Maniniyot" is, in actuality, the word "shoot". That's what photographers do, after all. They take pictures, they shoot their subjects with their cameras. However, I can't appreciate how it has evolved into said label for my profession. Personally, I would've preferred "Litratista" - yung kumukuha / gumagawa ba ng litrato.
Medyo may pagka-elitista ano?
Yun lang.
Comments
By the way, I thought you were playing with an SLR when I saw you last. Must've been the company's. :)
i don't think it will die a that easily as Manggy indicated. The root word is so close to the "bad" word spelled the same way as the last four.
Hey, thanks for dropping by. No offense meant a. And I know what you mean about the last 4 letters. But I want to know, when did the term come about? And what is the root word?
Thanks!