'Tokhang', fake news and other trending words for 2018

"Fake news" widely spread across the world wide web for 2018. So prevalent that even some of the big names in the Philippines have fallen prey to sharing them. Other than fake news, “dengvaxia,” “quo warranto,” “federalismo,” “foodie,” “tokhang“ “dilawan,” “train,” among others — made headlines that had become part of Filipino society's mainstream discussion. But, the word “Tokhang” was triumphant for 2018.

Writer Mark Angeles and "tokhang" Source: Virgilio Labial

In the Philippine linguistic conference Sawikaan 2018, “tokhang” won as this year’s Word of the Year.

In front of about 200 students, academicians and literary critics, writer Mark Angeles, defended for "Tokhang" to be this year's most talk-about buzzword as adjudged by Filipinas Institute of Translation, UPD Information Office and the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino.

Angeles, who is also a part-time teacher, shares how he defended 2018's Word of the Year and also talks about the origins of the words "fake news" and "dengvaxia" taking the second and third most place respectively and "foodie" as audience choice.

Writer Mark Angeles (front, standing) in defense of "tokhang." (Photo by Virgilio Labial) Source: Virgilio Labial