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Ivatan language

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Introduction

The Ivatan language, also known as Ibatan or Chirin nu Ibatan (meaning, "language or dialect of the Ivatan people"), is an Austronesian language spoken exclusively in the Batanes Islands. With the islands' proximity to Taiwan, the language is closer linguistically and philologically to Taiwanese aborigine languages than to other Philippine languages. However, the language is not placed in the Formosan languages group.

It is especially characterized by its words, which mostly have the letter v, as in vakul, Ivatan, and valuga. Letter e, is pronounced as the schwa oun, or uh, as in Dios Mamajes, 'di-yos-ma-ma-huhs', and palek 'pa-luhk'. The Ivatan language is completely different from the rest of the other Philippine languages, having been isolated, and is more closely associated with the Taiwanese aborigines, especially the Yami group.

There are quite different versions of the Ivatan language as their dialect: Itbayaten meaning as spoken by the native of Itbayat, Ivasayen meaning as spoken by an Ivasay for the version of Ivatan spoken by the natives of Basco & Isamurongen.

In spite of the relatively small size of Batanes and its correspondingly few inhabitants, the language is spoken in at least 3 different ways - Ivasayen, Isamurongen and Itbayaten Ichbayaten, basically differing in the way words are pronounced. In Basco (northern part of Batan island) where Ivasayen is spoken, the letter t is more often used, whereas in the southern towns (Mahatao, Ivana, Uyugan and Sabtang) where Isamurongen is spoken, the t is sometimes changed to ch. The variation of the language as spoken is more pronounced in Itbayat, the northern-most town of the province and where Itbayaten is spoken. It not only includes a variation in enounciation, but has also different words.

Examples of the more visible variations of the Ivasayen and Isamurongen words and pronunciations are:

  • tiban (to look) in Basco is chiban in the southern towns
  • antiyao (later) in Basco is anchiyao in the southern towns
  • cabatiti (patola) in Basco is cabachichi in the southern towns
  • timoy (rain) in Basco is chimoy in the southern towns

Examples of different Ivasayen, Isamurongen and Itbayaten words that have the same English translation:

  • adcan (to kiss) in Basco and the southern towns is umahan in Itbayat.
  • arava (none) in Basco and the southern towns is aralih in Itbayat.
  • bago (pig) in Basco and the southern towns is cuyis in Itbayat.
  • otioyan (nest) in Basco, is ochoyan in the southern towns and hangtay in Itbayat.
  • ipos (tail) in Basco is vochivot in the southern towns and also ipos in Itbayat.

The Ivatan language is basically a spoken language. Until lately, not much effort was done to preserve the language in written form. What the young generation know about it is largely through hearing it spoken and speaking it.

Some tend to mix the Ivatan words to Filipino or vise versa in sentences, much worst is the combining or compounding of the Filipino words to the Ivatan words. One common example of this is – mapatak. This is derived from marunong (Filipino) and chapatak (Ivatan) which literally means someone who knows which were then compounded to form the word mapatak. This is actually the result of the influence of non-Ivatans who tend to speak the language & were then eventually adopted.

Another common mistakes that are often heard, is the mispronunciation of the Ivatan word like iskarayla – the correct is iskalayra – which means stairs, and tumaraya – the correct is tumayara – which means going up.

One unique characteristic of the language is its enormous street language. It is called street language because it emanated from the streets. Examples of these are: tanchew, coined from mirwa ta anchiyaw – literally means we’ll meet again later, and nganmu, coined from jinu ngayan mu – literally means where are you going. These are results of shortening the Ivatan phrases or sentences into one or two words depending on its usage.

Common Ivatan expressions have various origin such as:

  • Dios Mamajes/ Dios Mamajes nu mapia
    Literally: "God reward you with goodness" or "God bless you"
    Usage: Used to show gratitude to someone
  • Dios Mavidin
    Literally: "May God remain with you"
    Usage: Used by the person who is leaving
  • Dios Machivan
    Literally: "May God go with you"
    Uasge: Used by the person who is staying behind

The Ivatan language is characterized with its pidgin Spanish, spoken with the musicality of southern Chinese accent.

Similarities of the language to other dialects in the Philippines includes the presence of the glottal stop in the pronunciation of words.

Phonology

The Ivatan language consists of 4 vowels, 21 consonants and 5 diphthongs.

  • Vowels: a, e, i, u
  • Diphthongs: aw, iw, ay, ey, oy
  • Consonants: b, ch, d, f, g, h, hh, j, k, l , m, n, ng, ny, p, r, s, t, v, w, y

Grammar

Further information: [[:Ivatan grammar]]

Cultural terms of the Ivatan people

  • kayvayvanan- friendship; cooperative work by a community which starts at the blow of a shell horn called a vodiadong
  • payohoan- helping one another; work club of teenagers who alternate their shifts
  • paluwa; chinarem; tataya- three boats used for fishing
  • lakasan- tops of wooden trunks used for storing cloth and other valuables serve as benches
  • rahaung, camarin- a storeroom for larger farm equipment such as plows, harrows, sleds, card, and the ox-drawn pole used for clearing off sweet potatoes and other vines from fields being prepared for recultivation
  • talugung- a kind of conical hat woven from strips made from the stalk of a local plant called nini
  • suut, vakul- a head-and-back covering woven from the stripped leaves of banana or the vuyavuy
  • batulinaw- a necklace made of hollow globules (1½ cm. in diameter) interspersed with smaller pieces of gold in floral patterns and held together by a string made of fiber
  • tamburin- an all-gold necklace whose beads are smaller and more ornate than the batulinaw, and lockets
  • seseng, pamaaw, chingkakawayan, liyano, de pelo, dima s'bato, pitu s'bato, de perlas, bumbolya, karakol, pinatapatan- traditional earrings that come from the Spanish period
  • soot - generic term referring to the Ivatan rain cape made from the finely stripped leaves of the vuyavuy palm.
  • vakul - woman's soot, worn on the head.
  • falowa - Ivatan boat, now usually motorized, for 10-20 passengers.
  • avayat - a broad directional term used to indicate the west, a western direction or the western side.
  • valugan - a broad directional term sued to indicate the east, an eastern direction or the eastern side.

Ivatan literature

Ivatan legends

  • Datu Tayong and Batbatan Otang
  • Orayen and Pudalan
  • The Origin of the "Nato"
  • The Origin of the People of Sabtang
  • The Legend of Layin
  • The Two Fishermen

Ivatan songs

  • Laganitan
  • An Domana ‘O’ Vohan
  • Taao Di Valogan
  • Hapnit
  • Ladji No Minasbang
  • Didiwen Ko

Poems

  • I Wanted Wings
  • Meetings
  • Alone
  • Guide Me, My Guardian Angel

Ivatan Proverbs

  • Ipangudidi mu u mapya nanawu.

Carry with you good teaching, always bear in mind sound advice.

  • Arava u mayet an namaes u ryes.

There is no strong man when the sea is at its worst.

  • Arava u ryes a abu su vinyedi.

There is no current that does not bounce back.

  • Tumuhutuhud makaysed a tachi.

The feces that is dropped is sure comfort.

  • Ulungen mu ava u kakedkeran mu.

Do not gore the peg where you are tied.

  • Matakaw ava dimu u kasulivan.

Nobody can steal your knowledge.

  • Nyeng mu a hukbiten ta isek ni tatumuk.

Grasp the opportunity because the bed bugs will carry and hide them inside the floor.

  • Kanen mu ava u kakamay mu.

Do not eat your fingers.

  • Arava u susuhan da su vahay a mapsek.

No one burns the house of a good man.

Selected Idioms

  • Mahmahma u vatu kan uhu naw.

Stones are softer than his head.

  • Umsi ava su vahusa u kamates.

Tomatoes do not bear eggplants.

  • Tud da payramun u vinata naw.

They washed their face with what he said.

  • Inulay mu ta tya naydited u uhu na.

Leave him alone for his head is tangled.

  • Machitbatbay ka avan asa ka kaban amed.

Do not speak of a cavan for a measuring lime unit.

Ivatan Phrases

  • Hello - Kapian capa nu dios
  • How are you? - Ara ca mangu?
  • I am fine - Taytu aco a mapia
  • I am not fine - Ara coava mapia
  • Thank you - Dios mamajes
  • Where are you going? - Ngayan mo?
  • I am going to... - Mangay aco du...
  • Where is ___? - Ara dino si ___?
  • Straight ahead - Diretso
  • How much? - Pira?
  • Good - Mapia
  • No good - Mapia/Mavid ava
  • Yes - Oon
  • I want ___ - Makey ako no ___
  • I don't want - Makey aco ava
  • I have a problem - Mian problema ko
  • No problem - Arava o problema
  • Good luck - Mapia palak
  • What's your name? - Sino ngaran mo?
  • Where is the house of ___? - Jino vahay da ___?
  • There- Du nguya
  • Here- Diaya
  • Hungy- Mapteng
  • Thirsty- Ma-waw
  • Tired- Mavanah
  • Happy- Masuyot

Ivatan Words

Etymology

Coined words are two words combined to form one new word.

Sentence Coined word Meaning Usage
Mirwa ta anchiyaw Tanchew We’ll meet again later. Street language
Jinu ngayan mu Nganmu Where are you going? Street language

Loanwords are words in the language that have been borrowed from other languages.

Loanword Origin Meaning
Telefono Spanish An instrument for reproducing sounds at a distance
Domingo; Lumingu Spanish Sunday
Lunis Spanish Monday
Martis Spanish Tuesday
Miyirkolis; Mirkulis Spanish Wednesday
Juibis; Juybis Spanish Thursday
Biyernis; Birnis Spanish Friday
Sabado; Sabalu Spanish Saturday

Similarities with other Philippine languages

  Person House Dog Coconut Day New
Ivatan Tao Vahay Chito Niyoy Araw Va-yo
Tagalog Tao Bahay Aso Niyog Araw Bago
Bikol Tawo Harong Ayam Niyog Aldaw Ba-go
Cebuano Tawo Balay Iro Lubi Adlaw Bag-o
Tausug Tau Bay Iru' Niyug Adlaw Ba-gu
Kinaray-a Taho Balay Ayam Niyog Adlaw Bag-o
Kapampangan Tau Bale Asu Ngungut Aldo Bayu
Pangasinense Too Abong Aso Niyog Agew Balo
Ilokano Tao Balay Aso Niog Aldaw Baro
Gaddang Tolay Balay Atu Ayog Aw Bawu
Tboli Tau Gunu Ohu Lefo Kdaw Lomi

Similarities with the Tao language 達悟族

  Day Home Friend Eat Drink
Ivatan Araw Vahay Cayvan Kuman Minom
Yami 雅美 Araw Vahay Kagagan Kanen Inomen

Similarities with other Austronesian languages

  One Two Three Four
Ivatan Asa Dadwa Tatdu Apat
Hawaiian Kahi Lua Kolu Hā
Javanese Siji Loro Telu Papat
Indonesian Satu Dua Tiga Empat
Malagasy Isa Roa Telo Efatra

Accommodation

  Ivasayen Isamurongen Itbayaten
Room Cuarto Cuarto
Mail Tulas Turas
Water Danum Ranum
Time Oras Oras

Approval & Disapproval

  Ivasayen Isamurongen Itbayaten
Good Mapia Map'pia
Of course Siyempri Siyempre
Ok Okay Okay
Pretty Mavid Mavij
Yes Oon Uwen
No Omba Engga
Nothing Arava Aralih
Perhaps Siguro Siguro

Bank, Telephone & Post Office

  Ivasayen Isamurongen Itbayaten
Money Cartos Cartos
Telephone Telefono Telefono

Colors

  Ivasayen Isamurongen Itbayaten
Black Mavaweng Mavajeng
Blue A'sul Maanil
Brown Chocolati Chocolati
Dark Masarih Masari
Gray Mavu-avo Mavuavo
Green Birdi Berde
Light Marengang Marial
Red Mavayah Mavaya
White Mahilak Maydac
Yellow Mayuxama Mañujama

Days of the Week

  Ivasayen Isamurongen Itbayaten
Sunday Domingo Lumingu
Monday Lunis Lunis
Tuesday Martis Martis
Wednesday Miyirkolis Mirkulis
Thursday Juibis Juybis
Friday Biyernis Birnis
Saturday Sabado Sabalu

Direction

  Itbayaten Isamurongen Ivasayen
Left Guri Guri
Right Wanan Wanan
Straight ahead Diricho Diricho

Cardinal numbers

    Itbayaten Isamurongen Ivasayen
0 Zero Siro; a'bu Siro; abu
1 One A'sa Asa
2 Two Daduha Dadua
3 Three Atlu Tatdu
4 Four A'pat Apat
5 Five Lalima Dadima
6 Six A'nem Anem
7 Seven Pito Papito
8 Eight Waxo Wawajo
9 Nine Sasyam Sasyam
10 Ten Sapuxu Sapujo

Ordinal numbers

    Itbayaten Isamurongen Ivasayen
1st First Ma'num'ma Manum'ma
2nd Second
3rd Third
4th Fourth
5th Fifth Ichalima Cacadima
6th Sixth
7th Seventh
8th Eighth
9th Ninth
10th Tenth
L Last Ma'nau'di Manau'di

See also

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