A BISAYAN GRAMMAR
AND
NOTES ON
BISAYAN RHETORIC AND POETICS
AND
FILIPINO DIALECTOLOGY
By
NORBERTO ROMUÁLDEZ, B.A.
—Provincial Fiscal of Leyte, P.I.—
—Attorney-at-Law—
—Formerly Director of “San Jose” College of Takloban—
—Professor of Latin—
O! good my lord, no Latin;
I am not such a truant since my coming
As not to know the language I have liv’d in
SHAKESPEARE
1908.
“PAG PAHAYAG” CO.—TAKLOBAN.
TO THE
TO THE YOUTH OF SAMAR AND LEYTE
who are clearly demonstrating aspirations
for a brighter future thru education
this book is dedicated,
in the hope that it may give a stimulus to their work
and an incentive to appreciate what is best in their language
as well as in the hope that, at a future day,
some one of them may be fitted to do this work
better than here presented.
The Author
INTRODUCTION
The publication of a Bisayan grammar has been eagerly awaited by many.
It has been desired by those who are interested simply in the study of
a native dialect. It has been needed by all Americans who desire an
acquaintance with the language of the people among whom they live in
order that they may get into closer touch with the great mass of
natives as yet unable to speak either Spanish or English. It has been
requested by many natives who wish to improve their use of their mother
tongue. To all such, the present volume will prove of great value.
The author is recognized throughout Samar and Leyte as one of the
highest authorities on the Samareño dialect. His statements may
therefore be accepted as authoritative. His treatment of prefixes and
suffixes, of similar words with different meanings, and of the various
forms of the verb are especially interesting and valuable.
It is hoped that Mr. Norberto Romuáldez may be able to carry out his
intention of putting out a combined grammar and language book designed
especially for those just beginning the study of Bisayan. Such a work
in conjunction with the present grammar would immensly facilitate the
acquisition of a speaking knowledge of the dialect.
W. W. MARQUARDT,
Division Superintendent of Schools.
PREFATORY REMARKS
This book is not intended to be a complete grammar, but is only an
elementary work containing a collection of some principles governing
the formation of the words and the construction of the sentences of the
Bisayan [1] dialect spoken on the islands of Samar and nearly half of
Leyte, by about four hundred thousand people.
At random and at odd intervals as the author’s time permitted, he
arranged, more or less in a logical grammatical order, the material
gathered. Bearing in mind that there has never been any previous
treatise on this subject worthy the name, the whole field therefore
remaining practically unexplored, it will not be surprising that the
use of spare moments covering only a short period has left much of the
field undeveloped. However, what has been collected in this book will
be found to be of primary importance to any one desiring to gain a
quick acquaintance with the dialect for immediate practical use. After
a careful study of the many examples under the different rules, coupled
with a continuous practice, the user will be surprised—if he is a
stranger—at the ease with which he acquires an Asiatic dialect, and—if
he is a Filipino—how clear and logical is one of the most spoken
dialects in his Mother-land.
The author had no intention of launching this work at the present time;
but it is done at the behest of his American friends who have urged him
to issue what has been collected, a portion only of what is intended
ultimately to be a complete treatise and grammar of Bisayan, in order
that this material may be available for the use of persons taking an
interest in the Islands, thereby bringing about a common means of
communication, which promotes a better feeling between the people born
here and the newcomer.
The exposition of the different subjects is not in the modern didactic
form generally used in this class of works. This is simply due to the
lack of sufficient time. Thus the grammar is divided into the usual
parts: orthography, prosody, etimology, and syntax. Some of these parts
have been treated to a very limited extent, because time has not
admitted of the collection of sufficient material and of the
opportunity to weigh the relative values and eliminate the exceptions
from the rules.
An appendix has been added where two topics are treated: notes on
Rhetoric and Poetics of Bisayan, and notes on Filipino Dialectology
consisting in a short comparative study of this dialect in reference to
Tagalog, one of its sister-dialects in the Archipelago. The first notes
are designed to complete the knowledge of Bisayan after the grammar is
mastered; the second are intended to show the possibility of the
formation of a common Filipino language [2] out of the different
dialects scattered thru out the Archipelago, in a similar way as the
Modern High German has been formed out of the main primitive groups
Frisian and Saxon. Frankish, Hessian, and Thuringian, and Alemannian
and Bavarian.
We have to repeat that our work is far from being perfect, even
complete, on account of lack of sufficient time. Owing to the same
circumstance, many errors in printing have crept into this book, which
we have tried to correct at the end under the heading Errata. But we
sincerely admit that not all of the mistakes that may be found in this
book are to be assigned to lack of time. Like any other product of
human industry, this work bears marks of errors arising from the two
sources pointed out by Horace
quas aut incuria fudit,
Vut humana parum cavit natura.
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the help rendered by Messrs. W. W.
Marquardt, Div. Superintendent of Schools of Leyte, P.I., Fred
Shoemaker, and H. W. Halbourg, in correcting part of the proof, and for
the collaboration of Mr. Henry E. Neibert, Former American Teacher of
Jaro, Leyte, P.I. whose knowledge of both tongues, English and Bisayan,
added much material to the work.
Hoping that this little volume may be of interest and real help, it is
offered to an indulgent public for what it is worth.
Norberto Romualdez
Takloban, Province of Leyte,
Philippine Islands.
November 8, 1908.
CONTENTS
PAGE
DEDICATION I
INTRODUCTION III
PREFATORY REMARKS IV
CONTENTS IX
ORTHOGRAPHY AND PROSODY
LETTERS 1
THE ACCENTS 2
PUNCTUATION 3
VOWELS 5
SYLLABLES 5
CAPITALIZATION 5
CONTRACTIONS 7
ETYMOLOGY
PARTS OF SPEECH 6
Articles 7
Declension 8
Nouns 9
Diminutive 10
Figurative 12
Verbal 13
Compound 22
Derivative 23
Proper and Common 29
Positive, Comparative, and Superlative 32
Cardinal, Ordinal, Partitive, and Distributive 35
Collective 38
Gender 40
Number 40
Case 41
Important Observation 41
Transposition of Accents 43
Pronouns 47
Personal 47
Demonstrative 48
Possessive 50
Relative 52
Contractions 56
Verbs 57
Conjugation—Voices 58
Moods and Tenses 58
Number and Person 61
Inflections 61
Table 1.—Primitive Active 61
Table 2.—Progressive Active 61
Table 3.—Primitive Direct Passive 68
Table 4.—Progressive Direct Passive 70
Table 5.—Primitive Indirect Passive 73
Table 6.—Progressive Indirect Passive 75
Table 7.—Primitive Instrumental Passive 76
Table 8.—Progressive Instrumental Passive 78
Negative Forms 80
Interrogative Forms 82
Suppletory Verbs 84
Pronominal Form 84
Adverbial Form 84
Observation 87
Impersonal Verbs 88
Defective Verbs 88
Other classes of Verbs 89
Active Voice 90
Direct Passive 93
Indirect Passive 96
Instrumental Passive 96
Depreciative Verbs 96
Adverbs 97
Prepositions 98
Conjunctions 98
Interjections 99
SYNTAX
Subjective relation 100
Predicative relation 100
Attributive relation 100
Complementary relation 101
Adverbial relation 102
Representative relation 102
Connective relation 103
Absolute and independent constructions 103
Syntax of verbs 103
Arrangement of words 105
VIOLATIONS OF GOOD USE 105
Barbarisms 105
Foreign words 105
Foreign words unnecessarily used in Bisayan 106
Spanish words 106
Chinese words 111
English words 111
Foreign constructions 112
Foreign words necessarily used in Bisayan 112
APPENDIX
NOTES ON BISAYAN RHETORIC AND POETICS 117
Figures of Speech 117
Prose 121
Letters 121
Poetic forms 123
Versification 123
Collection of some Bisayan songs 124
Moral Poetry 124
Philosophic Poetry 125
Love Poetry 125
Sundry 126
NOTE ON FILIPINO DIALECTOLOGY 128
Words exactly the same in Bisayan and in Tagalog 128
Words with some dialectal differences 130
Differences in the vowels i, o 130
Differences k, h, l, r, d, t 131
Differences in the accent, and in the separation
of the syllables 132
Transformation from a to o and viceversa 132
ERRATA 133
ORTHOGRAPHY AND PROSODY
LETTERS.
The Bisayan letters are twenty: [3]
a, as a in large
b, }
c, } as in English
d, }
e, as e in well
g, as g in good
ng̃, as ng in long
h, as h in hat
i, sounding ee
l, }
m, } as in English
n, }
o, as o in long
p, as in English
qu, as the English k
r, }
s, } as in English
t, }
u, sounding oo as in good
y, as y in young
After knowing the respective sounds of these letters, according to the
preceding table, no rule is necessary for the pronunciation of Bisayan
words.
THE ACCENTS.
The orthographical accent is an important sign in Bisayan, in order to
give to the words their proper pronunciation, and, consequently, their
proper meaning.
Of the emission of the voice in pronouncing the Bisayan vowels, there
are two ways: one is the ordinary way, like that of the English vowels,
as in
baga (red-hot coal or wood),
dinhi (here),
olo (head),
and the other is by a guttural suspended emission of the voice, like
the last a in bagà (lungs),
the last i in dirì (not or no), and
the last o in torò (drop).
This guttural pronunciation is only used in the endings of words.
From the various combinations of these ways of pronouncing the vowels
and the force with which they are pronounced, it follows that a vowel,
no matter which one it is, has four different sounds:
1st. As ordinarily, and without any particular force.
2nd. As ordinarily, but with force in its pronunciation.
3rd. By a guttural suspended emission of the voice, and without
force.
4th. By a guttural suspended emission of the voice, and with force.
The first way does not need any orthographical sign. But the last three
ones require a special orthographical accent in each ease.
When a vowel is pronounced as ordinarily, but with more force than
others in the same word, the proper accent is the acute (´).
When a vowel is pronounced with a suspended guttural sound, but without
any force, the corresponding accent is the grave (`).
And when a vowel is pronounced with a suspended guttural sound with
force, its accent is the circumflex (ˆ), which is simply the
combination of the two foregoing accents, as this last represents a
sound that is the combination of the two sounds, suspended guttural and
with force.
Therefore, in writing the word quita, for example, in its three
different meanings and according to its three different pronunciations,
it must be as follows:
quitá (we) quità (see) quitâ (look at).
RULE. There are three different accents in Bisayan: the acute (´); the
grave (`); and the angular, which we may call improperly circumflex
(ˆ).
The acute is located wherever it is needed, either at the beginning or
in the middle or at the ending of the word. Examples:
úpa (reward) upá (rice chaff).
The grave and angular, by their nature, are only used upon words ending
in a vowel, and then only upon the last vowel. Examples:
dacò (large), dacô (larger)
PUNCTUATION.
The signs of punctuation in Bisayan are the same as those in English,
the rules for the use of the period (.), colon (:), semicolon (;),
comma (,), parenthesis (), dash (—), quotation marks (“ ”) and
apostrophe (’) being identical.
But the rules are different for the use of the interrogation and
exclamation points, and hyphen.
In Bisayan, the Spanish way is followed in using two points of
interrogation and two of exclamation, the one at the beginning of the
question or exclamation (¿) (¡), and the other at the ending (?) (!).
While the hyphen (-) is also used in Bisayan to connect parts of a word
divided at the end of a line, and to connect two or more nouns,
adjectives, or particles, so as to form them into a single compound, it
has an additional use which is to separate distinctly the syllables of
certain words that would have a different meaning or none at all
without the said separation. Examples:
sál-ong (to hook) sálong (resin)
súl-ay (belching of an infant) súlay (prop)
bac-ad (to unroll)
os-og (to draw near from afar)
im-im (lip)
sid-ap (to look at)
san-o (when, future)
cacan-o (when, past) [4]
NOTE.—The above separations are not of the same character as those
caused by contractions or elisions, where the proper sign is not a
hyphen, but an apostrophe. As,
gáb’i from gabii (night)
cabitón’an, from cabitoónan (stars)
pabáy’i, from pabayái (leave him or her)
it’ im’ bugtò ng̃an from iton imo bugtò (your brother or
hit’ ac’ patód, ng̃an hitón acon patód sister and my cousin).
Therefore, it would not be correct to write gab-i, cabiton-an, pabay-i,
where the apostrophe should be employed instead of the hyphen. However,
the apostrophe is used only when needed to avoid wrong pronunciation or
confusion. So the last of the preceding examples is written without any
sign of punctuation, thus: it im bugtò ng̃an hit ac patód.
VOWELS
The Bisayan people, especially in Leyte, always have a tendency to
separate the vowels in pronouncing the words, there being no Bisayan
dipthong. So it is bi-ol (small basket) and not biol; cá-on (eat),
ti-il (foot), ma-opay (good), and not cáon, tiil, maopay. But this
refers only to spoken language, not to written.
Some words, like uásay (axe), sabáo (broth) are pronounced ua-say,
sa-bao, and not u-a-say, sa-ba-o. These syllables ua and ao are not
dipthongs. The u in the syllable ua and the o in the syllable ao, are
not the vowels u, o, but the consonant w. These words should be written
more properly wásay, sabáw. [5]
SYLLABLES
Every vowel [6] with the consonant or consonants pronounced with it and
every vowel pronounced alone form one syllable, and are written as
such. This is the rule applied to the division of a word at the end of
a line. Examples:
ca-ru-ca-yá-can (conversation)
bác-dao (stand)
a-ha-cá (hemp), etc.
CAPITALIZATION
In Bisayan, the following words should begin with capitals:
1. The first word of every sentence.
2. The proper nouns.
3. The names of the days of the week and the months of the year.
4. Titles of honor or office.
5. All words, except prepositions, conjunctions and unimportant
adjectives, in the titles of books and essays.
6. All names of God, and expressions referring to the Deity.
7. Words representing important events in history and epochs of
time.
CONTRACTIONS
There is no contraction used in Bisayan, except that in the sign mg̃a (a
particle employed to express the idea of plurality).
Mg̃a is for mang̃a composed of ma (an important prefix of the Bisayan and
Tagalog dialects, which bears the idea of abundance or plurality) and
ng̃a (a conjunctive particle which is necessarily employed to connect
the variable parts of speech).
NOTE. It would be desirable to have the following contractions adopted
in Bisayan, inasmuch as they are universally recognized:
i.e. for id est.
e.g. ,, exempli gratia.
viz. ,, videlicet.
etc. ,, et cetera.
P.D. ,, post data.
P.S. ,, post scriptum.
N.B. ,, nota bene.
a.m. ,, ante meridiem.
p.m. ,, post meridiem. [7]
ETYMOLOGY.
PARTS OF SPEECH.
These are eight in number, in Bisayan: article, noun, pronoun, verb,
adverb, preposition, conjunction, interjection.
ARTICLES.
There are three classes:
Definite: an (the)
Indefinite: in (a)
Personal: hi or si (no equivalent in English).
The definite article, as well as the indefinite, is used in Bisayan in
the same manner as its equivalent in English. The definite article,
however, is sometimes used before proper nouns, and it is very often
used before the demonstrative and possessive pronouns. Examples:
Nacánhi an batà (the boy or girl has come)
Nacánhi in batà (a boy or girl has come)
An Dyos [8] macagagáhum (God is omnipotent)
An iní nga bucád (this flower)
An acon calò (my hat)
The personal article is always used before the names of persons; it is
also used before the personal pronouns, except the third persons.
Examples.
Hi Pedro (Peter)
Hi acó (I)
Hi icao (you)
Instead of hi, si may be used. [9]
These articles do not change in gender. Examples: an amáy (the father),
an iróy (the mother); hi Juan (John), hi María (Mary).
The definite and indefinite articles change in the plural in the
following way:
SINGULAR PLURAL
an an mg̃a [10]
in in mg̃a
The personal article does not change, in person or number, except in
the third person plural where it takes the form of the third personal
pronoun third person, plural number. Examples:
Hi quitá (we)
Hi camó (you, in plural)
Hirá Pedro ng̃an hi Juan (Peter and John)
DECLENSION.—Articles have two cases: nominative and objective.
SINGULAR | PLURAL
|
NOMINATIVE: an in hi or | an mg̃a in mg̃a hirá or
si | sirá
OBJECTIVE: han or hin or ni, | han mg̃a hin nira,
san sin can | or san mg̃a or canda
| mg̃a sin
| mg̃a
Examples:
An batà nagbahása han surát ni Pedro (the boy reads Peter’s letter).
Hirá Carlos ng̃an hi Juan naghátag (Charles and John gave flowers
canda Tomás ng̃an hi Pedro hin mg̃a to Thomas and Peter).
bucád
The objective case covers all the different cases used in other
languages after the nominative, that is to say, the genitive, dative,
accusative and ablative cases.
RULES. 1. The Bisayan articles are used immediately before the words to
which they refer.
2. The definite article may be used without expressing the object to
which it refers, having, in this case, the nature of a relative
pronoun. Examples:
An nagtótoon, nahabábaro (He, who studies, learns).
An mg̃a nagtututdò ha aton (They who teach us.)
3. The personal article is always necessary before the names of
persons. It is not correct to say “Pedro nagsusurat”; hi is needed, and
it must be: “hi Pedro nagsusurat” (Peter is writing).
EXCEPTIONS. 1. Between the definite article and the word to which it
refers, other words may be placed, in some instances, as in this
phrase:
An iní ng̃a baláy (this house), or
an maopay ng̃a batà (the good boy or girl).
The regular order in constructing the last phrase is:
an batà ng̃a maopay.
2. When the names of persons are in the vocative case, the personal
article is not used. Thus we say:
Mariano, cadí dao (Mariano, come, please).
Pamatì, Juan (listen, John).
3. In the objective case of hi, can is used before the verb, and ni
after the verb. Examples:
An can Juan guinsurát (what John wrote)
An guinsurát ni Juan (what John wrote)
N.B.—The indefinite article, when needed at the beginning of the
sentence, is replaced by the phrase “usa ng̃a” So, if we wish to say “a
boy came yesterday,” we should not say
in batà nacánhi cacolop; but
usá ng̃a batà nacánhi cacolóp.
This phrase usá ng̃a is not a perfect article, but it has the character
of an adjective, even when used as an article. Therefore, both the
indefinite in and the phrase usá ng̃a may be used in the same sentence.
So, we can say, changing the regular order of the last sentence:
Nacánhi cacolóp in usá ng̃a bata (a boy came yesterday).
NOUNS
These are substantive and adjective. Both may be grouped in the
following classes: primitive, diminutive, figurative, verbal, compound,
derivative, proper, common, positive, comparative, superlative,
cardinal, ordinal, partitive, distributive and collective. Nothing
particular needs be said about the primitive.
DIMINUTIVE
Examples:
PRIMITIVE DIMINUTIVE
baláy (house) balaybálay
saróual (trousers) sarouálay
carahà (frying-pan) caraháay
balóto (little boat) balotóhay
As is seen, the diminutive is formed by the repetition of the primitive
or by adding to the latter the affix ay or hay.
The primitive is repeated when it has not more than two syllables. As,
from
dáhon (leave), dahondáhon,
cáhoy (tree), cahoycáhoy.
The affix ay or hay is added when the primitive has more than two
syllables; ay being used in cases where the noun ends with a consonant,
or a vowel with a grave or angular accent; and hay being employed when
the primitive ends with a vowel otherwise accented or non-accented or a
vowel that is pronounced separately from the consonant preceding it, or
is preceded by more than one consonant. As,
from
sacayán (boat), sacayánay,
habobò (low), habobóay,
balicô (crooked), balicóay, [11]
abacá (hemp), abacáhay,
babaye (woman), babayéhay,
banat-i (a tree so called), banat-ihay,
malacsi (fast), malacsihay.
But the dissyllabic primitive is not repeated when its first vowel is
followed by more than one consonant, or when the last vowel has an
acute accent or is pronounced separately from the consonant preceding
it. In such cases the affix ay or hay is employed, the rules
established for the use of these affixes being applicable to such
diminutives. As,
from
támsi (bird), tamsíhay, not tamsitamsi,
túl-an (bone), tul-ánay, not tul-antul-an,
pulá (red color), puláhay, not pulapula, [12]
sagpò (plug), sagpóay, not sagposagpò,
sab-a (a kind of banana), sab-áhay, not sab-asab-a,
bungto (town), bungtóhay not bungtobungto.
Generally, as it has been observed in the preceding examples, the
adjectives follow the same rules. As,
from
matám-is (sweet), matam-isay,
malomó (soft), malomóhay,
halípot (short), halipótay.
But in must of the adjectives formed with ma (a particle bearing the
idea of abundance) and ha [13] (a particle that bears the idea of
place), like maopay, mabusag, mapulá, hatáas, halabà, the prefixes ma
or ha are disregarded in the formation of their diminutives, their
abstract roots being the only elements taken into consideration, as if
such adjectives were dyssillabic. Thus, opay, busag, pulá, táas, lubà,
being the abstract roots of the last mentioned adjectives, their
diminutives will be:
from
maópay (good), maopay-ópay
mabuság (white), mabusagbúsag
mapulá (red), mapulapulá
hatáas (high), hataastáas
halabà (long), halabalabà [14]
There are some adjectives that have irregular diminutives. Such are the
following:
DIMINUTIVE
from REGULAR IRREGULAR
dacò (large), dacòdacò dacolaay [15]
gutì (small) gutigutì gutirurù [16]
FIGURATIVE
We call those nouns figurative that are applied to the objects which,
not being of the same nature as that which is expressed by their roots,
show nevertheless analogy or similarity with those represented by the
corresponding primitive, in their meaning, form, use, or application.
Examples:
from
bobón (fountain), mobonbóbon [17] (fontanel);
cabáyo (horse), carocabáyo, (objects that are like a horse
or cloud).
dámpog (cloud), darodámpog,
When the primitive has not more than two syllables, the formation of
its figurative follows the same rules as those for the dissyllabic
diminutive. As,
from
hadì (king), we have
hadihadi (a person who, by his vanity or harshness, resembles the
figure of a king).
But when thy primitive has more than two syllables, or its last vowel
is preceded by more than one consonant or is pronounced separately from
the consonant—preceding it, its figurative is formed by adding to the
root a prefix composed of its first syllable if it begins with a
consonant or of its first vowel if it begins with a vowel and the
syllable ro (a particle that bears the idea of imitation, repetition,
or collection). As,
from
sacayán (boat), sarosacáyan
ulalahípan (centipede), uroulalahipan
isdà (fish), iroisdà
can’on (cooked rice) carocan’on [18]
NOTE.—Many of the figurative nouns have the same forms as the
collective. There are few figuratives among the adjectives; of these,
those having the form of figuratives are really comparatives. [19]
VERBAL
These are formed from the verb-root transformed by particles referring
to the agents or the objects of the roots.
Examples:
from
sáyau (to dance)
parasayáu (dancer),
tigsayáu (person who sometimes dances),
magsarayáu (person appointed to dance)
sarayauán [20] (place designed for dancing).
sarayauón (dance or musical piece to be danced) [21];
from
umá (to farm)
paraúma (farmer),
tig-úma (person used to do farming),
mag-urúma (person in charge of farming),
urumáhan, contracted urúmhan (place designed for farming),
urumáhon, contracted urúmhon (ground or plant to be
cultivated);
from
surat (to write), the similar verbals as above, so far as the idea
of the root and the use permit, with this variant:
susurátan, not sururátan,
susuráton, not sururáton;
from
toóc (to weep), the similar verbals, so far as the root and the use
permit, and this besides:
matóoc (weeper);
from
bóong̃ (to break), the similar verbals, and this:
maboroóng̃ (liable or expected to be broken);
from
inóm (to drink), the similar verbals, and the following:
mainominóm (an inviting drink);
from
sosón (to correct), the similar verbals, and this:
hinóson (person fond of or bold in correcting);
from
útang̃ (to borrow),
hing̃útang̃ or hing̃ung̃utáng̃ [22] (person fond of or bold in
borrowing).
It may be observed that not all of the verb-roots produce the same
number of verbal nouns. It depends on the particular character of every
idea conveyed in the root, and mainly on the use.
From the preceding examples, it is seen that the transformative
particles of the verbal nouns are various, the said particles being the
prefixes para, tig, mag, ma, hi, the interfixes [23] r, ro, um or the
affixes an, on. These particles are very important in Bisayan as they
greatly help to enrich the limited vocabulary of this tongue.
For the sake of clearness, we shall see first the affixes.
AN, ON.
These particles refer to the complement of the verb-root, an to the
indirect object of the action (generally regarding the place where the
act occurs), and on to the direct object (generally referring to the
termination of the action).
An or on is used when the root ends with a consonant or a vowel with a
grave or angular accent.
An h preceds them when the roots ends with a vowel otherwise accented
or non-accented, or pronounced separately from the preceding consonant
or consonants.
The particle an or han is simply added to the root, as,
from
catúrog (to sleep), caturogán (sleeping place);
sing̃ba (to adore), sing̃báhan (church);
taclob (to cover), taclóban [24] (covering place);
tan-ao (to see at a distance), tan-aoan [25] (watching place);
or is employed either with the interfix r combined with the first vowel
of the root or with the first consonant and vowel of the root instead,
as
from
cáon (to eat) caraonán
from
tíroc (to assembly) titiroeán (meeting place);
or with its first vowel if the root commences with a vowel, as
from
aro (to ask) aaroán (place designed for asking).
The particle on has the same use as an, as
caturogón,
siringbahon,
lilibácon (from libác, to backbite),
aaroon.
NOTE.—The affix an is sometimes doubled, as,
from
lohód (to kneel down), lodhanán [26]
from
tambò (to lock out), tamboànan, from tambóan (window).
PARA, TIG.
Para bears the idea of habit, custom or occupation. Tig conveys the
idea of a repeated, but not frequent, act.
They are simply prefixed to the root without any other complementary
particle, as,
from
cánhi (to come).
paracánhi,
tigcánhi.
MA, WITH ON, WITH RO, OR WITH R.
The particle ma conveys the idea of fondness, desirableness, or passive
potentiality or possibility.
When, it means fondness, it is employed either by putting it at the
beginning of the root without any other particle, as
from
cáon (to eat), macáon (glutton),
or by combining it with the affix on or hon, according to the case, as
from
catúrog (to sleep), macaturogón (sleepy head),
from
arába (to moan), maarabahón (person fond of moaning).
When the prefix ma, bears the idea of desirableness, it is placed
before the doubled root, when the root has not more than two syllables
and its last vowel is preceded by not more than two consonants or is
not pronounced separately from its preceding consonant or consonants,
as
from
cáon, macaoncaón (thing inviting to be eaten) [27]
from
oná (to commence), maonaoná (provocative, quarrelsome),
and in cases where the root has more than two syllables, or if not,
where its last vowel is preceded by more than two consonants or is
pronounced separately from the consonant or consonants preceding it,
then this prefix is employed in combination with the interfix ro
preceded by the first consonant and vowel of the root or by the vowel
only if the root begins with a vowel, as
from catúrog, macarocaturóg,
,, bányac, (to kick), maharobányac,
,, síd-ap, (to look at), masirosíd-ap,
,, arába, maaroarabá,
,, ígham, (to grunt), mairoígham,
,, ós-og (to draw near from afar), maoroós-og.
When the particle ma conveys the idea of passive potentiality or
possibility, it is used with the interfix r combined with the first
vowel of the root. The r with its complementary vowel is put after the
first syllable of the root. As,
from bóong (to break), maboroóng (brittle)
,, abót (to reach), maarábot (attainable).
The particle ma is frequently replaced by the prefix ig or i combined
with the interfix r or its substitutes, as
from tambal (to cure), igtarámbal or (medicine),
itárambal
,, surat (to write), isusúrat (thing to write
with).
MAG AND THE R.
The prefix mag bears the idea of forcible, necessary, or continuous
agency. It is employed with the interfix r combined with and before the
first vowel of the root. This combination is placed between the first
and the second syllable of the root. But when there is an r in the
root, the interfix r is replaced by the first consonant of the said
root. If the root begins with a vowel, the interfix r is sometimes
suppressed, the said first vowel being used instead of the interfix.
As,
from sódoy (to stroll magsotodóy (one who strolls
about), about)
,, bilíng̃ (to seek or magbiríling̃ (searcher),
search),
,, siríng̃ (to request), magsisíring̃, (petitioner), not
magsiríring̃,
,, ósoc (to set up), mag-orosóc (person designed
to set up),
,, arót (to cut the mag-aárot (barber).
hair),
The particle mag is frequently contracted into ma, in which case the
root is considered as having an r, as
from suláy (to tempt), manunúlay (tempter),
,, tábang̃ (to assist), mananábang̃ (helper).
HI
This particle conveys the idea of boldness. When the root begins with a
labial consonant, except the m, the said consonant is transformed into
m, as
from bása (to read), himása (person bold in reading),
,, pitíc (to leap), himític (person bold in leaping).
When the root begins with an m, the prefix hi is not commonly used but
the prefix para ma, or tig, as
from múlay (to teach), para-, ma-, or tigmulay, not himúlay,
,, mogó (to observe), para-, ma-, or tigmógo, not himógo.
When the root begins with a vowel, ng̃ is [28] appended to the prefix;
ng̃ is also appended when the root begins with a guttural consonant, but
then the said consonant is suppressed. As,
from ásoy (to refer), hing̃ásoy (garrolous),
,, cáon (to eat) hingáon (bold in eating),
,, gúbat (to invade), hing̃úbat (bold in invading).
When the root commences with the nasal consonant ng̃, the prefix hi is
ordinarily replaced by the prefix para, ma, or tig, or the first
syllable of the root is made long, as
from ng̃isi (to laugh, para-, ma, or (person fond of
showing the tig̃ngisi, or grinning).
teeth), ñgisi
When the root begins with any other consonant, except l, n, r, the said
consonant is suppressed and the letter n is appended to the prefix, as
from dolóng, (to struggle), hinólong (bold in struggling),
,, sosón (to correct), hinóson (bold in correcting),
,, tápod (to confide), hinápod [29] (bold in confiding)
In all of these cases, the syllable following the prefix hi is
sometimes doubled, according to the use, as,
from himític, himimític,
,, hing̃ásoy, hing̃ang̃asóy,
,, hinóson, hinonoson, [30] etc.
UM.
This particle bears the idea of option. It is used among the verbs for
the subjunctive mode. It is always combined with the interfix r or its
substitutes, and is placed between the first consonant and the first
vowel of the root. When the root begins with a vowel, the interfix is
placed immediately before the vowel. Examples:
from cáon (to eat), cumaraón (person going to, or expected
to, eat),
,, abót (to arrive), umarábot (person expected to arrive),
,, arò (to ask), umaarô (person expected to ask).
Some roots without r follow the rule as if they had an r, as,
from sacá (to go up, to board), sumasáca (boarder).
Observations: 1. There are verbals formed with ma combined with the
interfix r or its substitutes. This formation takes place only in the
intransitive verbs commencing with the particle ca which then conveys
the idea of passivity. As,
from caauód (to be ashamed), macaaráuod (shameful),
,, cabórong̃ (to be confused), macabobórong̃ (confusing),
,, casína (to be angry), macasisína (odious).
2. The infinitives of the verbs, which are always preceded by the
particle pag, are frequently employed as substantives. In such cases
the particle pag is transformed in the plural, its g being then
replaced by the letter ng̃ if the root begins with a vowel or a guttural
consonant, except g, or by the consonant n when the root commences with
a dental consonant, or by the m if it begins with a labial. In the
plural, the roots commencing with a consonant lose said consonant. When
the root begins with a nasal or with the guttural g, said consonant is
preserved and the g of pag is replaced by n. Examples:
from arò (to ask), cáon (to eat), dáop (to approach) bása (to read),
ng̃oyng̃oy (to groan), gábot (to, pull), we have:
SINGULAR PLURAL
pag-arò (asking) pang̃arò,
pagcáon (eating) pang̃áon,
pagdáop (approaching) panáop,
pagbása (reading) pamása,
pagngoyngoy (groaning) panngóyagoy,
paggábot (pulling) pangábot,
3. The infinitives of roots commencing with the particle ca are also
used as substantives, and then with or without the prefix pag.
from cabido (to be sorry), pagcabídò, cabídò, (sorrow).
In such cases, the affix an or on is sometimes employed, as
from casáquit (to be sad), casaquítan (sadness),
,, casína (to be angry), casinahón (anger).
COMPOUND
The use gives the following:
from solód (to enter) and sólodbálay, which means the person who
baláy (house), thru his intimacy with the occupant of
a house, enters in at any time;
from sacá (to go up) and sacálúsad, applied to the person who is
lúsad (to go down), very busy or who suffers a great
misfortune and goes up and down the
house repeatedly. It is also applied to
boys or girls who go out the house
frequently, especially without
permission of their parents;
from dosô (to push) and dosô-bótong, [31] applied to a person
bótong (to pull), who takes determinations that are
contradictory;
from cábcab (to scratch) and cábcabtocâ, applied to persons who have
tocâ (what a bird does when to expend for their subsistence all
it picks up or bites that they gain by their work;
something with its beak),
from di, contraction of dirì diabotóncalóton, applied to that part
(not), abotón, from abót (to of the human back, which our hands
reach), and calóton, from cannot reach to scratch when it itches;
cálot (to scratch),
from tábag (help), ha, a tabaghaamong̃-ámong̃, applied to those
preposition for the objective who maliciously pretend to help a
case, among̃ámong̃ (to person in trouble, but injure him. Etc.
malign);
DERIVATIVE
We consider under this heading the nouns derived from other nouns.
Those originated from a verb are already treated as verbals. Most of
the derivatives are adjectives.
The derivatives, like the verbal, are formed with particles, prefixes,
interfixes, and affixes.
The usual particles are ca, ma, maca, mag, maqui, hi, pala, tag, as
prefixes; r, in as interfixes; and an, on as affixes. As,
from pauà (light), capanà (clearness)
,, áram (wisdom), maáram (wise)
,, bayáu (brother in mabaráyau (brother-in-law-to-be)
law),
,, bidò (sorrow), macabibidò (sorrowful)
,, isdà (fish), maquiisdà (fond of fish)
,, púsod (navel), himósod (payment for attending
to the navel of a
new-born child)
,, bugtò (brother or magbugtò (referring to two
sister), persons who are
brothers or sisters)
[32]
,, bisaya (bisayan), binisaya (bisayan tongue)
,, salâ (fault or saláan (guilty)
guilt),
,, búuà [33] (lie), buuáon (liar).
Ca bears the idea of quality, and is used alone or in combination with
the affix an. As
from hatáas (high), cahatáas (height),
,, dáot (bad), caraótan, carát’an (badness).
,, pauà (light), capauà (clearness).
It is sometimes combined with the interfix in and the joined affix
anon, as
from masúgot (obedient), camasinug’tánon (obedience).
Ma conveys the idea of abundance and future condition. In the first
case, it is added at the beginning of the primitive, which is the form
of great many adjectives, as,
from ísog (courage, rage), maísog (courageous);
and when it means future condition, it is used with the interfix r
combined with the first vowel of the primitive, as,
from asáua (wife), maarasauá (woman betrothed)
The particle ma is frequently combined with the interfix in and the
affix on or ánon. In plural, the ma is appended with g. As
from túman (performance), matinumánon (faultless) plural,
magtinumánon
,, sugót (obedience), masinug’tánon (obedient)
It is also used without any affix, and then the primitive is doubled as
from tubâ (a wine) matubatubâ (person or thing that smells as tubâ).
Maca has the idea of potentiality, and is added to the beginning of the
primitive, by doubling the first syllable of the primitive or by using
the intermix r combined with the first vowel of the primitive. As,
from álo (shame), macaaálo (shameful),
,, lípay (joy), macalilípay (rejoicer),
,, budlay (grievance), macaburúdlay (grievous).
Mag conveys the idea of mutual relationship, and also of continuity in
a few cases. It is simply added at the beginning of the primitive.
Relationship. Examples:
from patód (cousin), magpatód (cousins each other).
It is sometimes appended with tala, as from amáy (father), magtalaamáy
(father and son, or father and daughter).
The derivatives formed with mag conveying the idea of mutual
relationship, are always in plural.
Continuity. Examples:
from ága (morning), Mag-ága (the whole night until the
morning);
,, colóp (evening); magcólop (the whole day until the
evening.)
Maqui signifies the idea of fondness, and is employed without any other
transformative particle, as,
from Dyos [34] (God), maquidyos (pious).
It is used in very few cases to form verbals, as
from hámpang̃ (to be present maquihahampang̃on (person fond of
during a being present or
conversation), taking part in a
conversation).
Hi, as transformative particle of derivatives, conveys the idea of
boldness, and also of consideration, or of payment. We have seen that
it means boldness when joined to verbs to form verbal nouns [35]. As to
its use, it follows here the same rules as when employed with verbs.
Examples:
from quinatsilâ (Spanish hing̃inatsilà (one who ventures
language), to talk Spanish,
knowing but little
of it).
,, apóy (grandfather), hing̃apóy
,, púsod (navel), himósod [36]
Pala means resemblance. It is combined with the affix an. As,
from buyo (betel palabuyóan (applied to the wine of
nut), cocoanut, that resembles
the taste of the betel nut)
,, biráu (a plant), palabirauán (applied to the fruit of
cocoanut that resembles the
color of biráu)
,, camote (sweet palacamotián (applied to the fruit of
potato), “nang̃ca” (a tree) that
resembles the color of
camote)
,, gátas (milk) palagatásan (applied to the young rice
or corn whose grain is yet
liquid resembling the milk)
Tag conveys the idea of ownership or authorship. It is simply added to
the primitive. As
from baláy (house), tagbaláy (owner of a house)
,, sugò (order), tagsugò (author of an order).
It is sometimes used to indicate distribution, and then it is
frequently combined with the prefix ma preceding it. As
from túig (year), tagtuig (year by year)
,, ádlao (day), matag-ádlao (every day).
These last particles are sometimes replaced by iquina which expresses
the same idea. As
from túig, adlao, búlan (month), pagcáon (meal)
iquinatúig (every year)
iquinaadlao (every day)
iquinabulan (every month)
iquinapagcáon, (every meal)
The interfix r, which bears no particular meaning, is here employed
under the same rules as those established for its use in the figurative
and verbal nouns.
The interfix in expresses imitation. It is added at the beginning of
the primitive if the latter commences with a vowel. Otherwise, it is
placed before the first vowel of the primitive. As,
from Súlug [37] (the archipelago of Súlu),
sinulúg (a fight or dance after the Suluan fashion)
from tuyáo (crazy),
tinuyáo (foolishness)
from ínsic (chinaman),
ininsic (chinese language; ways; or habit).
An and on among the derivatives, signify the idea of abundance or
participation, an frequently conveying the idea of place. Both are
appended to the primitive without any other particle, and complemented
with an h, in the same way as in the formation of verbals. [38]
Examples:
from pálad (fate), paláran [39] (fortunate),
,, asáua (wife), asauáhan (married man),
,, salapi (silver, salapian (wealthy)
money),
,, curi (difficulty), curián (stubborn person)
,, sumat (information), sumatán (credulous)
,, burabud (fountain), buraburon [40] (place where there
are many fountains)
,, taro (wax), taróhon (an object that has
wax on)
,, tubac (ant), tubacón (a thing that has
ants on.)
These particles are sometimes employed jointly, the an preceding the
on. This compound affix, anon, bears the idea of great abundance, or
birth or residence place, and is preceeded by an h according to the
same rules established for an and on. Examples:
from mang̃gad (wealth), mang̃gáran (wealthy),
manggaránon (rich).
,, abacá (hemp), abacáhan (person that has
hemp), abacahànon
(person that owns
much hemp),
,, Tan-auan (a town so tan-auananon (native or resident
called), of Tanauan).
,, Palo (a town so paloánon (native or resident
called), contracted of Palo),
palon’on
,, Tolosa (a town), tolosahanon, (native or resident
contracted of Tolosa),
tolosán’hon
,, Dagami (a town), dagamiánon, (native or resident
contracted of Dagami),
dagamin’on
,, Maasin (a town), maasinánon, (native or resident
contracted of Maasin),
maasinhon [41]
,, Sugbu (Cebú), sugbuánon, (native or resident
of Cebú),
,, Samar (province samaránon, (native or resident
so called), contracted of Sámar),
samárnon
,, Manila (Manila), manilaanon, (native or resident
contracted of Manila).
manilan’on
,, America (America), americahanon, (American).
contracted
americanhon [42]
OBSERVATIONS. There are other forms of derivatives, viz: ca cat iquina
or quina, taga, tagum or tagun, hi.
Ca means also company, as from tupad (to be side by side) catúpad (the
person side by side).
Cat means season, as from “áni” (harvest), “cat-aní” (harvest time).
Iquina or quina expresses nature, as from “táuo” (man), “buhi” (alive),
“iquinatáuo” (property peculiar to men), “quinabuhi” (life).
Taga, means origin or residence, posession, or measure, as from “Leyte”
(Island so called), “súndang̃” (bolo), “íroc” (armpits), we have: “taga
Leyte” (from Leyte), “tagasúndang” (one who bears a bolo), “tagairoc”
(up to the armpits). When this particle taga means measure, it is
sometimes replaced by pa, as from “háuac” (belly), “paháuác” (up to the
belly).
Tagum expresses the idea of power, virtue, or peculiarity. When the
primitive commences with n, the m of tagum is suppressed. When the
primitive begins with a consonant not labial, the said m is replaced by
n. It is sometimes combined with the affix an, As: from “matá” (eye)
“baba” (mouth), “lipong” (confusion), we have “tagumatá” (peculiar
disease of the eye), “tagumbabáan” (person whose words have a peculiar
power or virtue), “tagunlipóng̃an” (one who has the power to make
himself invisible).
Hi is also combined with the interfix r and the affix an, as from
“polós” (profit), “himorólsan” (profitable). Among verbs ha is used
instead of hi, as from “cáon” (to eat), “hacaraón” (eatable).
NOTE.—The past participles take sometimes the affix an, as
from cauil (fish-hook), quinauilán (fish caught with
“cauil”)
bitánà (a kind of fishing binitanáan (fish caught with
net), “bitanà”).
There are other transformative particles not so important as those
already mentioned, and which the use will show to the student.
PROPER AND COMMON
Like in other tongues there is in Bisayan a distinction between proper
and common nouns. Tacloban, Catbalaógan, Ilong̃-ílong̃ (Iloilo), Espanya
(Spain), Pedro (Peter), Guillermo (William), etc., are proper nouns;
bucad (flower), bató (stone), áyam (dog), etc., are common.
The Bisayan language has also familiar names for persons. As
of Pedro, Péndong̃, Endong̃, Edóng̃, Edós, Pedó, etc;
,, Juan, Uáuang̃, Uauay, Uáuà, Uuán, Uuâ, etc;
,, Vicente, Tenteng̃, Titíng̃, Sente, Setée, etc;
,, Rafael, Pápeng̃, Paéng̃, Paél, Pápè, etc;
,, Margarito, Titong̃, Itong̃, Titoy, Itoy, etc.;
,, Francisco, Quicoy, Incoy, Quicò, etc;
,, Juana, Uánday, Uáday, etc.;
,, Antonio, Tónyo, Todóc, etc.;
,, Alejandro, Andong̃, Andoy, etc.;
,, Isabel, Sabel, etc.;
,, Gregorío, Goyóng̃, etc.;
,, Saturnino, Satúr, etc.;
,, Claudia, Calán, etc.
Among the names of places, there are a few formed by the preposition
can (which means possession or property), and the particles ca (which
denotes abundance), and guin (which conveys the idea of past passive
action), as
Cansámqui (a place, which probably belonged formerly to one
named Samqui)
Can-orquin (place probably owned formerly by one called Orquin)
Canramos, [43] transformed Carrámos (place probably owned or
possessed in former times by one named Ramos)
Cabuyúan (place where formerly there was much “buyu”
(betelnut))
Cabalían (place where the strong current of the sea breaks the
oars (balì))
Guintiguían (place in the “San Juanico strait,” where the strong
current of the sea tests the rowers (tigui))
Guintúlyan (a place in Basáy, Samar, where probably many fishes
were caught (tulúy) with nets.)
Etc.
NOTE.—The names of persons among the Bisayan people are all
Christian at the present time. Many of the surnames are Spanish,
many others being of Bisayan origin as Lágbas, Pócpoc, Macasáit,
Cabaobao, Balasbas, Yagomyom, etc.
To indicate relationship, as the English papa, mamma, and respect,
confidence, or tenderness, there are a number of Bisayan nouns, which
show by themselves the relation between the speaker or writer and the
person to whom the noun is applied. Examples:
for papa, tátay or tatáy, tátang̃ or tatáng̃, itáy, or itáng̃;
,, mamma, nánay or nanáy, nánang̃ or nanáng̃, ináy, or ináng̃.
There are others applied to grandfathers and grandmothers, and also to
those persons who act or are considered as fathers or mothers.
Examples:
Mano, manóng, mamo, mamoy, babay, dudoy, dudù inco, tutoy, yuyu,
iyô (applied to elder brothers, uncles or elder male relatives of
any degree, even to persons not related to but respected by the
speaker or writer).
Mana [44] manang, manáy, mama, mamay. manding, duday, duda, insi
tutay, yuya, tuta (applied to elder sisters, aunts or elder female
relatives of any degree, even to women not related to, but
respected by the speaker or writer).
Tío, or tí, tia or tí (applied as á form of politeness and respect,
respectively to men or women not related to or unknown by the
speaker or writer).
Idoy, íntoy, budóy, busóy, and idáy, inday, udáy, idíng, iyíng,
bididay, nonay, neneng, (applied with tenderness to boys or girls
respectively).
NOTE.—The word cuán (so and so), not meaning anything by itself, is
applied to persons or things whose names the speaker or writer does not
know, or venture, or wish to express. As the phrase “so and so”, it
helps a great deal in a conversation, and is used also instead of the
verbs and other parts of speech.
The words inín (contracted of iní nga) and adâ (I guess, perhaps) are
also used in the conversation, as auxiliary particles, they being then
equivalent to the English why.
Examples: