Whatchamacallit?

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I just need to vent: why do Filipinos struggle to use the correct names for things? It's frustrating to hear people consistently refer to objects by the wrong names without bothering to verify if they're correct or not. And most of the time, they're not.

Let me point out a few examples of this common naming confusion:

1. Flash or removable disk/drive – Many people call these devices "USB." USB, or Universal Serial Bus, actually refers to the port on the CPU where you can connect various devices such as printers, scanners, digital/web cameras, and yes, flash drives.

2. DVD – How many times have I heard someone say, "The DVD cannot play on my DVD"? I've lost count. But what I do know is that this is incorrect. Remember, DVD refers to the disc itself. Saying that you're playing a DVD on a DVD is like saying a car is driving a car. The device that plays DVDs is called a DVD player.

3. Cartoons – I don't know if this is common among your folks, but in my experience, some people refer to all cartoons as "Popeye." Yes, Popeye is a cartoon character, but why label all cartoons as Popeye? A friend once told me about the "Pop Syndrome" of Filipinos (although I suspect he made up the term as I haven't heard it before). According to him, this is when we use the name of a popular brand to refer to a general product. For example, we call toothpaste Colgate, instant noodles Payless, instant pancit canton Lucky Me, non-dairy creamer Coffee Mate, and bath soap Safeguard, regardless of the actual brand we're using.

4. Xerox/Ubix – Students often say they need to have papers "Xeroxed" or "Ubixed." Firstly, Xerox and Ubix are brand names, not verbs. Secondly, they refer to copying machines that can accomplish the task you want. The proper term would be to have the papers copied or photocopied.

5. Autoload and E-load, Share-a-load, and Pasaload – These terms are familiar to anyone with a cellphone. However, some people get confused. Remember that Autoload is for Globe subscribers, while E-load is for Smart users. Share-a-load is for Globe, and Pasaload is for Smart. So, try not to say, "Pasaload naman sa Globe number ko."

There are many more examples to discuss...

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