Warwick Group 2 (Courtney & Ridzal) responds to Mele Yamomo (tanghal) and AMS Group 1 (Ty's, palabas)

We noticed that the two Tagalog words introduced on the blog had strong similarities in their definitions. Both words, in a sense, have something to do with showing or displaying, to reveal e.g. "premiere" or to expose "exhibit". A performance, then, pretty much does all of these things - it is showing something, displaying, and not just itself (what is on stage, for example) but also representing something outside of the theatre. To fall back on a cliche, it makes real what is not there, but also illuminates what is absent. Taking the definition of tanghal as v. to proclaim e.g. Itinanghal siyang kampeon - He is declared a champion, and palabas as adv. aloud, plainly; performance also lays bare or names something in a manner that allows the audience to better understand something larger outside of itself.

While there are obviously rich similarities between these two terms, there are also discrepancies that delineate one from another. Tanghal, for example, includes in its definition "to exalt," which is absent from palabas. This slippage between the two words illustrates how necessary a precise lexicon is, when it comes to articulating our thoughts and ideas about performance and its consequences (social, political, etc.). The nuance that one term captures is omitted from the other, even though the two, upon initial inspection, appear to be synonymous (and share a linguistic background).

In order to cultivate the more expansive, accurate lexicon, we think it is important to be more flexible when it comes to incorporating phrases and terms from a multiplicity of sources, cultures, and linguistic backgrounds. A systematic reconsideration of how we represent and recognize abstract concepts might be more frequently associated with the methodology of the sciences, but it also has the potential to enhance scholarship. In many branches of the physical sciences, taxonomies are introduced as systems of classification that allow us to name things so we can think about them. In a similar fashion, scholarship depends on our capacity to develop a creative, precise, and provocative system of classification and representation.

Having said that, we also acknowledge that are inherent complications and problematic elements embedded in our suggestion for a more expansive, flexible lexicon. For example, it would be quite problematic if the terms and phrases from non-Western backgrounds being incorporated into academic discourse get appropriated by that Western environment and alienated from their original context. Such a scenario would subjugate non-Western languages in the name of recognizing their value and potential.