AT TIMES, YOU hear one saying: Naama ma si Polano (Lit. “Old [man] already is Mr. So and So”). And then, a disputing comment-reply:
AYSHI, ET NGO eh! Ngah-nga pay met! (Lit. “That’s not right CONF! Young still CCONF)! n.b. let’s borrow the translation initials of Relational Grammar: CONF = int ‘confirm’; and CCONF = int ‘counter-confirm’.
THE ONE WHO first commented and the disputing other one are referring to a third person on-sight, re-wind: one CONF the person on-sight is ‘already old’, while the other one CCONF ‘No, he (or Polano) is ‘still young’.
IF YOU WERE there yourself, what would have been your comment.. granting you were asked: ‘what do you think?’
THE WESTERN MIND – by which you and I have been: schooled, trained, and (honestly up to now) receiving influence(s), situates the meridianing age at 41 to 45(?), which implies: over this enclosure – one is old, and before it – one is young(?). Yes(?) but seems we can’t say that yet; just can’t say that and declare: ‘that’s it!’ So, dear reader: hold your reins, please?
SOME ORIENTS – AT least, I’m familiar with the Japanese and Koreans – I had talked with a great many of them in younger years.. their ‘definition of an ‘old’ person begins with: 35 years old. So that, if you say you plan ‘to retire’ at age 50 or so, their immediate declaration shall be:
“VERY OLD!” MEANING most: “that will be a very late retirement age xxx”. So,
IF YOU ASK them at what age do they plan (or imagine) to retire (?), they’ll answer: “31, 32.. 34 xxx”. But even without asking them,
YOU’LL SEE, YOU’LL learn: while they’re ‘still young’ (or under-30), they just work, work, work.. so that, at age 30 or a bit more: presto! they have enough – or more than enough: to start their own business, or propel big a started one; or at least, they’ll make the ‘big leap’, from merely being employed!
AMONG US FILIPINOS, our retirement age is 60 years old, except when you are accorded by Law to ‘retire after 20 years of Service’; or, other exceptions. Ergo,
ASK SOME FILIPINO folks, if their elected official (e.g. congressman, governor, mayor, kapitan, etc.) is ‘old’ or not (yet), and they’ll come replying:
MATANDA NA, RETIRADO na yon eh! (Lit. “Old already, retired [that] he is!”). so you too may anticipate an answer of equal or parallel frequency as:
BATA PA, HINDI pa retirado.. xxx (Lit. “Young still.. he’s not retired yet… from his last employment xxx”).
[ADDED TO THE Filipino imaging of an individual as: ‘old’, matanda, naama, etc., was the institutionalization – in recent Past, of the ‘Senior citizens’].
NOW, IF YOU are ‘retired’, you are qualified to apply for an Identification Card (Senior’s ID) – which means you’re already 60 years old, or more. But
IF YOU’RE NOT yet 60 – employed or not, you cannot avail of a Senior’s ID; which in effect is saying: ‘you’re not yet a Senior’ which = by implication: is saying ‘you’re still young’?
AMONG THE CORDIS, being addressed – or referred to as: Ama (Father) – or Ina (Mother); or Naama or Am ama [generally] ‘the old one’, etc., carries not only the ‘Age’ facteur. Rather,
EMBEDDED AS WELL are the Meanings and Implications of: 1) Knowledgeable in our Customs and Traditions; 2) Experienced and seasoned in handling village conflicts or issues; 3) Known with spotless memory as judicious, strong, and ‘durable’ [aged] leader; 4) the ‘Unsurpassed one’ among us; (even) 5) the eldest-of-age one.. we can truly rely on! So
IF HE IS yet not referred to as Naama, just conclude by yourself: “ah, among his people or the Cordis, he has still got to learn – or demonstrate, or prove, or exemplify, a lot of things in life and with his folks. Since
“HE NEEDS YET to go through those things, and he is at Present a Naama-not-yet; he is young yet; ‘still young’ indeed!” Noman oh?
