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| grade A 'poloma' |
Just a quick query on a Malayan (sorry, not Malaysian) colloquialism, to wit, the word or term 'poloma'.
It could be 'polo-mah' too, but I hope you get the gist of how it sounds, first two syllables like the elite horseback-ball game of 'polo' followed by 'ma', rather than how it would be written - probably I'm the first to put the word into print.
It was a popular (oral) term with people of my father's generation, hmmm, perhaps those in the late 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's.
I am no sure whether it was derived from the Malay language or Indian? I'm sure it doesn't sound anywhere near Chinese, but I have to confess I don't know.
But I recall my late dad, uncles and their mates used that word 'poloma' to mean what we today would say 'bullshit', ie. bullshit as in 'chong', though chong carries a more ulterior meaning, ie. to lie or bullshit with the intention of cheating.
'Poloma' is more innocent where the bullshitting might not have an intention to deceive but more to just boast (show off; gain attention), or lie for the sake of lying, or in more polite terms 'let go' (the bullshit, that is - wakakaka).
For example, in blogging, I might be moved to say "looes74 pandai 'poloma'" or "for god's sake, your god that is, wakakaka, don't 'poloma' lah", wakakaka.
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| looes has that effect on people wakakaka |
After my dad passed away, I heard mention of the word in KL by one of my teachers, an elderly Chinese man who admonished one of my colleagues not to 'poloma' (bullshit).
Thus it was not a colloquialism confined to only Penang but more likely throughout Malaya and probably Singapore as well - I have no idea whether it was used in Sabah and Sarawak.
However, the word was not confined to use by Chinese only as it was (in my dad's days) used by his Malay and Mamak friends. And yes, it can be used in the English, Malay and Chinese languages, though I am clueless as to its employment in Tamil, wakakaka.
Can anyone throw some light on its etymology?
Would 'hao luck' and 'hao xiao' come close in meaning to poloma ?
ReplyDelete-huaren
I wonder why my response last night wasn't published - goes to show even the blogger himself could be letdown by the printing hantu
Deletehao luck and hao xiao mean the same though the latter is a bit 'village' crude wakakaka so don't use it in front of ladies or you're toast. Yes, they mean almost the same as poloma. thanks
KT
DeleteIt was reported that Lim Guan Eng once used 'hao xiao' in public. Reporters later explained to him that 'xiao' was rude in Hokkien. LGE changed the expression to 'au ta'.
-huaren
'au ta' is another colloquial word used by all races in Malaya that unfortunately like 'poloma' seems to be disappearing. 'au ta' is reasonably polite, meaning "you're kidding"
Delete'au ta' can also mean 'not true'.
Delete-huaren
yup, you're right
Deletediploma, pronounced as dia pelemah meaning he bullshits. is a colloquial malay word used in the northern states of malaya. you are right, the word is used by attention seekers and no ulterior motive whatsoever intended. no harm done.
ReplyDeleteaha, sounds most like poloma - I think your 'pelemah' might well be the source of that colloquialism, mispronounced by Chinese Penangites - I have a post almost ready to go at KTemoc Kongsamkok on such Cinapek mispronunciations, wakakaka
Deleteright, poloma is mispronunciation, it's pelemah. we liked to make joke about the word diploma. when someone said that he just got a diploma in marketing, we would whisper among ourselves saying 'dia dapat diploma atau dia pelemah? cheers ah hneah!
Deletethanks matey
DeleteThanks very much KT/kampong lad …. I learned a new word – “pelemah”.
ReplyDeleteBut you have to pronounce that word carefully and correctly though. If not it could sound like “pelemak” i.e. “pele mak”. “Pele” is a Malay colloquial word for you know what organ right?
I have heard people who blurted out the words “pele mak kau” which also means “puki mak kau” to someone who bullshits. Be careful, you can lose your kneecap.
So, we have to be careful with our pronunciations. An English example is like “From ripples to tidal waves” which sounds like “From nipples to tidal waves”. Both got strong different meanings.
Finally, someone told me if you don’t like “1MDB’s Balance Sheet”, you can just call it “ 1MDB’s Bull Shit”.
wakakaka…
- hasan
salam hasan,
ReplyDeleteletter 'e' in the word is actually 'e tanda' for correct pronunciation.
aiseh, kampong lad, regarding e-tanda you must read my post http://ktemoc.blogspot.com.au/2008/03/bahasa-mlayu-letter-to-yang-brhormat.html
Deletewakakaka
just read it. very kwai l*n wor!.
Deleteso it was in 72 the letter was put to sleep. couldn't recall when. but i still remember becos we casually & occasionally used the letter to 'kakacaucau' our comrades from southern states of malaya. most of bahasa melayu words that are written ending with a letter 'a' is pronounced as if spelled with e-tanda, e.g. kelapa, kereta etc.
i sense that you ada rindu sikit-sikit our kampong. how often you make your visit?. ok, i won't tell your good sparring partner, looes about that.
hasan, pronunciation of 'pelemah' is similar to 'geli geleman (yulk!), as in 'nasi lemak' too. but if lima kupang or 50 sen is added to the food's name, it means something else. nasi lemak lima kupang is to describe women with small bosoms and for those with big ones, they are known as ilmu penuh didada which i translate to mean 'the knowledgeable'.
Poloma...Ktemoc's blog is full of it...
ReplyDeleteaiyah, yet you keep coming back
DeleteKaytee,
ReplyDeleteI thought that is CL Flamiaris aka the Lupus, plunging his teeth on you. Sorry, he is........an aged man