Philippine Kinship - Non-literal Use of Familiar Terms

Non-literal Use of Familiar Terms

"Kuya" and "Ate" are also titles used to address older male and female cousins (regardless if they are the eldest or not, but older than cousin addressing them) as a sign of respect. It may also be used for people who aren't necessarily relatives but are older. The criteria would be gender (first), age (second), degree of affiliation (third), with actual blood or non-blood relationship being the least important.

"Tiyo" and "Tiya", used literally for uncle and aunt, are often confused with "Tito" and "Tita" which are used in reference to your parents' close friends. Again, the degree of affiliation in the relationship overrides the literal meaning.

This hierarchy of conditions would be consistently applied to other familial terms that are used for relationship of further distance, such as "Nanay" and "Ninong", which are often applied to people who have no actual blood relationship but have earned a showing of respect which also defines their age and gender and station in life.

Filipinos would generally greet each other using their title like: "Kamusta Ate Jhen", or "Kamusta Kuya Jay"; because doing otherwise is considered rude and disrespectful.