Bisayan grammar and notes on Bisayan rhetoric and poetics and Filipino dialectology — Story, Setting & Ideas

A BISAYAN GRAMMAR AND NOTES ON BISAYAN RHETORIC AND POETICS AND FILIPINO DIALECTOLOGY

By NORBERTO ROMUÁLDEZ, B.A.

—Provincial Fiscal of Leyte, P.I.— —Attorney-at-Law— —Formerly Director of “San Jose” College of Takloban— —Professor of Latin—

O! good my lord, no Latin; I am not such a truant since my coming As not to know the language I have liv’d in

“PAG PAHAYAG” CO.—TAKLOBAN.

TO THE YOUTH OF SAMAR AND LEYTE

who are clearly demonstrating aspirations for a brighter future thru education this book is dedicated, in the hope that it may give a stimulus to their work and an incentive to appreciate what is best in their language as well as in the hope that, at a future day, some one of them may be fitted to do this work better than here presented.

The publication of a Bisayan grammar has been eagerly awaited by many. It has been desired by those who are interested simply in the study of a native dialect. It has been needed by all Americans who desire an acquaintance with the language of the people among whom they live in order that they may get into closer touch with the great mass of natives as yet unable to speak either Spanish or English. It has been requested by many natives who wish to improve their use of their mother tongue. To all such, the present volume will prove of great value.

The author is recognized throughout Samar and Leyte as one of the highest authorities on the Samareño dialect. His statements may therefore be accepted as authoritative. His treatment of prefixes and suffixes, of similar words with different meanings, and of the various forms of the verb are especially interesting and valuable.

It is hoped that Mr. Norberto Romuáldez may be able to carry out his intention of putting out a combined grammar and language book designed especially for those just beginning the study of Bisayan. Such a work in conjunction with the present grammar would immensly facilitate the acquisition of a speaking knowledge of the dialect.

W. W. MARQUARDT, Division Superintendent of Schools.

This book is not intended to be a complete grammar, but is only an elementary work containing a collection of some principles governing the formation of the words and the construction of the sentences of the Bisayan [1] dialect spoken on the islands of Samar and nearly half of Leyte, by about four hundred thousand people.

At random and at odd intervals as the author’s time permitted, he arranged, more or less in a logical grammatical order, the material gathered. Bearing in mind that there has never been any previous treatise on this subject worthy the name, the whole field therefore remaining practically unexplored, it will not be surprising that the use of spare moments covering only a short period has left much of the field undeveloped. However, what has been collected in this book will be found to be of primary importance to any one desiring to gain a quick acquaintance with the dialect for immediate practical use. After a careful study of the many examples under the different rules, coupled with a continuous practice, the user will be surprised—if he is a stranger—at the ease with which he acquires an Asiatic dialect, and—if he is a Filipino—how clear and logical is one of the most spoken dialects in his Mother-land.

The author had no intention of launching this work at the present time; but it is done at the behest of his American friends who have urged him to issue what has been collected, a portion only of what is intended ultimately to be a complete treatise and grammar of Bisayan, in order that this material may be available for the use of persons taking an interest in the Islands, thereby bringing about a common means of communication, which promotes a better feeling between the people born here and the newcomer.

The exposition of the different subjects is not in the modern didactic form generally used in this class of works. This is simply due to the lack of sufficient time. Thus the grammar is divided into the usual parts: orthography, prosody, etimology, and syntax. Some of these parts have been treated to a very limited extent, because time has not admitted of the collection of sufficient material and of the opportunity to weigh the relative values and eliminate the exceptions from the rules.