Touch Me Not: Mind Your Own Business
By Daddy Neil
@neildc (17238)
Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
July 16, 2009 8:49pm CST
If you are a Filipino, specially a Cebuano or a Visayan resident, you may probably know what I am going to tell about. But if not, then read on to know what "himantayon" is:
Taken from the Cebuano root word "bantay" which means "to mind, to be aware", himantayon is someone who is always on the look out for what others do or say. He is always mindful of the events on his surroundings. Some of the reasons for being himantayon may vary from gossip-gathering to playful mockery and social vigilance in some cases.
Some says himantayon is someone who always look at the negative side of a person rather than the positive. So it's a kind of a negative trait of a person to be a himantayon.
Is there someone in your home or your work that is himantayon? How do you handle him/her?
By the way, does anybody have the one-word English translation of himantayon?
4 responses
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
17 Jul 09
I would have to say that one English word that would describe the type of person you have described here would actually be a compound word: busybody. Someone who has a need to know what everyone is up to, what is going on in their lives, likes to talk about other people and basically lives their lives through the lives of others.
How's that? I didn't use a dictionary. 'Busybody' is just what popped into my head while reading your description of an himantayon.
Have I known any? Yes. The way I handled them was to either avoid them or, if that was not possible, tell them to their face to stay out of my business and mind their own before theirs falls apart.
Very interesting post, neil! 
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
17 Jul 09
hi mentalward,
it could be a "busybody". but if someone is a busybody, isn't he someone that always works, busy in his work? okay, then his work maybe is to mind some other's work? someone who always look at someone's work and wait till this someone makes a mistake in his work? so , don't you think there's a lot of "himantayons" here on mylot? 
neil
neil@mentalward (14690)
• United States
17 Jul 09
No, a busybody is someone who is always sticking their noses into everyone else's business. Someone who can't control their "butting in" and putting their two cent's worth in, whether they've been asked to or not, usually when they're not welcome.
They think they have all the answers to everyone's problems, no matter what they are, yet they can't see what's wrong with their own lives.
At least, that's the meaning here in the States.
@doryvien (2284)
• United States
17 Jul 09
While reading your post I can already think of a number of people I know who are himantayons. Specially if you live in a small town were everybody knows everybody, this kind of personality abound. I wonder if they can sleep soundly with all the unproductive things running on in their minds, I wont be surprised if they suffer from insomnia or tension headache - imagine the huge amount of negative energy they carry in their body? I stay away from this kind of people, I don't wanna be closely associated with anyone like this. I think a himantayon is a "nosy" person.
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
17 Jul 09
Hi Neil,
I think I know what you are talking about, gossip mongers and someone who goes round stirring it thrieves on onther people's misfortune and gossip about it, hey I've a new word from your country thanks, Hugs.
Tamara
@janebeth (2032)
• Philippines
17 Jul 09
hi neil,
himantayon? lol.. there's a lot in my office.. and i hate it, everytime you walk along or dress so nice, still they look at you and give some comments, negative comments..!! why do they have that kind of attitude?? really i don't understand it...
janebeth.
