What does the word "SALVAGE" mean to you?

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Alastair S911

Here's the story of that word. It started in Davao, where local hit squads will "kill" corrupt policemen, government officials, and shrewed business people. But in order for them to carry-out their mission, they have to use crypted word/code word, just like in the military.
"Salvage=is to kill, if you are from the south, I think it is widely used word in Philippines now.
We are one country that like to twist the meaning of a word, mix words with our dialect and only us know's the exact meaning. I don't consider it as "bastardized". Consider yourself priveledge for knowing some.

i go loony

Well, originally, since I was born here in the Phil, salvage meant to me, "to be killed, thrown away and have your body (dead body) saved".... Even the media informed me about the wrong meaning.

I believed it to be like that until I had a seminar with an American linguist. He asked us about Philippine English words and he mentioned about this. Well, I couldn't get convinced so I when went home, I searched about the word "salvage" with no dictionary giving the meaning being informed to Filipinos. According to the sites that I saw at that time, it is only the Philippines that recognizes the word "salvage" with a bad meaning. In fact, it never meant that bad. It's funny how we can say that SALVATION is a positive word but SALVAGE isn't.

From that day on, I've never used that word that would simpy be replaced with "Summary execution"....

Anyway, the Philippines uses English as a second language so there is always a possibility for us to naturally form new words unique to this country. As you know, language evolves...

Some Philippine English words would be:

Brown Out (power interruption or power outage)
Presidentiables (potential presidents or candidates for the position)
Take out (which is usually TO GO in other countries)
Comfort Room with initials like CR (Rest room, wash room in other countries)

Well, I'm glad to be informed about this because at least I would know which words to use when I go abroad. However, I don't make fun of this info. I just understand this as a part of the nature of language... If you go to Korea, you'll find more Korean English words they usually refer to as "Konglish"... For example, "bang hair" which means bangs, etc....

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sal·vage [sálvij]
transitive verb (past and past participle sal·vaged, present participle sal·vag·ing, 3rd person present singular sal·vag·es)
1. save something for further use: to save used, damaged, or rejected goods for recycling or further use
Maybe we can salvage some spare parts from your old car.

2. rescue something from bad situation: to save something of worth or merit from a situation or event that is otherwise a failure
Diplomats are meeting to consider ways to salvage the peace process.

3. save something from destruction: to save a ship, cargo, crew, or other property or goods from destruction or loss (often passive)
They salvaged what they could from the wreckage.

noun
1. rescue of property from destruction: the rescue of property or goods from destruction or loss, e.g. because of a flood or fire
2. rescue of ship from sea: the rescue of a ship, its cargo, or crew from loss at sea
3. rescued goods: something that has been saved from destruction or loss
a salvage yard

4. something reused: something that would otherwise be destroyed or discarded but is recycled or put to further use
5. compensation for rescuers: compensation to volunteers who help in the rescue of ships, property, or goods from destruction or loss
6. money from sale of rescued goods: money from the sale of property or goods that have been salvaged

Microsoft® Encarta® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

jan-na~♥~ and im luvin it

On Regrettables”: During martial law, “salvage” came into use in the Philippines to mean “to execute or dispose of a person summarily and secretly.” Filipino journalists use it that way without regret. I wonder if it will ever be entered into reputable English dictionaries.

salvage - filipinos use this in euphemism for assassination

Yak Rider

During the Marcos years bodies would frequently wash ashore, or be found, with the thumbs wired together, hands behind the back and the throat cut. These people were said to have been "salvaged."

It's a euphemism for assassination.

Georgina

You are right by what you know that "salvage" means but your friend is also using the term the way he knows how which means if it is spoken in the Philippines, it is correct that salvage means to "kill" as in take someone's life away in a gruesome manner or murder.

NONAME

english word-(salvage)the rescue of a ship or cargo.the saving or rescue of any goods,property,etc.

2py

"salvage" in the philippines means saving whatever you got so precious by killing someone who wants to take this precious thing of yours away.

cdabexx

You are right--salvage means to 'save' or 'redeem' 'reuse' or make new again.

♥Sakura

SALVAGE v. to kill or assassinate.

**This meaning appears to be SPECIFIC to the Philippines.**

As used in the Philippines, the verb “salvage” is the slang equivalent of the terms “to execute extrajudicially, and to assassinate” terms used by human-rights organizations... It began as an anglicization or Englishing of the Tagalog word “salbahe,” whose meaning ranges from mischievous or abusive (adj.) and a notoriously abusive person (noun). “Salbahe,” in turn, is derived from the Spanish word “salvaje,” wild, undomesticated, savage.

Belle

Salvage means to look through something like maybe a pile of stuff that you are about to throw away and pick something out of it to keep. so yeah i guess in a way salvage could mean rescue because you are saving something

kja63

LOL

You are confusing SAVAGE or RAVAGE with the word SALVAGE.

Salvage means to save.

Lola

your friend is right. common term for a plot to kill someone secretly. cut a persons body parts into pieces.

Agent319.007

Salvage means to retrieve and preserve something from potential loss or adverse circumstances. Savage means to abuse. Your friend has those two words mixed up.

Do not try to tell your friend he is wrong. You can be dead right and he can be dead wrong, but still to him your answer is wrong. Let your friend wallow in his own ignorance.

Mahmoud M

In the Motor-vehicle world "SALVAGE" means Junk.

zagi

your friend is wrong, and you are right

CRYSTAL S

your right! "to save from loss or destruction"

Lauren

I agree with your definition. Salvage means to save. It is to me, anyways. Hope this helps.

<33

Wi-Skier

Salvage in the Queen's & US English means to retrieve something to restore it to usefulness or to recover any value still able to be recovered.

Usually, we hear the word used with ships that have sunk. A team goes to salvage the ship, that is to get the valuable stuff out of it and perhaps to raise the ship so it can be repaired.

That said, the Filipino sense of salvage is to kill someone. I do not know or know or understand how it came to mean that, but the fact is, it is.

If you want to try and change that go for it but realize the battle you are taking on.

Mike Aitken

Routing through stuff to find othert stuff : slavaging

Eme z

if you are a terrorist or a rebel,crook Cops,and private army,or any killer in the secret society in a Church" in the Philippines the word ''Salvage"for you is to kill not rescueing someone,its an opposite of the real meaning of salvage,which is rescued or saving it"

ioannacardish

salvage means to save or spare
savage means to abuse

your friend and most of the phillipines need to drop the l if they want to use this word correctly

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