Popular Culture and the Media PDF

GE2101 In disseminating popular culture, printed media is one (1) of the most Popular Culture and the Media successful avenues for people and companies who make long-lasting...

GE2101 In disseminating popular culture, printed media is one (1) of the most Popular Culture and the Media successful avenues for people and companies who make long-lasting Table of Contents icons. However, as stated by Fatma Sarigul, using Umberto Eco’s novel Numero Zero (or Number Zero), people can be swayed based Introduction 1 on what they can read and see – comprehension comes second after Printed Media 1-2 information absorption – and will only come after the culture consumers had settled a compromise with the culture producers Radio and Music 2-5 (Sarigul, 2016). Audiovisual Media (Television and Film) 5-7 Advertising and Branding 7-8 The Philippine Magazine, launched in 1905, was perhaps the first Popular Language 8 - 12 national magazine in circulation. It was not "popular" since it was in Online Popular Culture 12 - 13 English and not accessible to the majority, particularly at the period References 13 when English education had barely started (Fernandez, 1981). As discussed in the previous modules, popular culture has evolved Comics / Komiks over time due to the power of the working class to sift through the The first modern comic strip is made by an artist who filled in a position products they consume and the companies who make the products. It for a cartoonist. The story about this is when Antonio “Tony” has been noted that the history of the development of technology and Velasquez was working for Ramon Roces' magazine; the publisher of popular culture are inextricable; thus, one can say that popular requested if he could fill in for a senior cartoonist who had been culture evolves alongside technology. In this lesson, the main focus is assigned to draw a cartoon character in December 1928 and promised will be on the various avenues to which popular culture can be that he would try (Lent, 1998). disseminated. Thus, Kenkoy was the Philippines' first comic strip in circulation. After Printed Media being published as a filler in the Roces magazine, Liwayway, the four- Books, magazines, newspapers, comic books – these are some frame comic, generated several imitators. Although someone else was examples of things that can be read at any time of the day, giving out sketching "Kenkoy" at the time, in September 1988, he was still needed information. Whether for entertainment purposes or for working with its script. keeping up with current events, these materials are guaranteed to deliver them (before the rise of the Internet, of course). These are all forms of printed (or traditional) media. Printed media is a form of information dissemination where everything is in print, primarily through materials that can be held by a hand, like newspapers and magazines (Bean-Mellinger, 2018). It is dubbed traditional media because it is the oldest form of information transfer, aside from dance and oral dissemination. Its history can be attributed to Johannes Gutenberg for his patent in the movable type, but the earliest printing press appeared in China in the year 932. Earlier still were the cave drawings and inscriptions of early humans. Figure 1. The first Pinoy comic strip remastered on its 90th anniversary Source: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ComicStrip/Kenkoy 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 13  GE2101 But Kenkoy was not the first Filipino-made comic strip. As per the 14th National Congress in the Senate, in the Philippine Komiks Revival Act of 2007, Sen. Manny Villar cited Jose Rizal’s “Ang Matsing at ang Pagong” to be the first comics made in the country. Figure 2. Jose Rizal and a section of his strip. Source: https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/the-monkey-and-the-turtle-jose-rizal-a00293-20200721- lfrm The rise of komiks gave rise to the familiar household names such as Darna and Captain Barbell (by Mars Ravelo), Pupung (by Washington “Tonton” Young), and Pugad Baboy (by Apolonio “Pol” Medina, Jr.); as well as modern and online comics such as Trese (by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo), Sskait (by AJ Bacar), and Arkitekyuklid (by John Euclid Templonuevo) to name a few. Radio and Music The power of radio has been shown throughout the years. Radio programs have an innate ability to influence, convince, and even Figure 3. A sample online comic strip made by AJ Bacar enrage their listeners. This innate power of radio is consequently Source: https://www.facebook.com/sskaitcomics/photos/2987930508200906 influenced by the words used in a broadcast. transmitters was developed by Nikola Tesla in 1891 when he When the telegraph went live in 1837, it established a precedent for constructed a high-frequency transformer. With all of this in place, modern electronic means of communicating across borders. Due to American Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937) was ready to transmit the the complexity of receiving stations linked to each other along a first radio transmission in 1895. He was able to successfully send an defined path, it was inefficient. An important component of electronic electrical signal to a receiving device that was not linked to his 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 13  GE2101 transmitter, indicating that a signal could be delivered into space and received by devices at random sites. He referred to his invention as a radiotelegraph since its signal traveled in all directions, i.e., radially, from the transmission point (Danesi, 2018). Brief History of Radio Broadcasting in the Philippines Radio originally arrived in the Philippines in the early 1920s. Henry Hermann owned the first three (3) fifty-watt stations, KZKZ, KZRM, and KZEG, two (2) of which were in Manila and one near Pasay City. He began operations in June of 1922. In 1925, KZKZ ceased transmitting and was replaced by KZRQ (Enaka, 1998). Radio dramas and commentaries in Tagalog and localities’ dialects are the daily fares on most stations. These programs are heavily favored by the masses, whether urban or rural. The “pang-masa” Figure 4. Podcasts are radio shows for the modern century program is a show, which tackles clichéd storylines about abused Source: https://www.wheninmanila.com/25-pinoy-made-podcasts-you-should-listen-to/ women, philandering spouses, love's inequity, and dishonesty. The Advent of Music Future of Broadcasting Pop music's societal effect would not have been possible without The podcast is a rising media format for delivering radio-style recording and broadcast technology. Its ascent to prominence began information and programs to a computer, phone, or media device. The in the late nineteenth century with the introduction of sound term is a combination of iPod and broadcast. The files are mostly recording. In 1877, Thomas Edison created the first phonograph. audio, although a vodcast (video podcast) may include video as well. This was followed a decade later by the flat-disk phonograph (or The distributor maintains a list of accessible files on their website for gramophone) invented by American inventor Emile Berliner (1851– a listener to access (Danesi, 2018). 1929), who improved on Edison's original design. Amplification of the Many radio and TV stars have switched to podcasting, considering it phonograph needle vibrations using electromagnetic devices took is less restricted than conventional media and more likely to attract over from Berliner's mechanical method about 1920 (Danesi, 2018). their target audiences. Podcasts are comparable to regular radio With all of these innovations, pop music has found a technologically programs in that they tend to be chat shows and informational mediated mass market. programs on certain themes. Major Pop Music Genres Examples of radio pop culture icons are Joe Rogan (The Joe Rogan Adult contemporary/Easy listening: a blend of classics, light opera, Experience), the duo Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln and softer rock singles. Examples include Céline Dion, Andrea “Link” Neal III (Good Mythical Morning), the duo Grace Marcellana Boccelli, Mariah Carey, Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, and Mimai Cabungson (‘Wag Kang Lilingon), and celebrity Bianca Barbara Streisand, Barry Manilow, Alanis Morissette, The Gonzales (Paano Ba ‘To?) to name a few. Carpenters, and Olivia Newton-John, to name a few. Radio technology also paved the way to broadcast popular – or pop Classical music: these are the works of eminent composers. Despite – music. being products of high culture, they have endured and entered mainstream popularity. Examples include Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 13  GE2101 Chopin, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Richard get in touch with their inner ethos. Some examples include Jamie Wagner, and so on. Rivera and Gary Valenciano. Country encompasses all subgenres, including traditional, urban, and Jazz and Blues: music from all eras and genres of jazz, blues, and rock country. This genre is exemplified by the prominent rural themes swing. Examples include Herbie Hancock, Louis Armstrong, B. B and simple life. Examples include Hank Williams, Dolly Parton, the King, Miles Davis, Stan Kenton, Chuck Mangione, Dave Brubeck, Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Miranda John Lee Hooker, Taj Mahal, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, Count Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and the Eagles. Basie, Thelonius Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Mary Lou Williams, Nat King Cole, Frank Disco is divided into two (2) categories: classic disco from the 1970s Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Wynton Marsalis. and 1980s and contemporary techno or electronic dance music (EDM). This genre emerged because of the prevalence of urban Opera: Mostly from the romantic period. This is another surviving facet nightlife. Examples include the Bee Gees, Village People, Rasputin, of high culture. Examples include operas by Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, ABBA, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Mariya Takeuchi, David Bizet, and so on. Guetta, and Afrojack, to name a few. Rap and hip-hop: classic and contemporary works by rap and hip- Eclectic Pop: a mash-up of several genres, including pop, rap, rock, hop artists. Examples include Ludacris, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Eminem, techno, and others. Some examples include Jay-Z, Usher, Adele, Kanye West, Queen Latifah, Snoop Dogg, N.W.A, Salt-N-Pepa, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, LMFAO, Tupac Shakur, Chris Brown, Lil’ Wayne, Nas, The Black-Eyed Nicki Minaj, Drake, Justin Bieber, Lil’ Wayne, Madonna, Craig Peas, Drake, JID, and Wiz Khalifa. David, and Michael Jackson. Rhythm and Blues, Funk, and Soul: classic and contemporary Electronic: music that incorporates electronic effects and digital performers perform rhythm and blues music, as well as its funk and instruments and encompasses experimental and electronic dance soul subgenres. Examples include Tina Turner, Luther Vandross, music genres such as house music, techno, jungle, dubstep, trance, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Sam hardcore, and electronica. An example is Skrillex. Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, the Supremes, Percy Sledge, Ike and Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Stevie Experimental: mostly college and university radio stations promote Wonder, the Temptations, Waylon, and T-Wayne. this form of music. It is a genre that uses non-musical objects to create traditional instruments or sounds and is manipulated to suit the artist’s Rock encompasses all styles of music, past, and present, including preference. old rock and roll, classic rock and roll, jazz rock, folk rock, hard rock, metal rock, industrial rock, grunge, and punk. Some examples include Folk: both the original and popularized varieties. It employs the use of Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, the Beatles, traditional musical instruments. Examples include The Kingston Trio, Steppenwolf, Led Zeppelin, Foo Fighters, Sex Pistols, Green Day, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Woody Guthrie, ASIN; and Peter, Paul, Pink Floyd, Elvis Costello, Coldplay, Radiohead, Nirvana, and Mary) Wolfgang, Slapshock, and Nine Inch Nails. Gospel: music aimed at fans of both contemporary and classic gospel singers. Gospel music allows people to reflect on their spirituality and 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 13  GE2101 Indie Music this Mediterranean-style tune with guitar accompaniment Indie music began in the late 1980s in the United Kingdom and has blossomed, spreading to neighboring islands where it is still since developed into its own distinct genres, including Britpop (British performed today. A simple harmonic arrangement between the guitar pop music) and Riot Grrrl, a feminist punk rock movement, primary degrees of the scale is possibly hundreds of songs strong among others. Things change quickly in the independent music (Maceda, 1971). “Folk” or love (kundiman) songs are played or industry. Those independent artists who get successful online tend to accompanied by a plucked-string orchestra (rondalla), specifically go into the mainstream. guitar, harp, and keyboard, to name a few. It is a piece of music created, produced, and sold without the help of Audiovisual Media big record companies. The term also indicates a genre that attempts Film is based on photographic technology. Camera obscura to differentiate itself aesthetically from key trends. Independent labels (darkroom) was used by artists to draw in the Renaissance. In 1826, are more eager to record fresh performers and trends that the larger French scientist Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (1765–1833) invented labels overlook (Danesi, 2018). Early rock, early rap, and other forms the modern camera. Soon after, the French painter Louis J. M. were like this. If the musicians are successful, bigger labels will often Daguerre (1787–1851) and the British inventor William Henry Fox buy out or combine with these smaller firms. Talbot (1800–1877) invented photography. Early effective “moving photographs” were created in 1877 by British photographer Eadweard Indie artists have joined the present music industry to set themselves Muybridge (1830-1904) in California. Muybridge photographed a apart from conventional music producers. Indie music began in running horse using a row of cameras with cords linked to their underground music culture with cult-like followings. Famous indie shutters (Danesi, 2018). singers include Dave Days, Boyce Avenue, Rebecca Black, and Agsunta, to name some. Types of Film Films are typically divided into three (3) types: narrative, documentary, Traditional Music in the Philippines and animated (or cartoon) films (Danesi, 2018). Pre-Hispanic or Malayan-type music A narrative film is a work of fiction or a portrayal of actual events. Pre-Hispanic music in the Philippines may be found in isolated In creating a film, there are three (3) stages, mainly preproduction, portions of the nation, such as the highlands of northern Luzon production, and postproduction. Preproduction is when the and the coastal and interior regions of the islands of Mindanao, screenplay is written. The screenplay may be an adaptation of a Sulu, and other island groups in both the South and West. The novel, short story, comic book, drama, or video game, or it may be Philippines is home to more than a hundred main and minor original. In the production stage, the screenplay is filmed. languages of the Malayo-Polynesian family. Despite the fact that Postproduction (editing) is the last step of filmmaking when non- they speak various languages, they have a shared culture linear sequences are edited together to form a plot and other (Maceda, 1971). There is a distinct Malayan impact on the pre- components like music, and special effects are added. Notable Hispanic music of the Philippines, which is mostly based on the narratives include Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, the Marvel syntactic structure of a Malayan language and connected with or Cinematic Universe, the Wizarding World, Miss Granny, and related to village feasts, family activities, and the belief in spirits Etiquette for Mistresses. (anito). A documentary is a nonfiction film that depicts real-life Hispanic-type Music circumstances with people explaining their thoughts and Most Filipinos associate Spanish culture with one genre of music. experiences to a camera or interviewer. Theaters seldom screen In the late nineteenth century, in a few Spanish cultural centers, documentaries. They are viewed on TV and on various streaming 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 5 of 13  GE2101 sites like Netflix. Notable documentary makers are David and Esceñas Callejeras (Street scenes), all of which were shot Attenborough, Kara David, and Atom Araullo, to name a few. in Manila. Zamboanga, starring Fernando Poe Sr. and Rosa del Rosario, Animated films are narrative stories intended for children. A was the first Filipino film to win an international award in 1937. storyboard is a set of drawings that depicts the essential portions Director Frank Capra praised the film as it was the most of the tale. Before, animations were made by creating drawings fascinating and gorgeous image of local life he had ever seen. for backdrops, décor, and character appearances and Genghis Khan, directed by Manuel Conde and debuted in 1950, temperaments individually. Today, most animated films are was a hit at the Venice Film Festival in 1952 and in Paris in 1954. created digitally. Notable animated filmmakers include Hollywood reinvented Genghis Khan with John Wayne as the Illumination Entertainment, Pixar, DreamWorks, and Sony protagonist. Pictures Animation. Philippine Television Genre Analysis DZAQ-TV Channel 3 of Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) in Manila Among pop culture studies, genre analysis is an important was the first television station to broadcast in the Philippines in 1953. component. Scripts for early films were inspired by books, pulp fiction, In 1956, the Chronicle Broadcasting Network that was owned by vaudeville, the circus, and other popular entertainment sources of the the Lopezes purchased this television station and began turn of the century. In today's movies and TV shows, the public broadcasting. With the purchase, the ABS-CBN Broadcasting imagination is frequently satiated by genres like crime, mystery, Network was officially born (NCCA, 2015). romance, adventure, horror, thriller, espionage, and so on. But the film has also generated new genres and grown into a contemporary art Cable television has had the most rapid expansion in the television form. business. The rise of early cable television, which was established in 1969, was stifled under the Marcos government due to an order Video Culture providing an exclusive license to a business ally to build and run cable In the late 1980s, big film releases were made accessible for home TV nationwide. President Aquino revoked this ordinance in 1987. The video viewing shortly after leaving the cinema. A Sony Betamax tape debut of satellite programming by ABS-CBN and GMA in 1991 recorder, introduced in the late 1970s, was the first to be heightened interest in cable television. Provincial community commercialized. The popularity of the technology was shortly antenna TV (CATV) networks have been installed to receive overshadowed by RCA's cleverly advertised VHS videotape format. broadcast signals from Manila-based stations. Some Firsts in the Philippine Cinema While broadcast codes require stations to carry public affairs and other In the Salon de Pertierra at number 12 Escolta, a 60mm Gaumont developmental programs, contemporary programming concentrates Chrono-photograph projector is used to show Un Homme Au on "hard" storylines that emphasize power plays, competitiveness, Chapeau (Man with a Hat), Une scene de danse Japonaise and violence. The broadcast business has shown sensitivity to rising (Scene from a Japanese Dance), Les Boxers (The Boxers), and public criticism for its imbalanced programming in recent years, and La Place de L’Opera (The Opera Place) on January 1, 1897. there has been a visible growth in public affairs programming (other These four (4) French films were the first to be presented in the than news shows), which has lately acquired a popular following. Philippines (Fernadez, 1981). In 1898, local filmmaker Antonio Ramos used a Lumiere camera During this time, the use of the English language is widespread. As a to shoot Panorama de Manila (Manila landscape), Fiesta de result of their usage of the English language in different forms, these Quiapo (Quiapo Fiesta), Puente de España (Bridge of Spain), shows are only accessible to those who are fluent in the language. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 6 of 13  GE2101 False impressions have been formed that Filipino is not a suitable Video Games language for intellectual conversation because of the widespread Some historians claim that video games on a console originated as usage of Filipino in entertainment programs. arcade games in the Roaring Twenties. A home video game is an arcade game with extra features. The electronic tennis game Pong Today, many people like watching shows that serve the greater good. launched the video-game business to America in the early 1970s. This There are several videos and TV shows that depict the poor receiving business almost failed in the mid-1980s until Japanese firms like medical and other sorts of social aid, which enables the public to seek Nintendo took over and improved gaming technology while producing remedy for their problems through television, albeit only for a limited iconic adventure games like Donkey Kong and the Super Mario time. Brothers. The Philippine Children's Television Foundation (PCTVF) and the Video game currently refers to any electronic game, whether played ABS-CBN Foundation have made it possible to produce world-class on a computer with appropriate software, a gaming console, a mobile educational children's shows. For elementary school students, PCTVF device, or online. In today’s generation, there are currently a lot of has the award-winning Batibot, while ABS-CBN has the science video game genres and formats a user can choose from. school on-air, Sine'skwela, which has been airing since 1994, the values-oriented program Hiraya Manawari, the heroism and heritage show Bayani, the quirky English show Epol Apple, and the mathematics show Math Tinik for primary and intermediate school students. Advancements in Film and Television Broadcasting Netflix and other online streaming platforms have replaced video recorders and video rental establishments (Danesi, 2018). An example of this is Netflix which is an entertainment corporation created Figure 5. From the simple pixelated graphics of pong, technology, and video games have evolved hand in hand Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2008/apr/17/games.atari, https://sirusgaming.com/resident-evil- in 1997 that specializes in streaming media and video-on-demand. 3-remake-on-ps5-use-dualsense-life-colors/ Since then, Netflix has added new programming termed “Netflix Originals” to its growing online film and television collection. Netflix Advertising and Branding and other online streaming platforms have entirely merged TV and The term advertising was derived from the medieval Latin verb film, producing hundreds of new movies and shows every year. advertere, which is defined as “to direct one’s attention to.” There are many different kinds of public announcements, but they all have the Online streaming platforms such as Netflix have tremendously same purpose: to increase sales of certain products or services, to affected how people watch movies nowadays. This new aesthetic and convey a social or political message. (Danesi, 2018). technical alliance between cinema and television will likely become the major method viewers see films and programming in the near The first recorded advertising material during human civilization was future. This has important consequences for film and pop culture in the use of outdoor signs displayed outside shops in the ancient cities general, given the social role of movie theaters and TV consumption. of the Middle East during 3000 BCE. This form of advertising is also These new platforms enable viewers to watch TV series and movies seen in ancient Greeks and Romans. at their own pace. Because any episode may be streamed at any moment, cliffhangers, for example, are no longer dependent on a In branding, brands are more than just the name of the product. chronological component. Also, Netflix may foster a show until it “finds Instead, branding delivers a promise to the consumer based on an audience.” cultural trends, artistic movements, and various emerging social 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 7 of 13  GE2101 patterns. Pop culture has led various celebrities, from movie actors to Simulation sports figures to be in an advertisement and be with the brand. Simulative advertising is the utilization of popular culture styles, trends, and language to construct advertising messages. Techniques There are various techniques used by advertisers, no matter what Placement media it appears. This includes positioning, image-creation, Placement is a sort of subliminal advertising, impacting people's mythologization, aestheticization, reality advertising, and simulation thinking without their knowledge. The most successful advertising (Danesi, 2018). campaigns have used popular culture themes, trends, and fads, or well-known personalities or celebrities. Image-creation Creating an image for a product involves giving it a “personality” Advertising and Branding in the Philippines that can be marketed to certain demographics. The image is made A major portion of the Philippine economy began to rely on advertising up of the product's name, packaging, logo, pricing, and general throughout the 1950s. Advertisement helped change the preferences presentation. The aim behind developing a product picture is to of Filipinos, who had previously preferred imported items. Initially, target certain people, not everyone, so that the targeted persons Filipino firms were skeptical of the value of spending money on may see their own personalities portrayed in the appropriate advertising, but they soon realized the benefits. Finding new markets lifestyle photos. for local goods and boosting demand for current ones were among the advertising's primary responsibilities. A massive industrialization trend Mythologization occurred in the country between 1949 and 1959, which helped Mythologization uses unconscious archetypal motifs to construct advertising (Lent, 1969). a commercial image. Advertising for beauty and cosmetic goods often include themes such as striving for beauty, conquering The Philippines has become a brand-conscious market. Most death, and other similar themes. The individuals in the relevant consumer items are promoted through advertising, and most of the advertising and commercials are gorgeous, yet their appearance country's top advertising agencies are multinational. The Philippines' is surreal, mythological. advertising industry has gone beyond conventional tri-media (print, TV, and radio). Aestheticization Aestheticization refers to the application of visual artists' practices. Local advertisers today employ electronic billboards, online Using bizarre imagery and juxtaposing subject matter, surrealist advertising, mass transit or public transportation advertising, special artists make perfume commercials that depict ladies surrounded events and product debuts, direct marketing, social media promotion, by a black abyss or emerging magically out of nothing. Many and other means to sell their goods. However, many market sectors perfume commercials are surrealist artworks. are “localized” versions of product promotion and brand-building. Celebrity endorsements or other high-profile figures are also a tried Reality Advertising and tested recipe for local advertising. Real-life advertising uses real people and celebrities instead of professional actors. Consumers prefer real people and celebrities Pop culture has always relied on advertising to survive. Advertising is over actors. The subtext is clear—anyone can seem attractive, adaptable, seeking new forms of representation and media outlets to seductive, and youthful with a little assistance from a designer reflect shifting societal trends and ideals. Advertising, like any passing perfume or clothing item. Like reality television, the tactic engages text or trend, is an aesthetic experience that we enjoy regardless of its with customers. goals. Advertisements are meant to sway, delight, and entice. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 8 of 13  GE2101 Popular Language variation in the meanings of these phrases in other languages, so it is Social trends and movements may be documented via the use of important to avoid making mistakes (Bautista, 1998). words. In the formation and development of popular culture, language has played and continues to play an important role. Dance and music Defining Pop Language are just as much a component of a show as pop language, which takes Magazine and newspaper pieces, as well as radio announcements, the form of popular catchphrases disseminated by the media. began to utilize the same conversational language that appeared in pulp fiction and dime novels. Before new forms of languages emerge, there is always the main language every country speaks. As an effect of pop culture, a new The voice of popular culture is expressed through pop language. It's language has been developed. essentially a modern-day variant of the kind of polyphonic speech that was utilized during carnivals to satirize the monotony of serious Philippine Language conversation. For as long as people have spoken, the pop language Throughout history, the Filipino languages have been impacted by has been a counterpoint to more traditional means of communication. numerous different linguistic groups as well as each other. Their This can be observed in the way it flips words around to give them proximity to Asia has opened doors for commerce and communication new meanings. with other countries and languages (Lopez, 1967). Various occupations of the area by different countries brought the Filipino The term cool exemplifies what popular language is all about and languages into direct touch with numerous other languages, which what connotations it conveys. Since the 1920s, young people have influenced them. used it to describe appealing lifestyle pictures. Flappers were hip, as were rock stars, rappers, and celebrities. Cool has several synonyms The earliest Indonesians arrived in the Philippines in groups about throughout pop culture history. Among them are hip and groovy, the 5,000-6,000 years ago, then again around 1500 B.C. Due to their former confined to the hippie period and the latter to the 1960s. The similar linguistic beginnings, Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia are likely 1960s counterculture youth were dubbed hippies for a reason. They the original languages of the Filipino people (although other groups of were cool, eschewing normal rituals, traditions, and lifestyles. The people are thought to have come to the Philippines much earlier). word hip-hop, coined in the 1980s to represent the rap music culture, has the same connotation. Despite English being no longer recognized as a main language in the Philippines, it is nevertheless taught in public schools alongside Slang Filipino (which is based on Tagalog). Several English terms have While first seen as slang words, "duh," "dude," and "dope" have made their way into the Filipino language and various dialects, where evolved into colloquialisms and have become part of popular culture. they are simply conjugated and altered to meet the language's In the late 1990s, the word "duh" began to appear in the media, from traditions (Hemphil, 1962). movies to television shows, and even entered the vernacular for a short period of time. This is an example of how a media slang item As an example, "Maaram ko mag-adjust"– "I know how to adjust" is may take on with the general audience. an English phrase that is used in certain languages to signify "move" (as in "magtransfer kami sa Maynila"– "we are transferring to Manila"). Additionally, slang has vulgarity that allows performers and singers to express themselves without fear of consequences. However, when There are several ways in which Filipino dialects continue to borrow used in this way, the vulgarity loses its potency or, at the very least, terms from each other. Since all Filipino languages have a similar its effect. "F" stands out as an example of the four-letter "F-word." It is ancestor, it may be difficult to tell which terms originated in one utilized often in movies but in a way that no longer catches people's language and which were taken from another later. There is a lot of 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 9 of 13  GE2101 attention. However, the word's original role in pop culture Effect of Pop Culture on Spelling performances was more subversive. Pop language is a compressing language, employing abbreviations not just to speed up communication but also to convey subtleties of Many slang terms today have had their meanings altered due to the meaning. This may be observed, for example, in the way certain artists neutralization of profane content. As an example, the word ho, like a spell their names. Hip hop singers, for example, have developed a pimp, is used to characterize a fiancée or fiancé in a flattering rather phonetic style that proclaims, "I'll do it my way, and not the way typical than derogatory manner. Despite the fact that the term was derived English speakers do it." Here are a few examples of rappers' names from a derogatory word, it has since been used in popular culture to spelled in unique ways: make fun of its original meaning. Snoop Dogg Slang in Social Media Ja Rule In order for a specific language trend to spread, it must be mediated Eazy-E and used by a significant number of individuals. Mediators such as Lil Jon Facebook and Twitter may be found nowadays (Danesi, 2018). In fact, the language used in various mediums has evolved into its own Timbaland distinct dialects. Friendship on Facebook is distinct from friendship in Busta Rhymes the real world, although the line may be a hazy one at times. Slang Coolio terms and acronyms like the following are becoming common on Jay-Z Facebook: Mystikal The Notorious B.I.G. dead: funny, hilarious facestalking: browsing through someone else’s Facebook Rap artists are asserting a form of linguistic independence from white pictures culture by defying orthographic and grammatical norms. Spelling isn't fbc: Facebook chat only an indication of education; it's also an indicator of how well you fbf: Facebook friend talk and write. shelfie: picture of objects arranged on a shelf Rap artists' spelling style (how ya doin', I got enuf, etc.) is now a Twitter has also generated its own lexicon, forming its own slang style. common feature of pop language. But even before the emergence of Here are some examples: rap, a similar style had been adopted by the mainstream music industry. When it comes to rock bands, Def Leppard, The Monkees, FOMO: fear of missing out and the like, many of them intentionally misspelled their own names. twabstinence: cutting back on Twitter time twabulous: fabulous tweet The Concept of Textspeak Many of the social media spelling and vocabulary patterns listed ztwitt: to tweet extremely fast above may be categorized as textspeak; the language used to communicate written communications through different digital Regardless of the content, these social media slangs foster and channels, notably mobile devices (Danesi, 2018). Textspeak is a sort reaffirm social ties between users. Social media has created the types of shorthand (based on abbreviations, acronyms, alphanumeric of rituals it needs for communication to be fluid and robust on its symbols, etc.) that allows for rapid and efficient textual platforms. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 10 of 13  GE2101 communication. But, as we've seen, it's much more than that. Textspeak is universal. Swardspeak can be classified based on how the words are made and/or used in the sentence’s context. Most of the terms are borrowed Textspeak (TS) is the logical abbreviation of a word or phrase. For from other cultures. example, I love you is abbreviated to ilu. The TS form is decipherable by experience. Words and phrases regularly used in communication Syllabic substitution is the changing of one (1) syllable to a word are carefully reduced. Professionals including physicians and to give it a new form unique only to those who know them. The attorneys increasingly utilize TS to communicate. TS has made it substituted syllable can interchange with the others. The definition much simpler for professionals to interact swiftly and effectively. of the word may be retained or changed, depending on the context. Examples of Textspeak: Examples: Textspeak Translation Replacing Syllable Original Word New Word afk Away from keyboard Jo- / Sho- Asawa (spouse) Jowa rofl Rolling on the floor laughing Ju- / Shu- Kapatid (sibling) Shupatid brb Be right back Ky- Mabaho (stinky) Kyoho lol Laugh Ny- Shorts (leg wear) Nyorts g2g Got to go -ash Ganap (event) Hanash btw By the way (with H substitution) lmao Laughing my a** off -is Obese Jubis (with ju- substitution) Swardspeak Given here are the names Portugal, Tom Jones, Luz Valdez, and Ako (I) -iz Akiz Mahalia Jackson – as well as the word anaconda. To the average Akin (mine) reader, they mean what they represent: Portugal is a country, Tom Witish -ish Huwag (do not) Jones is a British singer, Luz Valdez is an actress, Mahalia Jackson (from the variation, wit) is a gospel singer, and an anaconda is a large snake. However, in the Sinetch LGBTQIA+ community, they mean entirely different things. These -itch Sino (who) (with local phonetic words are part of their ever-growing language being spoken by substitution) everyone – regardless of gender: swardspeak. -ech Ito (this) Itech As a subset of slang, swardspeak (or the “gay lingo”) is characterized -ush / -oosh Taray (bratty) Tarush (awesome) as a language that incorporates various languages and names and Heller integrates them in creative ways. Etymologically speaking, the term -er / -ur / -or Hello (localized as Haller) “sward” is Filipino slang for gay. Originally a coded language for the gay community, it has since then become widespread and well-known – with some words already incorporated in the everyday vernacular. (Racoma, 2013) 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 11 of 13  GE2101 Inversion is the deliberate switching of either the word’s entire Since emojis have become so widely available and widely used on spelling or syllabic placement. This is mostly observed in the digital devices, it's evident that spoken language is shifting toward Cebuano swardspeak. pictorial representations. E.g., Lain (unpleasant) becomes nial (unpleasant). Online Popular Culture Word plays are the intentional use of words that have localized Celebrities, genres, lifestyles, fads, and other popular elements are versions of the intended words, usually in the form of puns. still around, but in a different form. In this digital age, most of them E.g., have also become part of the internet. Libre (free) becomes liberty (free) Feel becomes Fillet O’Fish (Feel-let O’Fish) Mash-up Culture The phrase “mash-up culture” describes the ever-expanding internet Deliberate homophones are the usage of words that sound pastiche culture where everything may be mixed, from physics to similar to the words that will be used in the conversation. These music and comedy fads. This situation has changed the globe, blurring are mostly through the use of foreign words whose phonetics have the barriers between serious and fun cultures. People tend to be less a similar version to the local words. interested in intellectual, artistic, and other types of culture. Unless we E.g., are seeking particular information, it is unlikely that it will be Geisha is homophonous to “gay siya” entertaining (such as medical). Egypt is homophonous to jeep (vehicle) Meme Culture Popularity now depends on virality (YouTube videos) and memes— Name puns are the intentional use of famous celebrity names, ideas that spread through pictures, words, behaviors, or other means. whether local or foreign, as descriptors for the intended words. Popularity is now made and entrenched on Facebook, Twitter, and E.g., other social media platforms. Memes have replaced agents, radio Gutom (hungry) becomes Tom Jones (the British singer) hosts, TV producers, and other pop culture providers as they are Huli (to be caught) becomes Julie Andrews (the English considered the new marketers. However, they only carry information actress) that is deemed popular by social media users. This means that pop culture is becoming memetic. Borrowing is the deliberate usage of foreign words while retaining the foreign word’s meaning. Virality E.g., Videos of unscripted comedy, humiliating occurrences, and anything Watashi (Japanese) is used to substitute the pronoun “I” or else that is funny are the most likely to become viral, such as the “me” Grumpy Cat meme or an established celebrity's musical Carry (English) is used in the Filipino context of “kaya performance. (capable)” Visual Language When it comes to social media, emojis have become a genuine language of their own, being utilized by everyone from artists to politicians to marketing and more. A number of prominent materials are being translated into emojis, such as music songs, whole books, and more. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 12 of 13  GE2101 References: Bean-Mellinger, B. (2018). Introduction of print media. BizFluent. https://bizfluent.com/facts-6852659-introduction-print-media.html Danesi, M. (2018). Popular culture: Introductory perspectives. Rowman & Littlefield. Enaka, E. H. (1998). American-English on Philippine radio and television. CORE – Aggregating the world’s open access research papers. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/230942501.pdf Fernandez, D. G. (1981). Philippine Popular culture: dimensions and directions the state of research in Philippine popular culture. Philippine Studies, 29(1), 26–44. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42632570 Hemphill, R. J. (1962). The Philippine Language Scene. Philippine Sociological Review, 10(1/2), 26–33. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41853468 History of Philippine cinema. (2015, June 2). National Commission for Culture and the Arts. https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission- on-the-arts-sca/cinema/history-of-philippine-cinema/ Lent, J. A. (1998). Comic Art in the Philippines. Philippine Studies, 46(2), 236–248. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42634259 Lent, J. A. (1969). Advertising in the Philippines. Philippine Studies, 17(1), 72–96. Figure 5. A collage of memes that have become famous over the years http://www.jstor.org/stable/42634497 Source: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/memes Lopez, C. (1967). Origins of the Philippine languages. Philippine Studies, 15(1), 130– 166. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42720176 Famous viral videos have a few characteristics, such as the following, Maceda, J. (1971). Means of preservation and diffusion of traditional music: The Philippine situation. Asian Music, 2(1), 14–17. https://doi.org/10.2307/833808 based on their content: Philippine television: That's entertainment. (2015, June 2). National Commission for Culture and the Arts. https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca- the length of the title — the shorter, the better 3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural- the running time — again, the shorter, the better disseminationscd/communication/philippine-television-thats-entertainment/ Philippines - Trade promotion and advertising. the degree of humor in the video — the more ludicrous or satirical, (n.d.). https://www.export.gov/apex/article2?id=Philippines-Trade- the better Promotion-and-Advertising the element of surprise Racoma, B. (2013). Swardspeak: The colorful language of the Filipino gay community. Day Translations. https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/filipino-gay- talent — the more someone displays talent in some area, the more community/ viral it can get. Sarigul, F. A. (2016). The impact of print media on popular culture: Umberto Eco’s Number Zero. Neliti. https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/224874-the- When it comes to an understanding of how pop culture has evolved, impact-of-print-media-on-popular-cul-4ec9bf97.pdf Savillo, L. (2020). Gay Filipinos coin the coolest kind of slang with 'Beki' talk. Vice. viral videos are a great place to start. Whether it's an ancient rock and https://www.vice.com/en/article/939qxv/gay-filipino-beki-language-slang roll album, a modern jazz piece, or a comedy rerun, YouTube has all of it. For example, millions of DIY videos may be found on YouTube. As a result, the artists, actors, and performers may find their way into other forms of media. When it comes to media convergence, YouTube has become the hub for DIY projects as YouTube is one of the most popular websites on the internet, with over a billion monthly users watching more than six billion hours of video. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 13 of 13