I had been intrigued
by the word "deadma" so I asked the help of the Pinas-based
listers in the Romblon Discussion List what it means.
Ms. Doris Nuval replied: "Deadma" is a literal English translation
of "patay malicia" Alam mo naman kasi dito, we invent stuff
to make life pleasant and light. There's no negative connotation ...though
it does depend on how one uses it. "Deadma ako" would mean
hindi niya ako pinansin.. Gets mo? huwag mo akong i-dedma. Sumagot
ka."
Dr. Nemuel Fajutagana puts it in a similar vein: "Deadma is a
word that describes how you react to a news or to events going on
around you. It is like "wala lang" or "parang walang
nakita." The observer is more like "patay" kasi wala
siyang nakita, no pansin niya kaya "deadma" lang siya."
Raymund Leano adds: "deadma" if you use it socially, connotes
like no one minds you or they are totally ignoring you - in Tagalog
"walang pakialam."
To non-readers of Tagalog, here's my loose translation of of the Tagalog
words that the listers used to describe "deadma."
1. patay malicia - death with malice:-)
2. wala lang - forget it..it's none. Nada.
3. hindi niya ako pinansin - he/she did not look at me
or look for me:-)
4.wala siyang nakita - see no evil, hear no evil.
5. walang pakialam - none of your business.
I think I know now what "deadma" means. "Close",
said my friend Antonio Bulog. Have you read the story of the child
who said "the emperor wears no clothes?"
Whew! Gets mo?
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