Jejemon
Jejemon is a pop culture phenomenon in the Philippines. Jejemons are defined by Urban Dictionary as one "who has managed to subvert the English language to the point of incomprehensibility and online lynch squads."[1] A Jejemon is described as a "new breed of hipsters who have developed not only their own language and written text but also their own sub-culture and fashion."[2]
Jejemons also imitate "gangster" like attitudes which make them similar to the English chav, Scottish ned, Irish skanger, Russian gopnik and Australian & New Zealand bogan.
Etymology
The word "Jejemon" either supposedly originated from online users' penchant to type in "hehehe" as "jejeje", supposedly because the letters "h" and "j" are beside each other,[1] or that "Jeje" is derived from Spanish, whose speakers denote the interjection as laughter, and that it is appended by "-mon" that came from the Japanese animé Pokémon,[3] with "-mon" meant as "monster," hence "jeje monsters."[4]
Origins
The origins of short-handed typing was through the short messaging service, in which each text message is limited to 160 characters. As a result, an "SMS language" developed in which words were shortened in order to fit the 160-character limit.
In the internet, the Jejemon phenomenon started in "early April." On April 14, 2010 at Pinoy Tumblr, a post about vice presidential candidate Jejomar Binay indicating that he was the Jejemon's preferred vice presidential candidate, complete with a fake poster with him called as "Jejemon Binay." Later the use of word "Jejemon" to refer such people made rounds in various Filipino internet message boards.[3]
Such short-handed language is not limited to Filipinos: Thais use "5555" to denote "hahahaha," since the number 5 in Thai language translate to "ha."[2]
The term "Jeje" was also developed after it was used on the "Jeje cap". A style of cap with lots of glittery effects and colorful patterns, and the habit of not wearing it fully but just placing the cap in top of the head similar to trucker caps.
Demographics
The Jejemons are said to be the new "jologs", a term used for Filipinos of the lower income class.[1][2] However, Jejemons are not of inferior intellect, nor are they "jologs" at all, for they exist in exclusive schools and science high schools. The parameters of being classified as a Jejemon are still unclear, and how the different "levels" of "Jejemonism" are reached,[5] although there are named levels such as "mild," "moderate" and "severe" or "terminal."[6]
Jejenese and Jejebet
The language of the Jejemons, called Jejenese, is derived from English, Filipino and their code-switched variant Taglish. Their alphabet, Jejebet, uses the Roman alphabet, including the Arabic numerals and other special characters. Words are created by rearranged letters in a word, alternating capitalization, over-usage of the letters H, X or Z and mixture of numeric characters and our normal alphabet.[2]
Examples:
- Filipino: "Eow PowZ, mUsZtAh nHa?" translated into Filipino as "Hello po, kamusta na?, translated into English as "Hello, how are you?"
- English: "i LLyK tO knOw moR3 bOut u, PwfoH. crE 2 t3ll mE yur N@me? jejejejeje!" translated into English as "I like to know more about you, care to tell me your name? Hehehehe!"
Reaction
Initial reaction to the Jejemons is irritation and bewilderment. Jejemons are likely to encounter hate; some had seen their Facebook wall with people wishing their death. Several Facebook fan pages were created both in support and against the group. However, celebrities such as Rico Blanco, Alessandra de Rossi and Ces Drilon have condemned the wholesale ridicule of the group.[3]
YouTube videos were also uploaded parodying the Jejemons, connecting them to the current election campaign. Edited television advertisements of Nacionalista Party proclaiming their disdain for Jejemons, and an edited Gilberto Teodoro photograph with him holding a sign saying that the Jejemons be brought back to school went viral.[4]
The phenomenon has merited news reports in GMA's Saksi[7] and 24 Oras.[6]
References
- ^ a b c Nacino, Joseph (2010-04-26). "Jejemon in the Philippines". CNET Asia. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- ^ a b c d Marcoleta, Harvey (2010-04-24). ">Jejemons: The new 'jologs'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- ^ a b c Lim, Ronald (2010-04-27). "How do you solve a problem like the Jejemons?". The Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- ^ a b "'Anti-jejemon' campaign goes viral on the web". ABS-CBNnews.com. 2010-05-01. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Biado, Ed (2010-04-30). "The jejemon phenom". Manila Standard Today. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ a b Template:Tagalog "The jejemon phenomenon: What do language experts say?". GMANews.tv. 2010-04-29. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ Template:Tagalog"Saksi: Jejemon invasion!". GMANews.tv. 2010-04-29. Retrieved 2010-04-30.