Ngol Ngol

Ngol-Ngol

By Ian Abordo

(February 26,2014 @ 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.)

            Last night, I sat in one of the stairs that lead to the third floor of the apartment where I stay. While busy texting messages to friends before bedtime, I met a nursing student, an apartment mate, who asked me a very intriguing question. She asked, “Sir, what fitting English word can be attached to the Cebuano word “ngol-ngol.” “I have difficulty finishing a requirement due tomorrow because I cannot the right word to use.”

            I scanned the pages of my brain if I could pick the right word for the pain “ngol-ngol.” I was thrown into a deep silence and never knew if I could recover from feeling so dumb. At first glance, I could not remember any word for it. Words associated with pain that flashed back to memory: pinching, biting, dull, sharp, and wringing. “What must be the right word,” I reflected. I stood on brittle twigs for a few minutes and signed several times. I wasn’t sure of the right word.

            The only best solution was to seek help from friends and former English teachers. My adored college English teacher texted back and shared some bad news. He argued that the Cebuanos uniquely coined the word “ngol-ngol” and the English dictionary does not have any equivalent translation. Few nurses hurriedly replied to my cellphone messages, and the options shared were “terrible, pinching, biting, sharp, or dull pain.” Many agreed that we can use the word “discomfort” to pain experiences that can hardly be described using a specific English word.

             My well-adored English teacher sent another text message and suggested that we may use “nagging pain.” I blinked and wanted to share “nagging pain” to this student but another word came up: “gnawing pain.” “Maybe this is the closest word choice,” I thought. Immediately, I punched my cellphone keypad and sought confirmation from my well-adored English teacher whether this “gnawing pain” option very closely describes “ngol-ngol.” He beamed and never doubted that “gnawing pain” is one of the best options.

            The student returned to her room assured and relieved of the “gnawing pain” of finding the closest word to describe ‘ngol-ngol.” I took to heart the sweet assurance that I shared the most appropriate word she could use for her assignment.

            After she left, I lingered for a few more minutes and reflected on the kind of “gnawing pain” that she wanted to describe in her paper. I was pretty sure that “gnawing pain” settled in one patients’ body affected by a serious disease or maybe of a fresh wound that she had to nurse.

            My thoughts also went far straight to feeling “gnawing and pulsating pains” inhabiting the hearts of men and women. In fact, my mind flew quickly to thinking about employees in an organization. Nobody knows that flashes of smiles meeting me everyday conceal ‘gnawing pains’ among my colleagues or even my own. There might be heartaches chewing steadily and causing constant distress that eats us passion, commitment, and inspiration in the workplace. I can only advance any conjecture I can feel and think of right now. I’m sure these workplace ‘gnawing pains’ are left unattended.

            (Part 2 coming soon)