- Indi anay maglakat. [Don't go just yet. (literal: don't-just yet-to go).
- Hulat anay. [Wait awhile.]
- Ibilin anay. [Just leave it for awhile. (literal: leave it-just for awhile]
- Bakal ka duwa ka bilog anay. [You buy two pieces for now. (literal: buy-you-two-quantifier ka-piece-for now]
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Adverb 'Anay'
The adverb 'anay', not to be confused with termite, has no literal translation in English. Its meaning is ambiguous and depends on semantics of the surrounding words in the sentence. Here are some examples:
Interrogative Pronouns: How To Ask Questions
Guimo: Maayong aga, 'Nong Dolpo.
Dolpo: Maayong aga, Guimo.
Guimo: Sin-o imo upod, 'Nong? Ano iya ngalan?
Dolpo: Asawa ko, si Amor.
Guimo: San-o ka nakasal kag sa di-in?
Dolpo: Kahapon lang kami nakasal sa Guimbal.
Guimo: Pila` ka tuig na kamo magnobyohanay?
Dolpo: Nga-a gusto mo guid mahibalo-an? Tsismoso ka guid, Guimo. Lakat kami anay.
Translation
Guimo: Good Morning, 'Nong Dolpo.
Dolpo: Good Morning, Guimo.
Guimo: Who is your companion, 'Nong? (literal: who-your-companion) What is his/her name? (literal: what-his/her-name)
Dolpo: My wife, Amor.
Guimo: When were you married and where? (literal: when-you-married-and-in-where)
Dolpo: We were married just yesterday in Guimbal. (literal: yesterday-just-we-married-in-Guimbal)
Guimo: How many years were you going steady? (literal:how many-of-year-already-you-going steady)
Dolpo: Why do you really want to know? (literal: why-want-you-to know) You are really nosy, Guimo. (literal: nosy-you-really) We are leaving now. (literal: leave-we-awhile)
From the dialog above, I have presented four (5) basic interrogative pronouns: Ano, Sin-o, San-o, Di-in, Pila [Who, What, When, Where and How many].
TIDBIT: Bala` and Haw'
There are several special particles used with interrogative sentences. Bala`, not to be confused with bala (ammunition), is sometimes used in interrogative sentences without the above mentioned pronouns. Here are some examples:
Haw' (take note of the glottal stop) is another particle used with interrogative sentences. It is used to emphasize a question.
Dolpo: Maayong aga, Guimo.
Guimo: Sin-o imo upod, 'Nong? Ano iya ngalan?
Dolpo: Asawa ko, si Amor.
Guimo: San-o ka nakasal kag sa di-in?
Dolpo: Kahapon lang kami nakasal sa Guimbal.
Guimo: Pila` ka tuig na kamo magnobyohanay?
Dolpo: Nga-a gusto mo guid mahibalo-an? Tsismoso ka guid, Guimo. Lakat kami anay.
Translation
Guimo: Good Morning, 'Nong Dolpo.
Dolpo: Good Morning, Guimo.
Guimo: Who is your companion, 'Nong? (literal: who-your-companion) What is his/her name? (literal: what-his/her-name)
Dolpo: My wife, Amor.
Guimo: When were you married and where? (literal: when-you-married-and-in-where)
Dolpo: We were married just yesterday in Guimbal. (literal: yesterday-just-we-married-in-Guimbal)
Guimo: How many years were you going steady? (literal:how many-of-year-already-you-going steady)
Dolpo: Why do you really want to know? (literal: why-want-you-to know) You are really nosy, Guimo. (literal: nosy-you-really) We are leaving now. (literal: leave-we-awhile)
From the dialog above, I have presented four (5) basic interrogative pronouns: Ano, Sin-o, San-o, Di-in, Pila [Who, What, When, Where and How many].
TIDBIT: Bala` and Haw'
There are several special particles used with interrogative sentences. Bala`, not to be confused with bala (ammunition), is sometimes used in interrogative sentences without the above mentioned pronouns. Here are some examples:
- May kotse bala` ikaw, Frank? [Do you have a car, Frank?] -- page 24, sentence 10 of Wolfrender's book.
- Nakaparehistro bala` ikaw, Ann? [Were you able to register, Ann?]
- Indi bala`? [Isn't it?]
Haw' (take note of the glottal stop) is another particle used with interrogative sentences. It is used to emphasize a question.
- Nga-a haw'? [Why?]
- Karon haw'? [Later? (literal: later-haw)]
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Yes, I Have! No, I Have None!
You're on the bus, on your way to Guimbal, Iloilo. The bus conductor came over and asked, "May ara' ka tiket?" [Do you have a ticket?]. Always say, "Huo, may ara' ako, 'Nong." [Yes, I have, Sir]. If he asked, "May ara ka pusil?" [Do you have a gun?]. You should answer, "Wala', 'Nong." [I have none, Sir.] Of course, in real life, bus conductors do not really ask if the passenger has a gun :)
In Ilonggo, "Huo" is Yes. "Indi" is No. In SMS lingo, Yes can also be Oo (Tagalog) or Uu. Hinde or Hindi is synonymous to No. You may have been able to infer from the above texts that May ara' means have while Wala' literally means does not have.
Let's apply these words:
TIDBIT #1: Ko and Ka
In an interrogative sentence, singular personal pronouns Ako (1st person) and Ikaw (2nd person) becomes Ko and Ka, respectively. This will be discussed under Phrase Constructions.
TIDBIT #2: Gender in Adjectives
Some adjectives, especially Spanish loan words, occasionally have genders. Take the example of the word Gwapa. In sentence #2, the response actually means "No, the girl is pretty.". If the adjective Gwapo was used instead, the response would have meant "No, the boy is handsome.".
In Ilonggo, "Huo" is Yes. "Indi" is No. In SMS lingo, Yes can also be Oo (Tagalog) or Uu. Hinde or Hindi is synonymous to No. You may have been able to infer from the above texts that May ara' means have while Wala' literally means does not have.
Let's apply these words:
- May ara' ka ido^? [Do you have a dog? (literal: have-you-a dog)]
- Huo, may ara' ko ido^. [Yes, I have a dog. (literal: yes-have-I-dog)]
- Law-ay ang bata? [Is the child pretty? (literal: pretty-the child)]
- Indi, gwapa ang bata. [No, the child is pretty. (literal: No, pretty-the child.]
- Wala ako kwarta. May ara' ka? [I don't have money. Do you have some?]
- Wala man ako kwarta. [I also don't have money. (literal: none-also-I-money)]
TIDBIT #1: Ko and Ka
In an interrogative sentence, singular personal pronouns Ako (1st person) and Ikaw (2nd person) becomes Ko and Ka, respectively. This will be discussed under Phrase Constructions.
TIDBIT #2: Gender in Adjectives
Some adjectives, especially Spanish loan words, occasionally have genders. Take the example of the word Gwapa. In sentence #2, the response actually means "No, the girl is pretty.". If the adjective Gwapo was used instead, the response would have meant "No, the boy is handsome.".
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Particle 'Ka'
'Ka' is an overly-used morpheme in this language. Depending on its position in a phrase, it can either mean:
- 'ka' as a 2nd person direct object pronoun, as in "Indi ka kabalo?" [You do not know? (literal: do not-you-know)].
- 'ka' as a particle equivalent to 'of' in English, it is used as a quantifier, as in "x of something", where x is a cardinal number.
- isa ka tawo [one person]
- tatlo ka babaye [three women]
- pulo' ka lalaki [ten men]
- kinse ka bata [fifteen kids]
- bayntekwatro ka tigulang [twenty-four old people]
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Particle 'Mga'
Mga, pronounced as manga' (stress on the final syllable), can either be a plural marker or a particle which literally means approximately or about.
As a PLURAL MARKER
As a PLURAL MARKER
- Tambok ang mga tawo. [People are fat.]
- Dako^ ang mga saging. [The bananas are big.]
- Bug-at ang mga libro. [The books are heavy.]
- Mga singko pesos ang baboy. [Pork is about 5 pesos.]
- Mga tatlo ka oras ang kasal. [The wedding is about 3 hours]
Cardinal Numbers (I numeri cardinali)
Hiligaynon cardinal numbers can either be derived from other Austronesian Languages or borrowed from Spanish.
I haven't heard anyone using Hiligaynon cardinal numbers beyond hundreds of thousands. Nowadays, we use English for convenience :) Counting in Spanish is restricted to money and time.
Austronesian | Spanish | |
1 | Isa | Uno |
2 | Duwa | Dos |
3 | Tatlo | Tres |
4 | Apat | Kwatro |
5 | Singko | |
6 | Anum | Says / |
7 | Pito` | Syete |
8 | Walo | Otso |
9 | Nwebe | |
10 | Pulo’ | Dyis |
11 | - | Onse |
12 | - | Dose |
13 | - | Trese |
14 | - | Katorse |
15 | - | Kinse |
16 | - | Disisays |
17 | - | Disisyete |
18 | - | Disi-otso |
19 | - | Disinwebe |
20 | - | Baynte |
21 | - | Baynte Uno |
25 | - | Baynte Singko |
30 | - | Traynta |
31 | - | Trantay Uno |
35 | - | Trantay Singko |
40 | - | Kwarenta |
45 | - | Kwarentay Singko |
50 | - | Singkwenta |
55 | - | Singkwentay Singko |
60 | - | Sisenta |
70 | - | Sitenta |
80 | - | Otsenta |
90 | - | Nubenta |
100 | Isa ka gatos | Syen |
200 | Duwa ka gatos | Dos Syentos |
500 | Singko Syentos | |
1,000 | Isa ka libo | Mil |
1,001 | Isa ka libo kag isa | Mil Uno |
2,000 | Duwa` ka libo | Dos Mil |
10,000 | Pulo’ ka libo | Dyis Mil |
I haven't heard anyone using Hiligaynon cardinal numbers beyond hundreds of thousands. Nowadays, we use English for convenience :) Counting in Spanish is restricted to money and time.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Greetings and Courtesy
Hiligaynon, as with most Austronesian languages in the Philippines, is a living and ever-changing language. Try to read a Hiligaynon Bible and you will see that most of the words being used in it are not used colloquially. Ilonggo, as it is commonly known, borrowed words from Cebuano, Filipino, English, Spanish, Chinese and even Gay Language.
Traditional greetings have become obsolete. But if you're a purist, take awhile to read the succeeding phrases.
Kumusta ka is our version of How are you? In this age, though, these are the equivalent:
Person A: Kumusta ka?
Person B: Mayo man. Ikaw? [I am well. You?]
Person A: Mayo man ako.
MORE GREETINGS
Maayong/Mayong Adlaw - Good Day
Maayong/Mayong Aga - Good Morning
Maayong/Mayong Ugto - Good Noon (literal translation)
Maayong/Mayong Hapon - Good Afternoon
Maayong/Mayong Gab-i - Good Evening/Night
Halong - Take Care
COURTESY
Palihog/Lihog - Please
Salamat - Thank You
Wala kaso - Welcome
Madamo' nga salamat - Thank you very much
Manong - Signor
Manang - Signora
TIDBIT: Po' and Ho' - Polite Forms of Address in Filipino
The parents of one of my ex-boyfriends regarded me as impolite because I did not use po' or ho'. I was not used to these words since they do not exist in Hiligaynon. To address someone politely, we use the plural form of the 2nd person pronoun. For example, instead of saying Wala ka kwarta? [You do not have money?], you say Wala kamo kwarta?.
Traditional greetings have become obsolete. But if you're a purist, take awhile to read the succeeding phrases.
Kumusta ka is our version of How are you? In this age, though, these are the equivalent:
- Musta na?
- Musta 'pre? - 'pre is the shorthand version of pare, which is yet another shorthand version of kumpadre
- Musta 'pards? - 'pards is yet another shorthand of kumpadre
- Musta?
Person A: Kumusta ka?
Person B: Mayo man. Ikaw? [I am well. You?]
Person A: Mayo man ako.
MORE GREETINGS
Maayong/Mayong Adlaw - Good Day
Maayong/Mayong Aga - Good Morning
Maayong/Mayong Ugto - Good Noon (literal translation)
Maayong/Mayong Hapon - Good Afternoon
Maayong/Mayong Gab-i - Good Evening/Night
Halong - Take Care
COURTESY
Palihog/Lihog - Please
Salamat - Thank You
Wala kaso - Welcome
Madamo' nga salamat - Thank you very much
Manong - Signor
Manang - Signora
TIDBIT: Po' and Ho' - Polite Forms of Address in Filipino
The parents of one of my ex-boyfriends regarded me as impolite because I did not use po' or ho'. I was not used to these words since they do not exist in Hiligaynon. To address someone politely, we use the plural form of the 2nd person pronoun. For example, instead of saying Wala ka kwarta? [You do not have money?], you say Wala kamo kwarta?.
Vocabulary: Size and Length
dako^ - big
TIDBIT: The Articles 'Si' and 'Ang'
Si - normally precedes a person's name
- Dako ako. [I am big]
- Dako ang sapatos. [The shoes are big]
- Gamay si Diutay. [Diutay is small]
- Gamay ang kuring. [The cat is small]
- Tambok sila. [They are fat.]
- Payat si Bart. [Bart is thin.]
- Ta-as si Frank. [Frank is tall]
- Putot si Gloria. [Gloria is short.]
- Laba ang buhok ko. [My hair is long.]
- Nubo ang ruler. [The ruler is short.]
- Lapad ang kalye. [The street is wide.]
- Kitid ang alagyan. [The path is narrow.]
- Halog ang bestida. [The dress is loose.]
- Gutok ang pantalon. [The pants are tight.]
TIDBIT: The Articles 'Si' and 'Ang'
Si - normally precedes a person's name
- Tambok si Darcy. [Darcy is fat.]
- Lapad ang kwarto. [The room is wide.]
- Putot ang presidente. [The president is short.]
Personal Pronouns (I pronomi personali)
Unlike Indo-European languages, the personal pronouns in Hiligaynon do not have gender.
Examples:
Singular | Plural | |
1st Person | Ako [I] | Kami [We] |
2nd Person | Ikaw [You] | Kamo [You] |
3rd Person | Sia or Sya [He/She] | Sila [They] |
Examples:
- Tambok ako. [I am fat]
- Payat sya. [She is thin]
- Putot ikaw. [You are short]
- Ta-as sila. [They are tall]
Phonology: How Words Are Pronounced
There are 5 vowels and 15 consonants. English consonants such as 'j', 'f', 'v' and 'z' are sometimes used for loan words.
As with English, these vowels are 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'. Colloquially, 'e' and 'i', 'o' and 'u' are most often interchanged. Formally, 'e' is used only in loan words or proper names. 'o' normally occurs in final syllables, as in tu-on [to learn].
Consonants are classified as follows:
b, p - bilabial
d, t - alveolar
l - alveolar (lateral)
r - alveolar (flap)
g, k - velar
h - voiceless glottal fricative
m - nasal (bilabial)
n - nasal (alveolar)
ng - nasal (velar)
s - voiceless alveolar fricative
w, y - consonantal vocoid
Special Characters:
ts - pronounced as 'ch' as in chinese
ui - pronounced as the vowel 'i'
Similar to Filipino, accents play an important role in distinguishing words with identical spelling. With open sylllables - syllables that end with a vowel - an accent is a combination of stress and length. To illustrate,'a:mo [(ah'mo) master, employer], the stress is on the 1st syllable; while am'o: [(ahmoh') monkey], the stress is on the final syllable and 'o' is a long vowel.
For the purpose of this tutorial, I will use the following notations to denote accents:
As with English, these vowels are 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'. Colloquially, 'e' and 'i', 'o' and 'u' are most often interchanged. Formally, 'e' is used only in loan words or proper names. 'o' normally occurs in final syllables, as in tu-on [to learn].
Consonants are classified as follows:
b, p - bilabial
d, t - alveolar
l - alveolar (lateral)
r - alveolar (flap)
g, k - velar
h - voiceless glottal fricative
m - nasal (bilabial)
n - nasal (alveolar)
ng - nasal (velar)
s - voiceless alveolar fricative
w, y - consonantal vocoid
Special Characters:
ts - pronounced as 'ch' as in chinese
ui - pronounced as the vowel 'i'
Similar to Filipino, accents play an important role in distinguishing words with identical spelling. With open sylllables - syllables that end with a vowel - an accent is a combination of stress and length. To illustrate,'a:mo [(ah'mo) master, employer], the stress is on the 1st syllable; while am'o: [(ahmoh') monkey], the stress is on the final syllable and 'o' is a long vowel.
For the purpose of this tutorial, I will use the following notations to denote accents:
- ` as in payat` [thin] - stress is on the final syllable
- ' as in laba' [long (in length)] - glottal stop on 'a', implicitly, stress is on the 1st syllable
- ^ as in nubo^ [short (in length)] - stress is on the final syllable, glottal stop on 'o'
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