filipino slang "toxic"
By goddessjes
@goddessjes (788)
Philippines
October 26, 2008 11:20am CST
hi. in relation to a post before this, what can you say about the filipino slang "toxic".
this term has started from call centers. it's a term, which i strongly would like to believe came from our area, (since the call center i worked for has been in the business for almost a decade, and a lot of slang has risen that were adapted by neighboring call centers). although we really don't know where this term came from originally. i only hear it from the the people at work, and probably after 2 years of it being a household term at work, people from other companies started picking and using it. and it think it's all good and well. at least everyone know what the person feels when he/she says it's a toxic day. ehehe. 
for the benefit of everyone, when one says he/she is toxic, it only means that this person is really really busy and tired at work.
can you relate to this? toxic ka ba sa trabaho? (are you "toxic" at work"?)
for the benefit of everyone, when one says he/she is toxic, it only means that this person is really really busy and tired at work.
can you relate to this? toxic ka ba sa trabaho? (are you "toxic" at work"?)4 people like this
16 responses
@goddessjes (788)
• Philippines
26 Oct 08
kumusta naman tayo, may trabaho pa bukas.. huhu.
have a nice sleep, adik.
@princejayevents (1245)
• Philippines
26 Oct 08
"toxic" never originated from call centers, lately lang mga call centers pero since 1990's ginagamit na yang term na yan. even during pager time, "toxic" were also used na. We'll try to research that to get more info.
@goddessjes (788)
• Philippines
26 Oct 08
hi. thanks.
well, that was just my point of view. you know am confined in the industry i work for. and i feel a little selfish about it. you know the sense of ownership. ehehe.
thanks for the input.
yeah, let us know if you get a word on where did pinoy expression really start. in way, slang like these make pinoys think in the same wavelength.
@gigarange (1165)
• United States
27 Oct 08
That's good to know. I have read several blogs that uses that terms and I don't get it till now that you discussed it here. It's been a long time since I visited the Philippines and it's good to be updated with some slangs. Thanks kabayan.
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
Well, I've never heard of this term before! I pretty much know what it means though but I never knew it came from working at a call center. I don't know anyone who works at a call center, so maybe that's why. Anyway, I don't think all call center jobs are bad. Sometimes the day shift ones are pretty good. But of course, if you're in it for the money only then you have to put up with irregular hours...
@WATARIKENJI (1534)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
Filipino ingenuity. We love to play with words and its just fine. We came up with a new use for a foreign language.
Really toxic.
@rrowenaa (834)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
i've worked from a pager company before, u know pagers boomed decades and more ago. we used the word "toxic" for pending calls that agents have to attend to. we received calls especially from nurses and doctors who used that word too. i supposed they meant busy with lots of patients. =D
@rsa101 (38472)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
Well I guess this term didn't come from call centers I knew this word way way back when call centers didn't exist at all. i guess when you say its toxic you are under high stress or pressure from work. I am not from a call center and I hear these word to being used by my co workers when they are under pressure or stressed by work.
@cefaz_21 (2596)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
most of the time yes, especially when there are new assignments. I know how it feels.I didn't know too where this term originated. I just knew it refers to overwork or overloads of work.
But right now, I am not "Toxic" you see? I am mylotting and it is still office hours. lol
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
I have heard this filipino slang a number of times... especially when i am in the are frequented by call center agents... i just do not know where and how it started... but it definitely has something to do with work that is demanding and tedious... good thing my line current line of work is not toxic...
@tikei18 (359)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
Oh my gosh I didn't know about this slang word "toxic" I am outdated. Maybe because I only stayed at home this past 10 months. Or maybe because I didn't ever worked in a call center. But I know the slang word "haggard". We use it when I was still in my high school days.
@jewilim (495)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
Well for me, i would rather say "it had really been a hectic day/busy day". hehe. Just to avoid misconceptions, many people might get confused if i would be using that phrase. I think people wont understand you if you would be using that phrase in foreign countries that speak english. I havent heard anyone use that term yet but who knows that phrase could become widely used someday. hehe
@red_amethyst (3518)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
hi goddess
i agree "toxic" is really spreading here. another term being used is haggard which is if you are toxic at work you look haggard. hahaha
take care
@lady_cayote (153)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
toxic because of irate callers. In my case, it's toxic cause there's no challenge in what I'm doing. it's like a routine.
@theangel (61)
• Philippines
27 Oct 08
I am a Filipina and I always encounter that word "toxic". It depends on how it they use it in a sentence, it could change its meaning. For example "I dont wanna be with that guy anymore, he's a toxic." Meaning, the guy is not that good at all or there is really something wrong, something like that. Usually, filipino slang "toxic" says "Gives me a headache." Also, something that you dont like or hate.
@myahw20 (1115)
• Canada
27 Oct 08
I dunno where it really came from but we started using that in high school 4 years ago too hehe.
It's amazing how we can make a lot of slangs there hehe.
Well as for being toxic, university life is so toxic. It is really crazy here. Exams and papers due week after week that is really toxic hehe need i say more hehe..
