Kaputol

galera
Originally uploaded by rgucci

Here is a quick lesson in Filipino slang.

Tol - as difficult to explain as dude, buddy, man, pal or mate. Can be used to address someone you are very close to, or when talking to a complete stranger, as in "Tol, pasindi naman." (Hey mate, you got a light?). A contraction of utol.

Utol - refers to a sibling or someone as close as a blood brother or sister. In itself is a contraction of kaputol, which is what this post is about.

Kaputol - literally means cut from the same branch. I'm willing to bet it stems (yes, it is an intended pun) from horticulture, where new plants grow from cuttings from the same vine.

I like that idea, but it suffers from an inherent lack of choice-- we are connected because of where we come from and not because of what we do or the choices we make.

So I am going to create a new meaning for the word.

Kaputol - someone with whom you cut/break/partake of/share something with.

Now that's more to my liking. More in tune with breaking bread, for example. Now I have a word for a special group of friends that have shared themselves with each other-- dinners, countless DVDs, public transportation, nearly being washed away by the tide, hangovers, sleazy shoes, hot dogs, soft-shell crabs, more drama, broken skulls, A&E, unpacking parties, exploding tonics, what-have-you.

At the risk of betraying my ever increasing age, I will have to say that the final scene of The Breakfast Club comes to mind; each of us is

• a Captain
• an Oongi Boongi
• an Aunty
• a Show Poney
• a Rimmer, O.D.

Thanks, guys. Salamat, mga 'tol.