Freeman Cebu Lifestyle

In'tl Mother Language Day

February 17, 2011 | 12:00am

CEBU, Philippines - Have you ever tried asking your Bisdak parents for the equivalent Binisaya of “prince” and “princess”? Or if there's a Cebuano term for "inspiration" instead of just spelling it out as "inspirasyon" which is obviously of Spanish influence?

As we embrace International Mother Language Day on February 21, let's relearn the "Mga Karaang Pulong Binisaya (Old Visayan Words)" compiled by Cebuano writer par excellence Natalio Bacalso published in the 1964 issues of Bisaya Magasin:

* diyandi — arte (art); from the word "diyandiyan" which later on became "dayandayan" which means decoration

* lumponid — libro (book)

* berong — prinsipe (prince)

* berorang — prinsesa (princess)

* diwanag — inspirasyon, lamdaman (inspiration)

* budaya — kultura (culture); based on the works of Cebuano poet, radio announcer and drama talent Fil Yburan)

Words coined by another profilic Cebuano writer Uldarico Alviola:

* lugaynan means politics

* lugaynon — political, thus "bugnong lugaynon" is political battle/wrestle

* kapulongan — vocabulary

* sugilambong — novel

* sugilanon — story

* sugilagming — short story

* sugilandong — story to ponder on (of religious content)

* tingusbawan — ambition

* anaswagan — evolution

Another interesting find is that the days of the week and the months of the year have all their corresponding terms in the Cebuano language (by the way, Cebuano is a language not a dialect):

* Ligidligid for Sunday

* Tigburukad for Monday

* Dumanson for Tuesday

* Dukutdukot for Wednesday

* Baylubaylo for Thursday

* Danghos for Friday

* Hinguthingot for Saturday

* Ulalong for January

* Daghangkahoy for February

* Daghangbulan for March

* Kiling for April

* Himaboyan for May