Kwentong Jejemon

Jejemons. Jejemons. Yes. This is the new “word” that everyone is talking about. At this point, everyone in the Net knows this neologism. Not only does it sound weird, but the mere fact that Filipinos are using this word in different contexts is making this word such a hit.

Jejemons, in its original definition, are persons who type in simple words in excessively elaborate format in text messaging or the Internet. They typically use letters with diacritical marks for decorative purposes, and they are a fan of sticky-caps typing, a form of typing wherein some letters are capitalized and some letters are not. They also alter word spellings on purpose. Common alterations include changing ‘k’ to ‘c’ and ‘p’ to ‘f’. Frequently also, they make words more lengthy, making even typing a difficult “artform” to consider.

Jejemon is a portmanteau of “jeje” and “Pokemon”, though they are not related to pokemons. “jeje”, however, is the laugh they use on talking over cellphones and the Internet. Instead of the usual “hehehe”, they find “jejeje” cooler, though it is in contrast in how a natural laugh is pronounced.

The haters united first in a Facebook fan page, which I am a fan of. The name of the page was “AKALA KO HOT KA PERO NUNG NAGTEXT KA, eoW P0wh p0whzZ jejeje”. Sounds funny, right? This page existed some months before the jejemon fad began. I can’t stop laughing at this page, for they post endless funny pictures, comments and videos about what are we about to call the jejemons.

The jejemon term, as far as I know, started to spread its flame like wildfire on an edited picture of presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro Jr. holding a paper with his platform that he’ll make the jejemons go back in elementary. The picture was such a hit, and until today, I can see that picture making waves on my home page.

Putting the gasoline to the flame, Yahoo! Philippines featured Jejemon on Yahoo! Answers. The Y!ph editor asked “what is a jejemon? And why the sudden popularity?” This was asked by the editor in response to the sudden increase in search hits for the word jejemon, ranking in at number two in the list.

Igniting another flame is Vice Ganda. On the April 24 episode of Showtime, one of the highest-rating TV shows in the Philippines, (and yes, they are having their much awaited Monthly Finals that they), Vice Ganda inserted into his comment the word jejemon, saying that the group that was performing presented an exciting number. He said that the energy was consistent and that if it was not, they could have been eaten by jejemons. He defines jejemon after then, much to the amazement of his fellow judge, Gladys Reyes.

And since that word became a hit, well, it is time for GMA7 to have her fair share of the jejemon fame. On their April 29 news report, Saksi (a late night news show) featured the jejemon craze on their show, which was followed by a similar report after on 24 Oras. The news reports was followed by a feature of Jessica Soho’s magazine show on them.

Now, the jejemon fad is still burning hot, with an estimated of a hundred anti-jejemon fan pages, some twenty pro-jejemon fan pages and fewer than five of anti-jejebusters fan pages around. The fire is not going to end that fast, and maybe soon, it will be a social concern.

Along with the jejemon phenomenon comes a lot of new words. Some of these are..

1. jejebusters – a strong anti-jejemon. You can typically see them on Facebook hunting down and ridiculing jejemons

2. jejemitis – the so-called disease of the jejemons. They say that this will make you type and act like a jejemon.

3. jejevirus – the virus that is causing jejemitis over jejemons.

4. jejedex – if pokemasters have Pokedex, jejebusters have jejedex. This is a supposed gadget used to spot a jejemon on the loose.

5. jejebet – the alphabet of jejemons that they use on their language.

6. jejespeak – the way the jejemons speak.

7. jejenese – the language that all jejemons share, and most jejebusters are angry to.

Today, the word jejemon is not confined on texting or typing style. It is increasingly becoming a social status, an attitude and a fashion statement.

In broader definition, jejemons include persons who call themselves gangsters and emos. They typically follow their fashion and do things that gangsters and emos do. Well, here is again another list that they say is typical of a jejemon.

1. How about some colorful rainbow backed caps? Those are called jejecaps, they are usually worn by placing them lightly on the head, not unlike normal caps that you really push in to embrace your skull tightly. The purpose? I don’t know, maybe just to increase the height.

2. Then, there goes the jejersey. Jejemons typically wear jersey, anywhere.

3. The jejeslippers, jejeflops or whatever you may call it. These are the durable rubber slippers that can be bought at a cheap price. They are similar to crocs, but you can tell it from a real one.

4. For men, yes, and the white high-cut socks. This matches with their jersey, as if they are playing basketball all the time.

5. The big handkerchief. That is a typical possession of a jejemon. For females, they usually keep it in their pockets, but for men, they put in their head as a hair dress or around their necks as a triangular scarf. They do it whatever the weather is.

6. Dog tags and chains. Jejemons wear it in an excessive manner. Some may cling on their necks as if they are mobile accessories stores and some hang from their pockets.

7. Long shorts, usually, jejeshorts are three to five inches below the knee and made of maong, if not paired with the jejesocks. They are usually loose, allowing air to enter inside. Jejeshorts are worn in super low waist, presenting their underwears or boxer shorts above.

8. Yes, and they also got some bracelets. The jejebracelets are usually black rubber wires that are put in such a way that they fill up half the distance from your wrist to your elbow. If not those black rubber wires, a baller may fill it in.

9. Piercings. Though this is a common trend among people of all classes today, its roots can be traced from jejemons. Having piercings in ears, nose down to the nipples are typical of male jejemons.

10. Jejemons’ hair is one hell of a glow, with hair color bought from a local public market.

Here are other things that you might find common on jejemons.

1. Their primary photo is taken on a webcam at an internet café.
2. They have a picture of themselves holding a glass of Starbucks coffee.
3. Their “About Me” description goes like this…
3.1 For girls, yes, they usually they are just “simple” yet “cute”.
3.2 For boys, the word “gangster” or “rocker” is never omitted.
3.3 They are constantly in search for a relationship. “Single and available”
3.4 Their phone numbers are posted.
4. Their profile names always go like this..
4.1 “El” never goes out of style. El gwaping, El mysterio, etc etc.
4.2 “Don” for male.
4.3 “sexy”, “chic”, “cute” for females
5. High profile female jejemons always say that they have no space for posers or imitators, that their beauty is unmatched and other things that will lift their status up.

The word “jejemon” has now been applied to be a synonym of many words such as cheap, squatters, low-class, poor and sometimes, anything negative.

A: Don’t wear that, that is so jejemon!
B: Your project deserves a low grade, it looks jejemon.

Many of us has just applied the word “jejemon” into many uses. But here is my real opinion about the sudden jejemon popularity.

The jejemon craze is clogging my home page, and it is like everyone is so excited about it. There are numerous posts mimicking jejemons, which is then followed by words strongly mocking them of their so-called idiocy. Then, there are countless posts saying that they totally hate jejemons to the point of inciting genocide over their race. They are treated like rats, cockroaches or even air pollutants that needs to be eradicated on the face of planet Earth.

The rise of anti-jejemon fan pages led to a multitude of jejebusters to unite on their common cause, to express exaggerately their disgust over jejemons in ways very inhumane. Imagine if your identity, say your school, your city, or your country being portrayed, despised and hunted down the way that people are doing to jejemons, wouldn’t that be devastating in your part? Treat jejemonism as an identity, and put yourself in their place, who wanted no war and nothing but their unique artform on typing be spread on the Internet.

Yes. True. I find their typing system, their spelling rules and their decorative instincts highly irritating. I find their grammar funnily erroneous. But, as to any improvement approach, shouldn’t we teach them in a nice way, not in a way that we want to kill them first? I find this fan page very worthy of applause, “Hindi ako ANTI-JEJE. Hindi din ako PRO-JEJE. Marunong lang ako rumespeto.”

It is a matter of respect. They are our fellow humans and our fellow Filipinos, too. Some of our friends are jejemons, too. Well, I have some who have mild signs. That is their statement, that is their way of communicating, that is who they are. They do not say bad words, they just type words on what we perceive as a bad way. That is their identity, we just have to respect it. You say human rights? Give it to them. We do not want to get to the point that it will be called an injustice, a discrimination.

Jejemonism is not a disease, nor is it a pestilence ready to spread destruction onto our dying English spelling and grammar. Do not blame them if your grammar is dying, blame yourself for not studying English that hard.

Jejemons are in existence long long long ago, since the text messaging age in the Philippines began, but why is it only now that people are going crazy against jejemons? Many are saying that these anti-jeje posts are just exaggerations of their annoyance over the sticky-caps typing, sparked by the sense to be “IN” and post the word “jejemon” on their wall, on any way possible just to be in the know. Jejemons have been here for so long, and it makes me think that most people are just driven by what’s hot in the Net to post such rants against them.

Make your posts more productive instead, say promote a greener Earth? Hahaha!