Why Ilonggos find it difficult to learn Cebuano, 2

BY DR. JOSE PALU-AY DACUDAO

THE PREFIX NAG- alone by itself does not tell you that the action has occurred in a point in the timeline in the past or present. By placing PA or KARON, you define the action as ongoing in a point in the present in the timeline.

The same goes for the Cebuano prefix GI- (cognate to the Ilonggo GIN-)

Example one. GI-kaon ko NA ang puto.

NA is a modifier that indicates that the action of eating has ALREADY ended.

Example two. GI-kaon ko ang puto KAGAHAPON.

KAGAHAPON indicates that the action ended YESTERDAY.

In both examples above, the prefix GI- alone by itself does not tell you that the action has occurred in a point in the timeline in the past or present. By placing NA or KAGAHAPON, you define the action as having ended in a point in the past in the timeline.

Examples in Cebuano for ACTION BEGUN IN THE PAST AND STILL CONTINUING IN THE PRESENT.

Example one.

GI-kaon ko PA ang puto.

PA is a modifier that indicates that the action of eating is still ongoing.

Example two. GI-kaon ko ang puto KARON. (KARON means NOW in Cebuano, SUBONG and TULAD in Hiligaynon and Karay-a.)

KARON indicates that the action is still ongoing at this point in the timeline.

In both examples above, the prefix GI- alone by itself does not tell you that the action has occurred in a point in the timeline in the past or present. By placing PA or KARON, you define the action as ongoing in a point in the present in the timeline.

Let’s summarize the translations below.

Cebuano: NAG-kaon NA siya. Hiligaynon: NAG-kaon NA siya. Karay-a: NAG-kaon don tana.

Cebuano: NAG-kaon siya KAGAHAPON. Hiligaynon: NAG-kaon siya KAHAPON. Karay-a: NAG-kaon tana KAHAPON.

(One can omit NA and KAHAPON, and just say “NAG-kaon”, and the action will be understood to be in the past since Hiligaynon and Karay-a are TENSE oriented and NAG- therefore always places an action in the past.)

Cebuano: NAG-kaon PA siya. Hiligaynon: NAGA-kaon PA siya. Karay-a: NAGA-kaon PA tana.

(One can omit PA, and just say “NAGA-kaon”, since Hiligaynon and Karay-a are TENSE oriented and NAGA- therefore always places an action in the present.)

Cebuano: NAG-kaon siya KARON. (KARON means NOW in Cebuano, SUBONG and TULAD in Hiligaynon and Karay-a.) Hiligaynon: NAGA-kaon siya SUBONG. Karay-a: NAGA-kaon tana TULAD. (One can omit SUBONG and TULAD and the action will be understood to be in the present since Hiligaynon and Karay-a are TENSE oriented and NAGA- therefore always places an action in the present)

The Cebuano prefix GI- (cognate to the Ilonggo GIN-): GI-kaon ko NA ang puto KAGAHAPON. Hiligaynon: GIN-kaon ko NA ang puto KAHAPON. Karay-a: GIN-kaon ko RON ang puto KAHAPON. (In the Ilonggo languages, one can omit NA and KAHAPON, and just say “GIN-kaon”, since Hiligaynon and Karay-a are TENSE oriented and GINA- therefore always places an action in the past.)

Cebuano: GI-kaon ko PA ang puto KARON. (KARON means NOW in Cebuano, SUBONG and TULAD in Hiligaynon and Karay-a.) Hiligaynon: GINA-kaon ko PA ang puto SUBONG. Karay-a: GINA-kaon ko PA ang puto TULAD. (In the Ilonggo languages, one can omit PA, SUBONG and TULAD, and just say “GINA-kaon”, since Hiligaynon and Karay-a are TENSE oriented and GINA- therefore always places an action in the present in the timeline.)

The soul of a language is its grammar and not its vocabulary. Words are often added, or they disappear, or their meanings are changed. The grammatical rules tend to persist.

And so there you have it! Once you as an Ilonggo (or for that matter any speaker of the northern languages in the Philippines such as Tagalog) comprehends the ‘timelessness on a timeline’ of Cebuano grammar (which also holds true for the languages in the Philippines to the south of Cebuano), it’s mainly a matter of switching individual Ilonggo words into Cebuano, and you are basically already speaking Cebuano. (For comments and suggestions please email to mabuhibisaya2017@gmail.com)/PN