Part 3

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:

Question.—“¿Guinsorat mo na an balos?” (Have you already written the answer?) Answer.—“Oo guincoan co na gad” (Yes I already have). Q.—¿Háin an basahón? (Where is the book?) A.—Inin ... aadto ada ha ac solód (why ... I guess it is in my room) Q.—Mapiráu, ¿ano in bubuhaton co? (I am sleepy, what shall I do?) A.—Ada ... catúrog (Why ... to sleep).

POSITIVE, COMPARATIVE, AND SUPERLATIVE.

As in other languages, there are three degrees for adjectives, also used for substantives in Bisayan. These degrees are positive, comparative and superlative.

Nothing particular needs be observed about the positive degree, except what is mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs:

The comparatives are formed exactly in the same way as the figuratives [45], the number of syllables being disregarded, as if all has more than two syllables.

from hatáas (high), harohataás (higher), ,, hobóg (intoxicated), horohobóg (more intoxicated), ,, táuo (man), tarotauó (more of a man).

In the formation of adjectives prefixed with ma, this particle is preferably disregarded, as if such particle did not exist, as

from maópay (good), maoroopáy (better) ,, magbuság (white), maboroboság (whiter), etc.

There is another form of comparative consisting in the use of the combined particles labi (more) and ca, as

labí ca maopay (better), labí ca mabusag (whiter).

This last form is sometimes used for superlatives.

The superlatives are of three classes:

Those which do not admit any comparison, and which we call absolute or supreme superlatives, as

guimaopáyi (the best of all);

those which are not so absolute, and which we call ordinary superlative, as,

capín ca maópay } maopay nga capín } (very good); maopay hin sogóng̃ [46] }

and those which convey the idea of excess, and which we call excessive superlatives, as

uraúra [47] ca maópay } (to good). maópay ng̃a uraúra }

As is seen from the preceding examples, the supreme supertive is formed by adding to the beginning of the primitive the prefix gui and by appending to said primitive the affíx i. The first syllable of the primitive may be doubled as use permits. As,

from hatáas (high, tall), guihataási, or (the highest) guihahataasi táuo (man), guitáu’i (a true and perfect man).

The first form is also adopted for the substantives to show the highest degree of identity as in this phrase:

An guiaamáyi mo gud an natauág ha imo (It is your very father who calls you).

The ordinary superlative is formed with the particles capin ca or labí ca placed before the primitive, or with the particles caópay, ng̃a capin, or hin sogong̃ put after the primitive. As,

from mabido (sorry) capín ca mabidò } labí ca mabidò } mabidò caopay } (very sorry) mabidò ng̃a capín } mabidò hin sogóng̃ }

Some of the adjectives formed with particle ma, have another form for ordinary superlative, in doubling their root and disregarding the prefix ma, as from “masiróm” (dark), “masiromsiróm” [48] (very dark).

The excessive superlative is formed with the particle uraúra ca placed before the primitive, or the particle ng̃a uraúra located after the root. As,

from maasín (salty) uraúra ca maasín } (excessively salty) maasín ng̃a uraúra }

The idea of the excessive superlative is also expressed sometimes with the particles “lapás ca” (excessively), or with the phrase “dirí sonô hin ca” or “dirì socól hin ca” (out of measure), placed before the primitive, as

lapás ca maasín dirì sonô hin ca maasín dirì socól hin ca maasín.

NOTE.—The particles “labi” and “capin” take sometimes the affix an, as

from mahúsay (orderly, beautiful), labínan ca mahúsay (very beautiful); from masáquit (painful), masáquit ng̃a capínan (very painful).

CARDINAL, ORDINAL, PARTITIVE, AND DISTRIBUTIVE.

The cardinal adjectives are the following:

usá, contracted us, (one) duhá (two) tuló (three) upát (four) limá (five) unóm (six) pitó (seven) ualó (eight) siyám (nine) napulò [49] (ten) napulo cag [50] usá (eleven). caruhaán [51] (twenty) catloán (thirty) cap’atán (forty) calim’an (fifty) caúnman (sixty) capitoán (seventy) caualoán (eighty) casiyamán (ninety) usá ca gatós (one hundred) duhá ca gatós (two hundred) usá ca yocót (one thousand) usá ca ríbo [52] (ten thousand) usá cagatós ca ribo (one million), etc.

As it is noticed above, the cardinals are formed by the preposition “cag” (and), the prefix “ca” (which means collection) and the affix “an”, added to the primitives “usá, duhá, tuló, upáo, lima, unóm, pitó, ualó, siyám, napulo, gatós, yocót, ribo”, the phonetical reasons being taken in consideration. Thus we say:

caruhaán, not caduhaán, catloan, not catuloán, cap’atán not caupatán, calim’an not calimahán, caúnman, not caunoman.

The word “usa” is frequently contracted, especially in familiar language, by the supression of the last vowel. Thus:

us ca gatos } us ca yocót } instead of “usá” ca etc. us ca ribo }

In reading the numbers, the English way is followed, the particles “uga may” being sometimes employed especially in cases of large amounts. Thus, to read this number

987654321,

we would say:

“Casiyamán cag ualó cayocót, pitó cagatós caúnman cag limá caribo, ng̃a may upát ca yocót, tuló ca gatós caruhaán cag usá.”

NOTE—In Bisayan, there is no word corresponding to the English zero (0). However, its figure is used in Bisayan. It is suggested that the word “lung̃ág” (empty), or “uaráy” (nothing) be adopted as corresponding to the word “zero” which is derived from modern Latin zephiram from Arabic cafrun, cifrun or sefer (empty).

The ordinals are formed by employing the particles “ica” (which bears the idea of order), placed before the cardinal. As

ica usá, ica napulò ica calim’an ica upat ca gatós ica siyam ca yucót icá pito ca ribo.

The ordinal of usa has also simple forms, as siyahan, siyapá, and frequently admits the particle icag instead of ica, as icag usá.

The partitives have exactly the same form, as the ordinals, except in that the ordinals cag usa, siyahan and siyapá are never used as partitives; and that there is the form tung̃â and its variants catung̃â, tung̃â or catung̃â hin or ng̃a (half), employed instead of icaduhà.

The phrase ca bahín (part) is frequently used in the partitives to avoid confusion. Thus

an icaupát ca bahín (the fourth part)

The particle ica is sometimes contracted into caas “catung̃a” (half), “cauróg” (most).

The distributives are formed by adding to the cardinals the particle tag (which conveys the idea of distribution). As

tag dúha (two, each) tag caualóan (eighty, each) tag yúcot (thousand, each)

When the distributive bears the meaning of portion, the particle iquina is combined with tag. As

iquina tag duha (each two), etc.

COLLECTIVE

The collective nouns are formed by adding at the beginning of the primitive the prefix ca (which bears the idea of collection or reunion) and the affix an. As,

from bata (boy or girl), cabatáan (reunion of boys or girls) táuo (person), catauóhan (reunion of persons). duhá (two), caruhaán (twenty).

These forms are very frequently used to make the plural of the nouns, as of the singular batá we make the plural.

mga batà or cabataan.

NOTE—The particle ca is also employed to express abstract ideas, as

from buság (white color), mabuság (white), camabuság (whiteness)

The particle pag is sometimes added at the beginning of the particle, as

pagcamabuság (whiteness).

The collectives take also the form of the figuratives with or without the particles ca and an, as the use may permit, as

caborobong̃tóhan, borobóng̃to.

NOTE.—There is another class of nouns which may be called depreciative. They are limited in number. The following belong to such class:

for batà (child),

nagbobóto (a being born thru an explosion) lumátud (person of big abdomen) lugtuc, [53] motatô [54] motó, from botó (report of a gun, explosion);

for anác (son or daughter)

nahólbot (past participle of “hólbot” to pull out of a hole);

for baba (mouth)

nasárag (of “sárag” to put something in the mouth);

for camót (hand)

camrauón (from “cámram”, what an eagle does with its fingers);

for tiil (foot)

sincádol [55] etc.

There are despectives derived from their primitives, as,

for húbya (lazy), “húbsac” [56]

The variations to which the Bisayan names are subject, are: gender, number, and cases.

GENDER.

The gender is scarcely regarded. We have however for few nouns the natural and grammatical genders.

Examples of natural gender:

MASCULINE FEMININE

laláqui (male person) babaye (woman) lalaquí (male not person) babayé (female not person) amay (father) iróy (mother) bána (husband) asáua (wife) bata (uncle) dadâ (aunt) baylo (brother in law) hipág (sister in law), etc.

Examples of gramatical gender:

MASCULINE FEMININE