Flip (slang)

Flip is a term used colloquially particularly by Filipino American youth to refer to those of Filipino descent.[1][2]

According to the late journalist and activist Alex De Leon Fabros, Sr. (1903–1999),[3][4] the term was first used among Filipinos sometime after his immigration to the United States in 1929.[5][6]

While Flip is usually used inoffensively, the folk etymology of the term is that it is an acronym for "fucking little island people"[7] which was allegedly coined by American soldiers during World War II. In response, many young Filipino Americans changed the first word of the acronym to funny, fine, or friendly. In the Philippines, the slang flip was invariably used as an acronym for "fine-looking island people" by several advertisements.[8]

A more plausible etymology of the term is that it is derived from the word Filipino.

There are Filipinos who do avoid the term for other reasons (such as "flipped" being used to mean "gone crazy", giving the term a perceived negative connotation) and prefer to be simply called Filipino or Pinoy/Pinay instead.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://articles.sfgate.com/2002-06-20/entertainment/17550594_1_filipino-americans-filipino-culture-filipino-actors Example of "Flip" being used to refer to Filipinos. Date accessed: 08 NOV 2010.
  2. ^ http://www.haro-online.com/movies/flip_side.html Example of "Flip" being used to refer to Filipinos. Date accessed: 08 NOV 2010.
  3. ^ http://www.tedvisaya.com/FilipinoWWIIvets.html "Alex De Leon Fabros, Sr ** born 11/13/1903 Bayambang Pangasinan died 11/22/1999 Salinas California 1st Filipino Regt Public Info Officer; Philippine Civil." Date accessed: 08 NOV 2010.
  4. ^ http://filipinos-ww2usmilitaryservice.tripod.com/id5.html "Alex De Leon Fabros, Sr ** born 11/13/1903 Bayambang Pangasinan died 11/22/1999 Salinas California 1st Filipino Regt Public Info Officer; Philippine Civil Affairs Team #3 (landed in Leyte 10/20/1944, then combat action in the Philippines) retired 1962 US Army; retired 1984 Civil Service, a journalist & labor activist." Date accessed: 08 NOV 2010.
  5. ^ http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=Alex+Fabros,+Sr&d=4943778081603716&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=eb2154a4,b0aea6f4 Cached page. Date accessed: 08 NOV 2010.
  6. ^ http://www.meritagepress.com/bspeaks_sept.htm Babaylan Speaks. "Many of the pioneer Filipino writers living in the United States seem to be leaving us now, among them, Stanley Garibay, N.V.M. Gonzalez, Trinidad Rojo, Alex de Leon Fabros Sr., and of course, Jose Garcia Villa. I understand that Morantte died in his 90s, in a hospital in Lompoc, California. Perhaps you are already aware of his death. If not, Morantte is certainly one writer whose passing deserves mention." Date accessed: 08 NOV 2010.
  7. ^ http://www.tribo.org/history/history1.html The Philippines. "Some pundits say flip came from either 'fucking little island people' or 'funny little island people' or 'flippin' little island people' or 'funky little island people'." Date accessed: 08 NOV 2010.
  8. ^ http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=flip+filipino&d=4539492811606128&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=664d1f8d,6dd1911b "No one is certain where Flip came from to mean Filipino. Continuing discussions in soc.culture..filipino, soc.culture.asian.american and in the Pinoy-L mailing list make it certain that flip was originally a derogatory word for a Filipino similar to gook, kike and chink. Some pundits say flip came from either 'fucking little island people' or 'funny little island people' or 'flippin' little island people' or 'funky little island people'. In early to middle 1980's young Pilipino-Americans (as opposed to Filipino-Americans) began to use the term for themselves to make known their identity as Pilipino-Americans (the use of Pilipino instead of Filipino seems to be also another identity issue). Flip thus became an empowering word of identity. However, many are against owning the word because of its derogatory origins." Date accessed: 08 NOV 2010.