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.

Comments

Manggy said…
I've always thought it was "tagakuha ng litrato." Hahaha. Yikes, we'll see if maniniyot catches on. I've a feeling it'll die a natural death.

By the way, I thought you were playing with an SLR when I saw you last. Must've been the company's. :)
Anonymous said…
hi! from what i was told, maniniyot as you have said meant photographer, but origins started that it is a word prevalently used in visayan and mindanao regions.

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.
Noona said…
Actually, matagal na daw yung term na "maniniyot" and believe it or not, that term was introduced to me by my mom. She's been calling me Maniniyot since I started photography and it's been catchy haha! :))
Jacebu said…
Hahahahaha! Thanks to those who left comments. I still wonder what birthed such a term. It could have its roots in the visayas or mindanao regions, and agree that its closeness to the "bad word" would help it stay prevalent. If it were so rooted, I guess I could live with it. However, if it weren't, I still reserve the right to feel uncomfortable. :P
Maniniyot said…
Hi, I'm the owner of the blog Ang Maniniyot. I'm Bisaya and that is how we call it in bisaya. Its really catchy and funny thinking that the last four letters of the word is actually bad word in Bisaya.
Jacebu said…
@Maniniyot:

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!
Maniniyot said…
I am not really certain if when did the term came out. It was became more popular when Max Surban had a song about it. Well, I am still not certain though about the history of the term "Maniniyot". I suppose prior to Max Surban's song, this word has been used by most of the Bisayan speaking people. :)
Andy Gee said…
Here in Dumaguete, the word "maniniyot" relates to both; 'a good shot' in the field photography, and in the reproductive sense.
Jacebu said…
Thanks for the input and the visit Andy! :)
Anonymous said…
It came from the english word "shoot" preferably "someone who shoots with a camera"... The word is broken down and then adapted by the visayan language much like the way we coin some word. The only recognizable sound left from the original word was "yot"... Thus maniniyot means "someone who shoots, preferably with a camera... :D
Jacebu said…
Thanks Anon. :) One wonders what your search parameters were to have ended up on my page. :) Thanks for the visit!

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