Similarities and Dissimilarities in Meaning and Usage of Some Cebuano and Tagalog Words

By Liberacion Narvios Tecson

The Philippine Islands, with a population of over ninety-seven million is comprised of seven thousand one hundred seventy islands with residents speaking seven hundred different dialects. Prominent among all the dialects are the Tagalog and Cebuano, widely spoken in many places in the archipelago. Tagalog, being renamed as Filipino, officially became the national language. Although considered as the designated national language known as the Filipino language, Tagalog originally was spoken only in the capital city, Manila compared to Cebuano which is widely spoken in the Visayas and Mindanao. Neighboring provinces in Luzon have their own spoken dialect such as Ilocano in the Ilocos region (northern Luzon), Bicolano in the Bicol region (lower eastern Luzon), Pampangueno in the central plain region, Caviteno in the lower western Region, and Tagalog in the lower southern region.
The Cebuano dialect is spoken and understood in the Visayas and Mindanao regions in spite of their local dialects. There are also Cebuano speaking families living in some parts of Luzon. The Ilonggo in western Visayas, Waray in Samar and Leyte in eastern Visayas, and Boholano for people in Bohol in the southern Visayas are regional dialects, but these dialects have only minor deviations from the Cebuano dialect. People who speak the Cebuano dialect are called Bisaya even if they are living outside of the Cebu Province, as they comprise and represent the Visayas region. Where majority of the residents in the Mindanao region are from the Visayas, hence they are also called Bisaya.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499047196

Liberacion Narvios Tecson

Liberacion Narvios Tecson is a Fil-American living in Houston, TX, USA. She has retired from being a self-employed business woman, and a practitioner and teacher in Accounting and Auditing. She taught in College for 14 years at the University of Cebu, Philippines, formerly Cebu Central Colleges, and 4 years at the Texas School of Business in Houston, TX. She is a Certified Public Accountant, a book author, a poet and a crafter particularly in the art of Fashion Designing and Interior Decorating. She was also doing business as a food caterer and as a dressmaker.

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Copyright © 2014 by Liberacion Narvios Tecson.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014912719

ISBN:                  Hardcover                   978-1-4990-4720-2

                            Softcover                    978-1-4990-4721-9

                            eBook                         978-1-4990-4719-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Rev. date: 12/09/2014

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgment

Introduction

I. Same Words – Different Meaning

II. Same Words – Same Meaning

III. Different Words – Same Meaning

About The Author

Other Books by the Author

DEDICATION

To

my children, daughter-in-law

granddaughter, parents, brothers, and sisters,

Acknowledgment

My sincere and heartfelt thanks and appreciation go to my sisters-in-law, Norma Santos from Bulacan, and Susan Duot from Pangasinan for giving me the Tagalog words used in this book with their corresponding meaning and usage.

Introduction

The Philippine Islands, with a population of over ninety-seven million is comprised of seven thousand one hundred seventy islands with residents speaking seven hundred different dialects. Prominent among all the dialects are the Tagalog and Cebuano, widely spoken in many places in the archipelago. Tagalog, being renamed as Filipino, officially became the national language. Although considered as the designated national language known as the Filipino language, Tagalog originally was spoken only in Manila, the capital city, compared to Cebuano which is widely spoken in the Visayas and Mindanao. Neighboring provinces in Luzon have their own spoken dialect such as Ilocano in the Ilocos region (northern Luzon), Bicolano in the Bicol region (lower eastern Luzon), Pampangueno in the central plain region (central Luzon), Caviteno in the lower western region (western Luzon), and Tagalog in the lower southern region (southern Luzon).

According to my father, Tagalog became the national language because – 1.) at the time of choosing the official language at Congress or convention?, then President Manuel Quezon headed the majority delegation who spoke Tagalog; 2.) then Vice-President Sergio Osmena, Sr. who was only second to the President headed the minority delegation who spoke Cebuano; and 3.) the country’s governing body is seated in Manila where Tagalog is spoken. Language scholars can attest that the Cebuano dialect is rich in vocabulary, grammar, and area coverage in usage by the population.

The Cebuano dialect is spoken and understood in the Visayas and Mindanao regions in spite of their local dialects. The Ilonggo in western Visayas, Waray in Samar and Leyte in eastern Visayas, and Boholano for people in Bohol in the southern Visayas are regional dialects, but these dialects have only minor deviations from the Cebuano dialect. People who speak the Cebuano dialect are called Bisaya even if they are living outside of the Cebu Province. as they comprise and represent the Visayas region. Where majority of the residents in the Mindanao region are from the Visayas and speak Cebuano, hence they are also called Bisaya. There are also Cebuano speaking families living in some parts of Luzon.

This book is inspired by an embarrassing experience my family had while shopping in a retail store. My daughter, then eleven years old was pointing an item that she suggested to me. She was speaking in Cebuano, Kana Ma, nindot na. (That one Mom, it’s pretty). She was surprised when she saw another Filipino family, also shopping, giving us a condescending look. She asked me why they gave us that look. I explained to her that the family could be Tagalog and she was using words that have vulgar meanings in Tagalog. The word kana means in Cebuano as that one while in Tagalog, the word means sexual intercourse. Added to that she was probably misheard when she spoke the word nindot, which means pretty in Cebuano, while if misheard may sound hindot which also means sexual intercourse in Tagalog.

Aside from that experience, I noticed that most Tagalog words are long and difficult to pronounce compared to the Cebuano counterpart. Here are some examples: T – Tagalog, C - Cebuano

1. T. kapakipakinabang - useful, beneficial

C. pulos – useful, beneficial

2. T. panghinanakit (sama ng lo-ob) - resentment, gripe

C. mahay – resentment, gripe

3. T. pangkasalukuyan – at present, now

C. karon – at present, now

4. T. napakapangingilabot - horrifying

C. kuyaw – horrifying

5. T. pakiki-usap – request

C. hangyo – request

Because the Tagalog words are longer compared to the Cebuano words, more so when the tenses apply, the younger generation and those in the media introduce the Taglish form of speaking which is a combination of Tagalog and English.

Examples of Taglish sentences:

1. Ina-asikaso ng mga advisers ng Pangulo ang mga reklamo ng mga citizens.

Ina-asikaso ng mga tagapayo ng Pangulo ang mga reklamo ng mga ta-ong bayan.

(The advisers of the President took care of the complaints of the citizens.)

Advisers – mga tagapayo, citizens - mga ta-ong bayan

2. Marami ang casualties sa encounter ng mga rebelde at mga sundalo.

Marami ang mga ta-ong napatay sa sagupa-an ng mga rebelde at mga sundalo.

(Many peope were killed in the encounter of the rebels and the soldiers.)

Casualties – mga ta-ong napatay, encounter – sagupa-an

In similar manner, some Cebuano speaking people also insert English words to some Cebuano sentences in their effort to communicate their thoughts.

Examples of Cebuano-English short cuts:

1. Unsa ma’y imong gi-take nga kurso?

Unsa man ang imong gikuha nga kurso?

(What course are you taking?)

2. Di-in man ka nag-stay?

Di-in ka man nag-abut?

(Where are you staying?)

Examples of Tagalog Tenses: (Samba – to worship)

past tense – sinamba (worshiped)

present tense – sinasamba (worships or is worshiped)

future tense – sasamba (will worship)

progressive tense – sasambahin (worshiping, will be worshiping)

Examples of Cebuano Tenses: (tago – to hide)

past tense – ningtago (hid)

present tense – nagtago (hides or is hiding)

future tense – motago (will hide or will be hiding)

progressive tense – nagtago (hiding)

Cebuanos are known to be fast talker that oftentimes they shortened the word or make a combination of three or four words into one without changing the meaning.

Examples:

abrasiti – (to walk along side when courting a lady) - Apas (catch up), bira (grab), sikit (walk close), sulti (speak up)

bula (bubbles) bu’a

kalayo (fire) – kayo

karabaw (water buffalo) – kabaw

sutokil – (food menus) – sugba (grilled), towa (stewed), Kilaw (raw with vinegar

wala (nothing, none) wa’

Some Cebuano words that have the letter l are oftentimes pronounced or spelled with the letter w or with an accent to cut short.

Examples:

Balatong (ba’tong) – string beans

kulang (kuwang or ku’ang) – lacking, short

lalum (lawum or la’um) – deep

magulang (maguwang or mag’wang) – older sibling

talong (tawong or ta’ong) – eggplant

There are Cebuano words that are the same in spelling but their meanings differ with the accents.

Examples:

amo (boss), amo (ours), amo (monkey)

boto (to vote), boto (explosion), boto (vagina).

Although the Filipino language observes and applies grammar in sentence construction, it is very much different compared to the English grammar. Most of the time, we begin our sentence with the verb followed by the subject, and then the object of the verb.

Examples: (In Tagalog)

1. Hinahabol ni Pedro ang aso. (Pedro is chasing the dog.)

2. Kinakagat ng aso si Pedro. (Pedro is bitten by the dog.)

3. Nagtatanan sina Eva at Adan. (Eve and Adam are eloping.)

Examples: (In Cebuano)

1. Gigukod ni Pedro ang iro. (Pedro is chasing the dog.)

2. Gipa-ak sa iro si Pedro. (Pedro is bitten by the dog.)

3. Nagtaban si Eva ug Adan. (Eve and Adam eloped.)

If we translate the sentences word for word they would be:

1. Is chasing Pedro the dog.

2. Is bitten by the dog Pedro.

3. Are eloping Eve and Adam

Note: The above tagalog sentences can also be spoken in a regular manner but sounds awkward grammatically because of the word ay which is is in English, but not in Cebuano.

(In Tagalog)

1. Si Pedro ay hinanabol ang aso. (Pedro is chasing the dog.)

2. Si Pedro ay kinakagat ng aso. (Pedro is bitten by the dog.)

3. Si Eva at si Adan ay nagtatanan. (Eva and Adam are eloping.)

(In Cebuano)

1. Si Pedro gi-gukod ang iro. (Pedro is chasing the dog.)

2. Si Pedro gipa-ak sa iro. (Pedro is bitten by the dog.)

3. Si Eva ug si Adan nagtaban. (Eve and Adam are eloping.)

Guide to Use this book

The book is grouped into three categories:

1. Same Words – Different Meaning. Miscommunication and misunderstanding happen because there are words that are similar but have different meanings.

2. Same Words – Same Meaning. Listed in this section are similar words that are similar in meaning.

3. Different Words – Same Meaning. We could list a million words in this category, but to save pages only words that are common and familiar are included.

Some words have similar spelling but they differ in the placement of the accent or pronunciation. O’s and U’s and I’s and E’s are interchangeable in Cebuano spelling, in Tagalog they are distinguished in the pronunciation like the words: babae (girl, woman, female), bote (bottle), puti (white), mabuti (good). opo (yes), upu (sit) totoo (true). naku (oh my), higanti (revenge), higante (giant).

It is observed that some Tagalog speaking people replaced long Tagalog words with Cebuano words.

Examples:

1. The word kawatan, which means thief in Cebuano is now widely used by the Tagalog speaking people instead of the word magnanakaw, the Tagalog word for thief.

2. Hinay which is Cebuano that means slowly, to substitute the Tagalog word dahan-dahan, which also means slowly, but still they double the word to hinay-hinay for emphasis.

3. Buang is Cebuano for insane is now used instead of loka-loka which mean insane in Tagalog.

4. The word asawa in Tagalog is used for a husband or a wife, whereas in Cebuano, asawa only means the wife and bana for the husband. Now Tagalog speaking people are using the word bana in their communication to mean the husband and the word asawa for the wife.

On the other hand, Cebuanos also are integrating some Tagalog words in their daily communication.

Examples:

1. The word bakud which means fence in Tagalog is now widely used by the Cebuanos to substitute the word koral which means fence.

2. Bira which is Tagalog to mean to punch is used now by the Cebuanos to alternate with the word sukmag which is punch in Cebuano.

This book is written with the intent of avoiding miscommunication and misunderstanding between Filipinos and also for foreigners who like to learn the Filipino language. The emphasis in this book is not so much as to how the sentences translate in English, or where the accents are placed, but on the similarities and dissimilarities in their meaning and usage. Awareness and acceptance of the similarities and dissimilarities of some Cebuano and Tagalog words would help us positively as we interact with each other day to day.

I. Same Words – Different Meaning

C – Cebuano Word T – Tagalog Word