A Description of Cebuano Visayan: Cebu City, Philippines 1962
A Description of Cebuano Visayan: Cebu City, Philippines 1962
by
John Wolff
Miss Ida Operario and Mr* Reynoso Belarmino, of Cebu City; Mr"#
Jose Vilo, Mr, Ludovico Villamor, and Mr* Crisostomo Gamelo from
lished soon. It has not been read by anyone except those who
in making criticisms.
John Wolff
J18-C Junquera Street
Cebu City, Philippines
August 1962
ABBRiSVIfcUCNS AND SYMBOLS
Adj« • - - - . - » adjective
C - consonant
GN - - common noun
Dis« disjunctive
Gen* - genitive
Info ~ - infinitive
L? locative predicate
II ---....«.---. — proper name
NP - -. nominal predicate
phrase
p - • - - - predicate
PP —-.-.-.*• - predicate phrase
Q _ _ qualifier
S --«• _.»•..«. subject
Sec» - section
TP transient predicate
phrase
V — --....-.•.-.--,- vowel
1 -- ~- sets off subject
+ - -.-«.-.-. sets off constituent
( ) —,_.*_ optional (in the
description)} specifi-
cation of the meaning
(in the vocabulary)
in vocabulary preced-
ing a form which
is analyzed but does
not occur
terminals
paradigms
one-way transformation
one-way transformation
"shift" 2.231
"shift" 2+232
x is an infix
x is a prefix
x is a suffix
same meaning
alternates with
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations and Symbols
Table of Contents
LAZY JOHN
day by day.
SI HWAN TAPULAN
he said to him,
would sleep. The father was very angry because his son
father died.
ones left now. John had already grown up, but, as alwaysf he
tree that had a huge hole. And then, he got his axe, and
that said*
some time."
9, miqingun*
13 • pagputla.
it ahead of him.
he said*
something to eat."
And so, the mother accepted the moneyj and she went to
time on,
-8-
5« ka tingatli*
said,
4« kwarta.
the princess1"
2# siya*
5* qanak•
enough, the mother went. She went to the king* And when
5. Ha:qin ka paqingun#
the king.
he wants,"
3. Ma:tud sa ha:riq.
10.
was a big joke, said, "All right. That can be done. But
fl
How did it go, Mother? What did the king say?"
Then the mother said, ,!0h God, Son. Whatever got into
if you wonft have given that to him, you will have your
2. giqingun sa ha:riq#
so, right away, John started to shake out his purse and much
gold fell out. And when he had much gold, he said to his
tana ng kahima:nan.
there was already very much money. There was much gold.
And because the ten carts were already there, and there
n
9* & a qisya ng gibistishan sa maqanindut kaqasyu nga
ff
What in the world is this? I took it for granted that
the princess# And before long, the king died, and John,
who was now very rich and who had become the prince,
10# sa ginharisqan*
-18-
the whole town was filled with song and noise. On the evening
of the day before it was the gayest, for this was the coronation
of the queen who had been chosen and the members of her court.
of the province who would crown the queen. The plaza was very
bright because that was where the coronation was held* The
12• Mahajyag kaqa:yu qang pla:sa kay didtu man himusqa qang
the wife was the only one left cleaning up the kitchen and
her small child, eight months old, who was sleeping in the
hammock. While the mother was putting away the dishes and
the room. After the mother had cleared away the things,
feeding time now. She bent over the hammock to get the
child. But to her great horror, the child was not there.
"Help, help I
12• qinahan#
the whole neighborhood was awakened* The people who were left
in the houses who were the ones who had been cleaning up and
wailing and shouts of the mother. And each of them went to the
right away* There was someone who was sent to the plaza in
order to notify the police and the mayor* The coronation broke
up, and the people went, each carrying their lights, in order to
help look for the missing child* There came to the thoughts of
many, Including the mother*s, that the child had been kidnapped
and nipa groves and all places where there was thick grass*
-20-
13• kasapaqan qug manga kanipaxqan qug tana ng manga da:pit nga
people had surrounded him and when the brightness of the lanterns
cast light on him, the man stood up$ and in his arms they saw
the child who was already rather weak. But the witch did not
him, and they teamed up to beat the man until he let go of the
child and fell into the mud of the swamp. The child was
many pin-piricks in his neck, for the main veins in his neck
blood.
~21-
69 buktun hikitqan ni:la qang ba:taq nga midyu lutay na# Qapan
12. siya g daw manga tulpuk qug da:gum sa li:qug kay gitulpuk
13» man sa qaswang qang qi:ya ng manga sintru nga qugat sa li:qug
kept grilling the man. He was still young. The chief of police
The man answered, "I do not mean to do it, sir. There are
times when I long for blood. Blood seems to give off a fragrance
10# Qug mitubag qang ta:wu di:liq man naskuq tuyu:qun nyur#
11. May manga panahun nga manganduy qaku qug duguq* Daw mangalimyu
12. qang duguq sa qasku ng panimhut* Qug may gahum nga daw maqu y
And it is just the blood of a child which I look for, for the
the child? You must pay for what you have done!" And the man
did not say anything. His face was still very swollen, and his
the devilish power that dwells within a man and turns him into
many parents use this fear to make their children come into the
na.
-25-
KARANGKAL
A long time ago, there was a couple who had a child whom
small child, and his parents thought, "How useless this child
seemed amazing.
SI KARLKGZ&L
katingala:han#
ginika:nan kay dakuq siya g kasqun* Gamay siya nga bastaq qapan
cook larger and larger amounts and more and more, because he
would eat more and morej until there came the time that each
him* Because if they did not cook a sack, he would not get
cannot
-26-
that we always feed him very much. But there is nothing we can
And the wife said, even though it was against her will
with me. We are going to the forest, for we will cut down trees*"
$• hunaqhu:naq*
6* Hala sigi. Maglisud man ga:ling kita. Qapan kun maqu man
8# qa:tu ng hunaqhusn&q*
llf Quban kana:kuq# Muqadtu kita sa lasang kay mami:lay kita qug
12» ka:huy#
father said,
And so, the child waited down at the bottom of the slope,
and the father climbed up to the top. Then he cut down a huge
look any more to see whether Karangkal was dead now or still
alive•
-28-
3# qamahan*
% qug ka:huy«
10# Waq tu:qud madu:gay natumba qang ka:huy qug sa pagkatumba didtu
He was quite certain that Karangkal was dead for sure. When he
"Dear, how sad my heart isl But what can we do. Karangkal
is dead now. It was a huge tree which I cut down, and it fell
And when they went into their house rather sadf because
11
Dad I Momi"
If
Oh!" thought the father. lt is Karangkal I
Then they ran outside. Then when they looked, it w&& Karangkal.
6* kanitya*
8# masulubqun kay qanak man lagi ni:la bi:san kun mahitmu ng daku
14* ng balay* Gipasqan qang dakuq kaqa:yu ng kathuy qug maqu nga
-30-
n
My goodness this childl He surely is strong* He has a
his ragged shirt and put it on* Then they went to the river*
And then when they were at the river, the father saw that
8* mangisdaq kita*
the father saw him bubbling in the river and went home to their
house* He said,
"Dad. Momi"
And so, they went to the dooij and when they went out, sure
61 kusiqkusiq sa buqasya.
* tu;qud s i k a r a n g k ^ l .
-32-
picked him up and threw him to a dry place, for he could not
And sure enough, there was the crocodile which was very big.
The mother and father had a hard time thinking how they
they continued being sad, for now they were again looking for
food, one sack each time, two sacks each time, to feed Karangkal.
4* gidala nganhi* Qug tutqud man didtu qang buqasya nga dakuq
5. kaqa:yu#
lift it# And the whole kingdom smelled because the fish was
very heavy; there was no one who could lift it* So it was
announced that whoever could lift the fish, whoever could drag
when he went there, there ims a huge fish that was washed ashore
of that kingdom was at the edge of the sea. The people were all
could do, for they could not pull the fish. But when Karangkal
fish away."
child; and yet he claimed he could drag that fish. He was not
bother your kingdom any more, that I will marry your daughter
6* qisdaq,
12, saiqad sinyur ha:riq nga kun qaskuq kini ng qikabalibag ngadtu
be your heir,"
But the king thought, "What can this child do?" He did not
Then Karangkal went down from the kingfs throne, and when
was# The people were amazed. "How would this child do it?
and waved it back and forth for a moment• After he had waved
2t ni:mu ng manunu:nudf
13* ni:ya qussaq* Human nisya qug warawa:ra gilasbug nisya didtu
The whole kingdom was amazed• Even the king was amazed.
which was the hand of the princess so that she might become
his wife and the huge treasure that the king had promised.
Prom that time on, Karangkal became the prince because his
wife was the princess of the kingdom. Before long, the king
died# Karangkal was the one who became the king, and the
2# hasriq natingasla.
12 # sukad sa gihaspun*
-57-
The story about the time I was chief is the one about
13• V/alaq pud qaku qimbitaha. Sa qa:muq sa qamirika qug kun dusna
The one whose last name was Villagonzalo said, "But here
tf
Visayan well.) 0h, not me."
him to the house. He could not help going because they were
banquet was held. Anyway, this American man, since he did not
have any friends, even though he spoke good Visayan, just sat
invited. He just sat. Then many people came there. He did not
this priest came in* When the priest came in, the American
stood up.
The priest did not say anything. Well then, since the
priest did not say anything, Baker just sat down again. He
sat down. Then, in the middle of the room, they put a small
table, two chairs. Then the priest was there, and here, they
put some f!sopa,! (you know, soup). Then here, they put an
empty plate, spoon, fork, see? Then they called the priests
The priest was sitting there, and he was paired off with a
girl over here, a woman. Then the American just sat over here.
There they were, eating. The American still did not say
2, qamirika:nu»
here. Eat*"
Baker answered, f,I will just wait for the second sitting,
ft
0h no, Father, because you know.** Just go on there
priests. No respect.
40-
ni ba:kir.
mutu:qu kana:kuq.
Baker went right up to him* Now the priest went like this;
people to eat until you are just about through? Why did you
not call me when yo\l were beginning to eat? You did not call
But then that Baker, he was taller than you are* A big
man* Yes, big* He had big biceps. Very big* Big shouldered*
That Baker was big* Anyway, the priest, you know, had a
tonsure
-41-
2. karun ha#
5« prutistanti qiri:his#
here*and his hair here was long* The American grabbed this
hair. Then because the soup was there; it was there* ••,
tmtil after you have finished eating. Go. ahead, frink that
Anyway then the woman that was sitting across from him
They came one after another and clubbed Baker here* te%, here*
They clubbed him here. But then Baker's thigh was very big.
(What a big thigh that American had!) So he did not feel the
clubs. He wes able to take the clubs away. H® took the clubs
away#. When
-42-
3. dihaq man*
Baker had the clubs; he gave the people a sound clubbing. All of
them jumped up and ran. (They ran.) The table got disarranged*
see? Anyway, now the priest ran. Then the American went back
home to his place. Well then, the American, Baker, went back
home» The American went home right away. ["The banquet happened
went to Baker.
"Baker."
"Yes#"
"Escape!"
"Why?"
9* Ba:kir.
10. Qu;*
11 • Kalagiw.
12. Ngasnue
14• man. Diq man nganla g mayur. Karun mayur man. Piru bagqu
-44-
president.)
Bumbulubumbulubum bumbulubumbulubumbulubum.
(Yes, you know, the American spoke Visayan well. Yes, he spoke
Visayan well. If you could not see that he was talking inside,
si ba:kir.
Bumbulubumbulubum bumbulubumbulubumbulubum•
"Hear yei Any man here ai Boljo-on can now kill this American
14• dala ng satgan kay na patyun man siya. Qunyaq qabut manga
-46-
They went into the house. Anyway, Baker was across the
way. They went in. He did not say a word. He had even had
his wife go out. There was nobody in the house any more.
They threw out the chairs# They threw out the beds. Still he
birds. Then they went and slashed at the birds. Baker felt
sorry for the birds that were being slashed at. But if it had
just been things, he would not have said anything. They slashed
at the birds.
For a long time now Inting had been sharpening his bolo.
His face was sullen, A basket could be hung from it. His eyes
were staring wildly and were red like the eyes of a vicious cat
shirt could no longer soak up all of the salty sweat which flowed
down his body despite the help of the afternoon breeze from the
dust which remained from the honing. Next he splashed his bolof
then wiped it off with his left hand. He looked at the blade*
nail against the blade in order to see how sharp it was. Not
held the end, and suddenly dashed the middle of it against the
blade of his bolo. As if nothing had happened, the hair did not
catch.
-48-
brandished it and suddenly lashed out with it. And the pitiful
kalamungay tree near him that was as big aroimd as a log fell with
out
who was just back from pasturing their carabao, when she saw her
husband who seemed to have lost his senses and her cherished
M
What has happened to you?"
"What has gotten into your head? What is it you are ranting
about?"
12. pagqi:lug«
14• ng gipangyawyaw.
uneasily.
"Ah, who else but Mr. Alog," answered Inting snorting. And
Kay. He says we are his tenants, and we v/ould not give him his
frustration and sorrow leaped frdm her eyea on& after another.
any more. This is what will decide." And Inting looked at his
were immigrants
-50-
nga naghiwasaq.
Papahawatqun kunu kita kay. Kita kunu saqup ni:ya qug walaq
from a small island in the town of Opon, where their father had
hung their navels from the rafters of their hut. They had
ohildren.
The village of Lanao, when they arrived, was still the home
of jungle animals• Its name was not Lanao yet. It was called
Campo because it was here that the government workers had camped
practically came into the houses. The noises they heard were the
Aeear grazing in the gardens of the people who had not fenced
the moaning of the pungao in the early evening which seemed like
flying lemurs.
-51-
10• da:baw kutaba:tu rud« Qang manga barbuy ha:pit na lang musaka
16• qang manga sinya:git nga mahu:g ku sa kagwang maqu kanu:nay qang
-52-
by the government, (for they said that all of the lands had owners
now - even though they had not been completely measured), Inting
and his family were forced to untie the knot in Angkayfs skirt
where they had wrapped their small savings to pay for a small
save time, they always pulled the weeds as they came up.
When they had nearly finished cutting all the big trees
down and nearly planted their entire land with abaca, Mr. Alog
beating around the bush and with out explanations the couple was
13• dagku ng ka:huy qug ha:pit na malukup qug tanum sa qabaka qang
whichthey had bought, because that land was not Mr. Alogfs but
because they were squatters. The two had many papers they brought
that the thinnish man was the owner. They were merely being
advised by Mr. Alog that it would be better for them to clear out
out, Mr. Alog would immediately give them the land which was the
one he said he had really sold them. If they would not clear
out, they would also be put into jail. And furtherjthey would
With bowed heads, the couple sadly moved to the land which
Mr. Alog had pointed out to them. Actually, that land was a good
type of land, but it was seven kilometers from the highway. The
land was at the edge of the river which the natives called Marbel,
13* ngadtu sa yu:taq nga gitudluq kani:la ni mistir qalug. Maqaxyu man
Here in this land they started farming all over from scratch,
and patience could go* The abaca which they always planted to
the end of the area they had been able to clear was affected by
did not do well, they planted rice and corn instead. But just when
to sell eggs from their hens and ducks and the fat cocks, suddenly
11# nga du:lun# Bu:saq nagpalaqin sila kay walaq man sila y swirti sa
14• sa qitlug sa qisla ng manuk qug pa:tu qug sa matambuk nga butuq
which Angkay heard. Then when Angkay looked*the child was already
and came to the aid of the child. She held the body of the child,
and she and the crocodile tugged against each other. She got the
One time Inting could not finish his lunch. He grabbed his
bolo which he hung on the post near their dining place when he
12« qanak,
14• Gilanit ni:ya qang qisya ng pinustiq nga dihaq qisya ng gibistay
on it, his bolo just bounced off. It was useless against the
thick and scaly skin, and his bolo got well nicked. The animal,
Luckily, however, it was the handalamay bush that was hit, for
was broken in two^ and the tail went through to his bodyj and it
Prom that time on, the beast went around defiant of anyone
10. nabasliq qang ka:huy qug milahus pa gayud qang qi:kug sa qi:ya ng
13» gasniq kay miqabut qang manga sili:ngan ni:la ni qinting nga
nakabatiq
16. nga ta:wu nga sarang ni:ya ng kahadluskan. Wala y kukahadluk nga
•57-
night•
did not appear until the servants of the law had gotten fed up*
the ferocious animal, but all failed* More than once they baited
it. with a small pig in the stomach of which they had put ten
They are called pingpong balls because they are of the same size
as pingpong balls.) But it just went bad. The sly one would
His neighbors were afraid because .thi*, they said,- was not an
ordinary animal. There were many who had seen and swore fbt sure
that the beast had a red string tied around its neck. The rumors
multiplied,
-57-
nga may hikut nga lina:maq sa lisqug qang mananap. Midagsang qang
-58-
especially among the gullible, that this crocodile was the pet
The people grew more and more afraid when Sinoy got sick
Not a feather fell off him. That night Sinoy had to be revived,
the folk doctor, he was saved from sudden death, after they had
its forehead.
his
-58-
4« sa buqa:ya*
,f
I include in death even the master of that crocodile,"
he vowed.
his revenge. There were nights when he slept very little thiiSifetng
as a thumb, two feet long; and on each end. he had it bent into
tie things to. After it had been forged, he bought a chain which
right away to Senyong and Mingo*s house in order that they might
hire them
-59-
4# pangandak ni:ya#
8# sa qi:ya ng lasraw.
10. kumagkuq sa kamut nga qasi:ru nga duha ka tiqil qang gitasqun*
14• tungaq•
to help. When Angkay had gone, he went into the pigpen and
finished his job when Senyong and Mingo arrived. After they
were told what they were to do, Senyong carried the pig on his
shoulder, and they followed him, Mingo, carrying the plow rope,
They were headed for the edge of the river where their
in the middle, was what they chose to make into a spring pole.
Therefore, Mingo cut the branches from it. Then he tied the
rope,
-60-
&• -qug misunud si minggu nga nagdala sa pi:siq nga kasya:hun qug
12. qang tungaq maqu y qisla ng napisliq nga himu:qu ng baswug. Buisaq
child1 s arm and one foot long. After Mingo had tied it, the
three of them pulled on the rope together until the tree was
reckoned would surely not break and which was big enough to
restrain the spring and the thrashing of the pig which they
tied at the end of the rope. They reckoned it so that when the
lever would break, and the spring pole would snap into place•
They also reckoned the length of the rope so that when the
spring pole would snap into place, it v/ould be just the right
length so that the pigfs feet would not touch the ground.
-61-
10« gibanaqba:naq nga kun qang ba:buy bunluxtun qug birahun qang
11. qali qu babag sa pitiw mabatliq qug qang ba:wug mulibkas. Qang
13• mulibkas qang ba:wug qi;guq gayu ng di:liq mutugkad qang manga
Por one week Inting had been visiting the fish trap, but
see if there was a man about to arrive. His right hand kept
holding the handle of his bolo which he was wearing about his
resting her chin on her two knees like a chicken with cholera*
things, without even having a mat spread out for them and also
katydids
-62-
15* qintaswun sa s&iwug nga walaq gasniq kabanigi qug walaq qusab
,!
?/hen I arrived, Mr. Alog was already there. After I
greeted the chief and let him know that I was the one he had
lf
*It is good that you have finally come. We have been
waiting for you fa* quite'some time now* Here is Mr. Alog in the
office complaining that you are his tenant and would not
10. nga qaku qang qi:ya ng gipatawag qirya da:yun qaku ng gisulti:han,
13. qikaw kunu qi:ya ng saqup qug walaq muha:tag kanijya sa bajhin.
!lf
Mr. Alog, f answered the Chief.
!,|
No sir. We bought it from Mr. Alog,1 I answered.
1,1
Where is the proof that you bought it?1 he asked me.
111
There is not any actually, sir, because I just trusted
"I told the Chief, Kay, what had happened and about
what Mr. Alog had done. Then that devil, Alog, just up
the Chief had not been there, I would have been a murderer
now."
-64-
5* Disliq ta:wun sir quy. Pinalit man na:muq kang mistir qalug
6# tubag ku.
13* nga qalug. Kaqa:yu gyu ng tukqun. Kun waq pa lang qang hi:pi
had applied. The barrio lieutenant had even gone along because
he is the one who knows the way around. I also told him that
the inspector had even had us come back many times. Then, Kayf
the cheater just up and laughed out loud. He said I sure was
And the Chief told me that we could really be forced to get out
because he said this land had been registered in Mr. Alog's name.
And I told the Chief frankly that I would not get out no matter
what happened."
"The Chief just shook his head. When the cheater was not
2* qangkay*
10# duguq ku quy. Qug gisulti:han qaku sa hi:pi nga mapugus gayud
11# kunu kita pagpaha:waq kay titula:du na man kunu kini ng yuta:qa
12# ni mistir qalug. Qug qa*ku ng giprangkahan qang hi:pi nga di:liq
one to arrange everything. He said that if what I had said was true,
there was a chance that we might win. But what gets me down is
what are we going to pay the lawyer with when we do not have any
"You know, they say • •••" And Inting could not finish
What met their eyes was the crocodile as big around as the
3# kunu qang qa:ku ng gisulti may puruhan nga mudaqug kita# Qapan
11* Hala kay dagkuti qang duha ka murun kay kuha:qun ku qang
Blood was flowing everywhere from his mouth, blood from the pig
that was there in his throat mixed with his own blood, for he
was badly wounded in the throat which was pierced by the two
steel hooks which stuck in the roof of his mouth. Grass was
body tossing about in pain and as he lashed them with his saw-like
tail* But no matter how he strained, jumped about, the plow rope
did not break^and the chain and rope buzzed like the guy ropes
did not take long before they were all there gathered together.
Some clubbed the back using the pestle they had brought.
-67-
14* mangtas, Latqin qang mibu:nal sa bukubuku ginasmit qang qalhu nga
-68-
Others, the head. And Inting was like an angry lion. Using
all his sterength, he pitilessly beat the enemy with his axe#
the ears, the sounds emitted by the beast were like the lowing
For him, it was not only a crocodile that had a red thread
tied around it that was his adversary now, but also the
of his victory,
-68-
how strong, there would always come a time for his downfall*
The crocodile with the necklace of red thread which was reputed
in this world not all men are like Mr. Alog* There are always
people with golden hearts who know how to sympathize with him,
10# nga gahum bi:san pa sa qi:ya ng kaqigmat qug kaqabtik qug biisan
pa qug