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The Etymology of "REKTIKANO"
Originally posted by Adie Pena at Archer's Nook on Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:41 pm
Call it an obsession if you will. For the past 35 years (yep, about two-thirds of my life on this green planet of ours) I've been researching, on and off, formally and informally, on the etymology of "REKTIKANO" and have nothing to show for it.
I still remember the quizzical look Br. Ben (our Engineering Dean then) gave me when I popped the question during my college years. Either he didn't know the answer either; or he was wondering what the GXDL was it all about? Why is this engineering student interested in the etymology of "REKTIKANO"?! Go solve your thermodynamics problem, Pena!
Flashforward to today. Computers and search engines haven't made it any easier. And I'm still empty-handed. If it's any consolation, with google.com I've conclusively proven that "REKTIKANO" is exclusively a LOCAL, PINOY LA SALLE word. (That's right. Type "REKTIKANO," click the "search" button and all the URLs lead you to a PINOY Lasallian. No other La Salle school outside of the Philippines uses that four-syllable, nine-letter word!)
I have several theories, some far-out, some plausible, on the origins of the word. Here are a few --
1. Could it be an inverted word, as in RASEC?
REKTIKANO = ONAKITKER
"On a kitker"? But what's a "kitker"?!
Well, there are a handful of Kitkers in the German Telephone Directory. In 1990, a Kitker (surname only, first name not available) examined the influence of international and domestic factors on tropical deforestation in Mexico. And through google.com, "Kitker" is a "follower of Poseidon; a fisher/sailor."
"On a GERMAN POSEIDON FOLLOWER"?! Gimmeabreak!
Well, the GREEN-minded Kitker (the Mexico deforestation guy) is as close as we will ever get to LA SALLE, right? So you can scratch my "inverted word" theory from the list. NEXT!
2. Is "REKTIKANO" (or "REKTI" or "KANO") a sports term?
I haven't found (yet) any "REKTIKANO" or "REKTI" in sports, ancient or modern. But KANO Jigoro (1860-1938) was the founder of judo. La Salle? Judo? NEXT!
3. Could it be an "archery" term?
Well, if you combine RECTI (sometimes spelled REKTI in medical journals; plural of "RECTUS musculus" which means "straight muscle") and CANT (an archery term: "To set at an angle; the angle, from vertical, that the bow is held when shooting."), you'll get RECTI-CANT. A "straight angle"? Did I just hear you say "straight muscle cant"? (Careful, Coach. I'm not going there, okay?) NEXT!
4. Could it be a "Latin" thing?
Yeah, could be. ANIMO (as in "Animo La Salle!") is Latin.
ANIMO -are (1) (anima) , [to animate, give life to]. (2) (animus), [to endow with a particular disposition]. Hence partic. animatus -a -um. (1) [having life, alive]. (2) [having a disposition, inclined, disposed]; esp. [having courage, spirited].
So where were we? Okay, we've got RECTE --
rego regere rexi rectum [to guide , direct; to rule, govern, administer]. Hence partic. rectus -a -um, [ruled]; as adj. [straight; upright]. Transf. [right, correct, proper; honest, upright; natural, plain, straightforward]; n. as subst. [right]. Adv. RECTE, [in a straight line; rightly, properly]; 'RECTE est', [all is well].
-- plus CANO
CANO canere cecini cantum [to sing or play]. Intransit. [to sing]; of cocks, [to crow]; of frogs, [to croak]; also (with abl.), [to play on an instrument]; 'canere receptui', [to sound the signal for retreat]; of instruments, [to sound]. Transit.: (1) [to sing with the voice].(2) [to sing of, celebrate in song]. (3) [to sound or play an instrument]. (4) [to prophesy].
-- equals RECTE-CANO. (Close but no cigar.) But what does it mean? "Play (Music) In A Straight Line"?!? NEXT!
5. Could it be a "Pinoy" thing?
As in "NEKTI KA NO"? ("NEKTI" -- slang for "TINIK"; from "MATINIK," meaning sharp, alert, quick)
NEKTI KA NO! (Translation: Ang galing mo, pare ko!)
But it sounded like a "ngongo" talking, so it evolved into REKTI KA NO. Pilit ba? NEXT!
6. Finally, out of exasperation and frustration, it must be an invented word. If it was indeed invented, who did? And when? Anybody know the answers?
So there. If anyone has a better theory, please let me know.
P.S. On August 3, 2004, a female yearling (a horse, alright?) will be auctioned off at a minimum starting bid of $15,000.00. The thoroughbred's name? RECTICANO. Must be owned by a Pinoy Lasallian. (Hey, I'm not making this up. If you don't believe me, go check the Thoroughbred Times Company, Inc. website at http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/auction/. Go, RECTICANO, Go!) [UPDATE: While http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/auction is no longer accessible, RECTICANO's "family tree" can be found at http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/recticano. 10-30-06]
Re: The Etymology of "REKTIKANO"
Originally posted at Archer's Nook on Tue Apr 27, 2004 1:43 pm
Our Cebu-based PR1MO ED MENDOZA, who's likewise a member of ARCHER'S NOOK, wrote [Mon, 26 Apr 2004 06:15:31 -0700 (PDT)]: "When De La Salle Alumni-Cebu sponsored the DLSU Pop Orchestra's Concert in Cebu four years ago we had Rektikano as the theme. According to Mac Caliwara (DLSU 71) it means the Right to Rule. Another guy who would know about this is Mano Chito Cusi (LSGH 71)."
I checked the Third Quarter 2000 issue of AlumNews ("A publication of De La Salle Alumni Association") and found this article -- "REKTIKANO: A Music Celebration of the Youth and the Rebirth of De La Salle Alumni Association Cebu Chapter."
The opening sentence of the third paragraph reads: "REKTIKANO, originally a term that connotes 'a right to rule' and has been used by the school as a popular cheer in pep rallies and sporting events, is aptly the title of the first fund-raising project of the DLSAA-Cebu Chapter."
I wonder why the writer used the word "connotes." Does he mean he is NOT sure? "Connotes," as far as I'm concerned, means "suggests," "implies" or "hints at." Anyway, I'd like to meet this Mac Caliwara (DLSU 71). Where did he get this ... er, connotation?
Mac Caliwara's Reply --
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 02:12:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: Climaco Caliwara
Subject: Re: Rektikano
REKTIKANO!
Adie, this is Mac Caliwara. Search me. I don't also know why Rektikano turned out to mean the RIGHT TO RULE. Somehow, during the planning for the Pop Concert, info came from some former cheerleaders as well as from the National Office. I can't remember exactly who gave it to us but I am sure it was an official translation. Otherwise, we would not have used it in our promo materials for the Rektikano PoP Concert.
I saw the website of Vic Icasaz with pictures of some DLS ADMU games and he also referred to "right to rule".
Anyway, whatever its etymology; Latin or whatever, it sounds good and appropriate battle cry for all the green blooded Lasallians.
Animo La Salle!
Mac C.
Conversations from the Past --
I found this seven-year-old "exchange" at pinoyexchange.com ...
Don [Aug 2, 1999, 02:32 AM] : "Magmamarunong muna ako dito... Rektikano comes from these words (Latin, I think): "Rektu", meaning "straight", and "Kanu", meaning "arrow". So all in all, it signifies La Salle's resolve towards any of its goal (sic): straight like an arrow. Of course, I could be wrong; it could be a corruption of "Amerikano", seeing as how La Salle was founded by our big white brothers ("'Merikano keena-keena")."
Jeremy Darwin [Aug 2, 1999, 03:11 AM]: "Don... sorry to say... ;-) Rektikano: The Right to Rule"
Don [Aug 2, 1999, 05:43 AM]: "O Mighty Jeremy, I thought my knowledge of worthless trivia to be enough, but I did not realize I was in the presence of a master. Yes, it is the "Right to Rule." Mea culpa. Fake yata yung handbook na nabili ko."
'Rectus Dominatus' or 'Rectus Regnum'?
A "Danny" posted at inboundpass.com [April 18th, 2007 at 3:39 am]: "It is actually alleged that Rektikano means 'the right to rule.' Still this is debatable even among the elder Lasallites. No Latin word rektikano actually exists in this form. The 'right to rule,' if translated to Latin is roughly, 'Rectus Dominatus' or 'Rectus Regnum.' Just my thoughts."
'Straight Up'?
A mooshminky wrote [Mar 2, 2008 2:19 AM]: "The Origins of Rektikano (and no...it's not Right to Rule)
And the Search for the Etymology of REKTIKANO Continues ...
