Quote:
Originally Posted by Tog Tan
Chong, in proper Chinese, Sifu means a level much higher than teacher of which most people tend to forget. So, it is actually Master Chong.
Yea, the Filipino is very Indo-Malayan, however, Gurung is Indon, in Malay it is Guru. The highest level is Mahaguru, like Grand Master.
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I understood Sifu to mean Master. But in context, I took it to be akin to Rabbi, not in the sense of priest but that of a teacher. The term "Po" is not just Sir. It is an expression of high esteem and respect to the person it is addressed.
In Tagalog, the noun word is actually "Gurû". But used as an adjective, the "ng" is added to the noun, and the accent can shift, as with this word.
The word "master" has different translations in Tagalog. It is a word for a person who is in a position of command or ruler. As already discussed, "Gurû" is one, and it is a person who has a command of knowledge. Another translation is "Panginoon", which translate to "Lord", esp. in religious applications, of which the ultimate is for "God". A third translation is "Ámo", loosely translated, equivalent to "Boss", "Supervisor", "Manager".
So there, Gúrung Tog, Po. I hold you in high esteem and respect as person of extreme intelligence. And I am not laughing, either. (No, my fingers aren't crossed.)
Thanks for making me remember my roots.