The Glottal Sounds of the Chavacáno Language El mana sunór glotál na chavacáno

Drafted by Jaime A. Cabrera Saigon, Vietnam, December 2014

The ease of teaching or learning a language quickly and accurately depends on the clarity of its orthography.

Orthography clarifies the pronunciation system in the writing system of a language and vice versa. This

document presents the symbols, uses, and articulations of glottal vowels in Chavacáno.

A. The Chavacáno Glottal Sign

The glottal sign is a pair of dots above a vowel, like an umlaut or diaeresis (See Table 1). The term is from

epiglottis, the back of the tongue and top of the throat that close together to create glottal vowel

sounds.

B. Typing or Writing the Chavacáno Glottal Sound Table 1 shows the Chavacáno glottal sound as typed or written with two dots above a vowel.

C. Producing the Chavacáno Glottal Sound

The glottal sound in Chavacáno is produced by using the epiglottis to “pinch” or “cut off” a vowel sound.

such as in the English word naïve. Table 2 shows 16 Chavacano place names with glottal vowels.

An upward sign above a vowel shows a stressed (slightly higher tone) vowel: á, é, í, ó, ú. On the other

hand, two dots show a glottal vowel: ä, ë, ï, ö, ü. The glottal vowel is usually stressed, particularly when

the preceding vowel sound is not stressed.

The production of glottal sounds in Zamboanga, Philippines begins at childhood, often the first sounds

spoken. Table 3 shows 10 examples of glottal sounds in baby talk.

The incorrect pronunciation of names of persons – unlike mispronunciation of other words – can be

serious enough to elicit immediate correction. Although glottal sounds rarely appear in formal names

(such as the surnames Malicsï and Buë) they abound in nicknames. Table 4 shows 30 examples.

D. Uses of the Chavacáno Glottal Sign

Language Differentiation: Chavacano glottal sounds occur in its origin tongues1 and in its influence

languages.2 However, among these languages, only Chavacáno uses the glottal sign in writing. Table 5

shows 20 examples of how the glottal sign differentiates Chavacano words from similar words in other

languages.

Chavacano Vocabulary: Table 6 shows at least 73 confusing words and how the glottal sign can clarify

pronunciation of words with the same spellings but different pronunciations such as: láta (tin can) and

latä (to mash or to flatten); cusí (to cook, to sew) and cusï (to pinch); bánco (bank) and báncö (chair,

bench); olé (to smell) and olë (again); or cápa (cape) and capä (to grope).

Glossary: Table 7 shows an alphabetical list of at least 139 words with glottal vowels in the Chavacano

language.

Abbreviations: Table 8 shows the abbreviations used in this document.

1 Spanish and Portuguese

2 Ilonggo, Cebuano, Tausug, English

Appendices: Tables

Table 1: Symbols of Glottal Sounds

Symbols Examples Keyboard Shortcuts

Ä ä gatä (n.) coconut milk ALT+132 ALT+0228

Ë ë olë (adv.) again ALT+137 ALT+0235

Ï ï camalï (n.) error, mistake ALT+139 ALT+0239

Ö ö báncö (n.) bench, stool, chair ALT+148 ALT+0246

Ü ü ticü (adj.) crooked, bent ALT+129 ALT+0252

Table 2: Glottal Sounds in Place-Names

Ä Batäán Calarïan Cawä-cáwä Lawäan Saläán Tetuän

Ï Mariqï Sangálï Vitálï

Ü Balunü Buüg Curüán Labüan Mulümulüan San Jose Gusü

Tetüán

Table 3: Glottal Sounds Used in Baby Talk

Ä pápä (v.) to eat lólä (n.) grandma

Ë mémë (v.) to sleep dédë; tétë (v.) to suckle; (n.) milk; nipple, breast

Ï pípï (n.) penis pípï (v.) to urinate

Ö lólö (n.) grandpa óö (v.) to defecate; (n.) faeces

Ü múmü (n.) a scary, imaginary being púpü / úü (v.) to defecate; (n.) faeces

Table 4: Glottal Sounds in Nicknames

Ä Lólä Córä Gágä Jómä Ocä Tátä

(grandma) Corazon (dear) Jose Mari Oscar Teresa

Ë Adë Chë Matë Më Nénë Térë

Adelina Jose Marites Jaime (young girl) Teresita

Ï Benjï Chúchï Dídï Mímï Nónï Vï

Benjamin Nonito/Nonita Vilma

Ö Dádö Dégö Jójö Mö Tinö Tótö

Diosdado Degolacion Jose Antonio Celestino (boy)

Ü Búbü Dúdü Lúlü Malü Marichü Pepë

Marilou Marilou Maria Socorro Jose

Table 5: Some Philippine Words Similar to Chavacáno Words

Chavacano Words Similar Words

babä (v.) to ride or carry on the shoulders bába (n.) chin [TAG]

bäbä (n.) mouth [VIS, ILO]

bágä (n.) lung, lungs baˈgä (adj.) thick [VIS]

baˈga (n.) ember [VIS, ILO]

pusü (n.) steamed rice in coconut leaves púsö (n.) heart, banana blossom [TAG]

ngisí (n.) grin ngisí (n.) grin [TAG, VIS, ILO]

ngísï (v.) grin ngisí (v.) grin [TAG, VIS, ILO]

láta (n.) can, tin can latä (adj.) crushed, mashed, flattened

Chavacano Words Similar Words

[TAG, VIS, ILO]

sanggä (v.) bar, stop, prevent sangá (n.) branch [TAG]

túlü (v.) drip, (n.) gonorrhea tulú (n.) three [VIS]

pasá (v.) pass, pass on, occur, happen pasä (n.) bruise [TAG]

Table 6: Confusing Chavacáno Words Clarified by Glottal and Non-glottal Sounds

A, a VERSUS Ä, ä apä (adj.) dumb, cannot speak ápä (n.) ice cream cone; wafer

atá (v.) portions, e.g., fruits or fish for sale; atáo, tumpuk (syn); atado [ILO]

átä (n.) ink (of squid); sap (of plants)?

báca (n.) cow from vaca [SPA] bácä (adv.) maybe; Syn basï

bancá (v.) to bank, as in a gambling table báncä (n.) canoe; bangka [TAG]. Syn: víntä

báta de báño (n.) bathrobe bátä (n.) child; boy, girl; infant; toddler; (adj.) young; immature

bangä (n.) large clay pot banggä (v.) collide

banqiá (v.) to orate, ramble; talk profusely baqiä (n.) wooden clogs; bakya [TAG]

butá (v.) throw away bútä (adj.) last; runt; butá [VIS: blind]

candelária (n.) Feast of the Candles candélä (n.) candle

capä (v.) grope cápa (n.) cape

cája (n.) case; body cajä (adv.) maybe, perhaps, probably

gajä (adv.) Donde gajä el libro?

húla (n.) Hawaiian dance húlä (n.) prediction, foretelling

láta (n.) tin can latä (adj.) crushed flat; squashed flat; (v.) to flatten, to soften, to mash

lisá (v.) to sandpaper, to smoothen; See lijá lisä (n.) lice; Rel: kútu

Lísa (n.) name of a female

mamá (v.) to suck; to suck up to; mom mamä (n.) betel nut

máma (n.) mother

(el) mana (art. plural) the; mga [TAG]; manga [ILO, VIS, CEB]

mánä (n.) inheritance; mana [TAG]

manä (n.) manna, heavenly bread

nána (n.) mother nanä (n.) pus

Míla (nic.) short for Milágros milä-milä

(n.) sore eyes

mañána (adv.) tomorrow mananä (adj.) with much pus

nána (n.) mother nanä (n.) pus

páta (n.) upper leg patä (adj.) exhausted, without strength

pasá (n.) happening (v.) pass pasä (n.) bruise; pasa [TAG]

palapála (n.) narrow earthen dikes in rice fields palápä (n.) coconut, nipa, or fern frond

sála (n.) living room sálä (v.) to sieve, sift, or screen

sapá (v.) detach (sapa ráma); disappear, dissipate, dissolve (ya sapa el rábio); remove (açe sapa cansánçia)

sapä (n.) small river; rivulet

táya (v.) bet tayä (v.) rust; (n.) rust

tayä (n.) it {as in hide and seek}

E, e VERSUS Ë, ë olé (v.) smell olë (adv.) again

I, i VERSUS Ï, ï cusí (v.) to cook; to sew, stitch cusï (v.) to pinch

O, o VERSUS Ö, ö bánco (n.) bank báncö (n.) bench, stool, chair

viéjo (n.) old man viéjö (adj.) old man

U, u VERSUS Ü, ü píso (n.) floor pisü (n.) chick; chicken embryo

pusü (n.) steamed rice coconut leaf sachets púsü (n.) banana blossom; puso, [TAG heart]

Sulú (n.) archipelago in Southern Philippines sulü (n.) torch

Table 7: Examples of Glottal Pronunciation in Chavacáno Words

Ä, ä IPA3 Definition alä-úna ɑ lä ˈʊ nɑ (n.) one o’clock

babä bɑ ˈbä (v.) to carry on both shoulders

bátä ˈbɑː tä (n.) child

batä ˈbɑ tä (adj.) young, immature

bágä ˈbɑː gä (n.) ember; (n.) lung

batútä bɑ ˈtʊ tä (n.) policeman’s truncheon

bentánä ˈbɛn tɑː nä (n.) window

báŋga ˈbɑŋ gɑ (n.) crossing, intersection

baŋä bɑ ˈŋä (n.) large clay pot

baŋgä bɑŋ ˈgä (v.) to collide; to bump

bíntä ˈbiːn tä (n.) native sailboat

bícä ˈbiː kä (v.) to spread the legs widely; Syn: bicácä

candélä kɑn ˈdɜː lä (n.) candle; kandila [TAG]

canä kɑ ˈnä (n) (adj.) American [SPA: americana] See canö

casä kɑ ˈsä (v.) to draw a gun

cáwä ˈkɑː wä (n.) large frying pan, wok

Cawä-cáwä kɑ wä ˈkɑː wä (n.) seaside boulevard in Zamboanga City

dadä dɑ ˈdä (n.) spoken words; babble

dalasä dɑ lɑ ˈsä (v.) to bump, overturn, or run over (accidentally)

gatä gɑ ˈtä (n.) coconut milk

halugä hɑ lʊ ˈgä (adj.) loose

hapä hɑ ˈpä (v.) to lie face down; Syn: culúb; Ant: hayáng (v.) to lie face up

hítä ˈhiː tä (n.) thigh

hópiä ˈho piː ɪəä (n.) pastry with meat or vegetable filling [CHI: hopia]

húlä ˈhʊ lä (v.) foresee, foretell, predict; (n.) prediction; foretelling

huyä hʊ ˈɪä (n.) shame, embarrassment; (v.) be ashamed, be embarrassed

ginatäán gi nɑ tä ˈɑːn (n.) a dish cooked with coconut milk

ilagä iː lɑ ˈgä (n.) rat, mouse [ILO: ilaga]

lágä ˈlɑː gä (v.) boil; (adj.) boiled

láwä ˈlɑː wä (n.) spiderweb

lísä lɪ ˈsä (n.) head lice; (Syn: kútu)

3 International Phonetic Alphabet (modified)

lúmpiä ˈlʊm pɪ ɪä (n.) spring roll; From lumpia [CHI]

mánä ˈmɑː nä (n.) inheritance; Syn. eréncia [SPA: herencia] [TAG: mana]

mahínä mɑ ˈhiː nä (adj.) slow; mahina; [TAG: slow]

malatä mɑ lɑ ˈtä (adj.) mushy, mashed; (rel: lata, crushed, mashed)

mantécä mɑn ˈtɜː cä (n.) oil; cooking oil

milä-milä mɪ lä mɪ ˈlä (n.) sore eyes

mútä ˈmʊ tä (n.) eye discharge; vitreous humour; solid excretion of the eyes; eye gunk; eye boogers, crusties, sleepies

nanä nɑ ˈnä (n.) pus; nänä [ILO, VIS, CEB]

nípä ˈniː pä (n.) palm leaf or palm tree

palacä pɑ lɑ ˈcä (n.) frog

palápä pɑ lɑː ˈpä (n.) coconut, nipa, or fern frond

pänus pä ˈnʊs (adj.) spoiled, as in food; pan-os [ILO, VIS, CEB]; panis [TAG]

patä pɑ ˈtä (adj.) exhausted; without strength; pata [TAG]

pugä ˈpʊ gä (v.) squeeze, wring; puga [VIS]

saläán sɑ lä ˈɑːn (n.) sieve

sálä ˈsɑː lä (v.) to sift; to screen

sípä ˈsiː pä (n.) kickball game; sepaktakraw [MAL]; sipa [ILO: to kick]

tíä ˈtiː ɪä (n.) aunt; tia [SPA]

tútä ˈtʊ tä (n.) puppy; (fig.) puppet; figurehead [TAG]

Ë, ë IPA Definition balétë bɑ ˈlɜː të (n.) a large tree; Ficus benjamina

galë gɑ ˈlë (idi: threat) is that so {Ancina galë ha? That’s the way it is, huh?}

galë gɑ ˈlë (idi: correction) I mean (to say) {Ay mira gale yo çine. I mean, I’ll watch a movie.}

gánë ˈgɑː në (adv.) even {Ya andá pa ganë yo allá. I even went there.}

gánë ˈgɑː në (adj.) even {Si Ána ganë, ya corré. Even Ana ran.}

nénë ˈnɜː në (n.) young girl

olë o ˈlë (adv.) again; Syn. otra vez

péqë ˈpɜː kë (adj.) fake

qiémë kiː ˈɪə më (n.) hesitation; indecision (v.) hesitate; play coy

tamémë tɑ ˈmɜː më (adj.) quiet, speechless, unable to speak

tétë ˈtɜː të (n.) breast; nipple

Ï, ï IPA Definition palï pɑ ˈlï (n.) scar

sulï sʊ ˈlï (adj.) inside out; upside down

baçï ˈbɑ çï (adv.) may, might; maybe, perhaps, probably

busísï bʊ siː ˈsï (v.) to examine thoroughly

mabusisï mɑ bʊ ˈsi sï (adj.) nitpicky

manï mɑ ˈnï (n.) peanut; clitoris

maïs mɑ ˈïs (n.) corn; maize [SPA]

bawï bɑ ˈwï (v.) to take back

butiqï bʊ tiː ˈkï (n.) lizard; butiki [ILO, VIS, CEB]

bulátï bʊ ˈlɑː tï (n.) worm

bulï bʊ ˈlï (n.) buttocks, gluteus maximus; buli [ILO, VIS, CEB]

bungï bʊ ˈŋï (n.) harelip; (adj.) gap of missing tooth; cleft palate; harelip

calachúchï kɑ lɑ ˈʧʊ ʧï (n.) frangipani flower; genus plumeria family Apocynaceae

calamansï kɑ lɑ mɑn ˈsï (n.) Citrofortunella microcarpa family Rutaceae

Calarïan kɑ lɑ ˈrï ɑn (n.) name of a town in Zamboanga

camalï kɑ mɑ ˈlï (n.) mistake, error; (v.) make a mistake. See malï

catï ˈkɑ tï (n.) outrigger of a boat

curiït kʊ ri ˈït (v.) to grimace

dalï-dálï dɑ lï ˈdɑː lï (adv.) hurriedly, hastily (syn: apuráo)

dalï dɑ ˈlï (v.) hurry, make haste; (syn: apurá)

kïkï ˈkï ˈkï (n.) dental plaque

malï mɑ ˈlï (n.) mistake, error

païn pɑ ˈïn (n.) bait

palï pɑ ˈlï (n.) scar (v.) to heal and scar over

pánä ˈpɑː nä (n.) arrow; (v.) shoot with an arrow

pasä pɑ ˈsä (n.) bruise; pasa [TAG bruise; See paˈsa [CHA pass, pass on]

pasï pɑ ˈsï (n.) unhusked rice grain

pukíkï pʊ ˈkiː kï (n.) vagina; Syn: púkï

Sangálï sɑŋ ˈgɑː lï (n.) name of a town in Zamboanga

sïsï ˈsï ˈsï (v.) to unravel; to dissect? to cut slowly?

tabï ˈtɑ bï (n.) excuse; (v.) to ask excuse of unseen (supernatural) beings

taïs tɑ ˈïs (v.) to wear out, as from heavy usage

talitï tɑ liː ˈtï (n.) light rain; drizzle

tarïan tɑ rï ˈɑn (n.) cockpit?

tulï tʊ ˈlï (adj.) circumcised

túlï ˈtʊ lï (v.) circumcise, remove the foreskin of the penis

Vitálï viː ˈtɑː lï (n.) name of a town in Zamboanga

Ö, ö IPA Definition biéjö bi ˈɪəː hö (adj.) old man; viejo [SPA]

canö cɑ ˈnö (adj.) American (n.) American; americano [SPA] See canö, canä

gochö go ˈʧö (n.) sperm

hálö-hálö hɑ lo ˈhɑː lö (n.) shaved ice with milk, sugar, and fruits

tíö ˈtiː ɪö (n.) uncle

Tinö tiː ˈnö (nic.) short for Celestino

tocö to ˈcö (n.) gecko

Ü, ü IPA Definition bábü ˈbɑː bü (n.) an elderly Muslim female; a form of address to

bübü ˈbü ˈbü (v.) to pour manually

buüg bʊ ˈüg (n.) thicket, forest

búcü ˈbʊ ˈkü (n.) young coconut; ˈbu kö [TAG]

bucü bʊ ˈkü (v.) to discover; to out; to reveal (adj.) to be found out; to be discovered; nabuko [TAG]

cascarüin kɑs kɑ ˈrü iːn (adj.) infected with mange? syn: Cagirín; galisin [TAG]

cücü ˈkü ˈkü (v.) to crouch

Curüán kʊ rü ˈɑːn (v.) name of a town in Zamboanga

cupü kʊ ˈpü (v.) crouch; embrace

cúsü ˈkʊ sü (v.) to wring, squeeze as in washing clothes?

dátü ˈdɑː tü (n.) a chieftain in a Moslem culture [MAL: datu; king, chief]

gugü ˈgʊ gü (n.) coconut oil-based shampoo

Gusü gʊ ˈsü (n.) A road in San Jose, Zamboanga City

latü lɑ ˈtü (n.) edible seaweed like bunches of tiny green grapes

Malü mɑ ˈlü (nic.) short for Marilou

marü mɑ ˈrü (adj.) sly, clever [TAG marúnong knowledgeable]

Mulümulüan mʊ lü mʊ ˈlü ɑn (n.) a town in southern Mindanao

ngúsü ŋʊ ˈsü (n.) snout (TAG ngúsö, snout)

pisü piː ˈsü (n.) chick; unhatched chicken embryo

pugü ˈpʊ gü (n.) quail (the bird)

pusü pʊ ˈsü (n.) rice cooked in woven coconut leaf sachets

púsü ˈpʊ sü (n.) banana flower [TAG puso, heart]

sirü siː ˈrü (v.) (n.) hiccough; Syn: sidu [ILO]

sulü sʊ ˈlü (n.) torch

tahü tɑ ˈhü (n.) soybean curd; Syn: taho [TAG]

Tetüán tɛ tü ˈɑːn (n.) a barrio in Zamboanga City

ticü tiː ˈcü (adj.) bent, crooked

túgü ˈtʊ gü (adj.) bald

túlü ˈtʊ lü (v.) drip; (n.) drop (of liquid)

útü ʊ ˈtü (v.) to cheat; to mislead; to fool

Table 8: List of Abbreviations

Abbreviations of Word Functions Abbreviations of Etymology

(add.) form of address (as in Mr. or Ms.) [CEB] Cebuano

(adj.) adjective [CHA] Chavacano

(adv.) adverb [CHI] Chinese

(ant.) antonym [ENG] English

(art.) article [ILO] Ilonggo; Hiligaynon

(int.) interjection [MAL] Malayo; Malay; Malaysian

(n.) noun [POR] Portuguese

(nic.) nickname [SPA] Spanish

(pn.) person’s name [TAG] Tagalog

(pron.) pronoun [TAU] Tausug

(rel.) closely related [VIS] Visayan

(syn.) synonym

(v.) verb

(phr.) phrase; expression

(fig.) (idi.) Figurative speech; idiom

References

Diaeresis, Wikipedia. Online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaeresis.

International Phonetic Alphabet Transcription: http://lingorado.com/ipa/