# Mapápantayán -- The affix "Mapá-" and difference with "Maka"



## Valeuraph

Learning the song "Dahil sa iyo", I stumbled upon the word "pagmamahál" which turns out to be a deep tender feeling, or love according to a paper version Tagalog-English Dictionnary. 

However, what intrigates me is the sentence given in example using the word:

"Ang pagmamahál ng iná sa anák ay hindî mapápantayán." and followed by its English translation : "The love of a mother for her child cannot be equalled." 

Thus, I would think that mapá-pantay-án means "to be able to be equal". 

Usually, the dictionnary I'm using gathers, under a root, the possible affixes that you can add for a word. "Mapá- and -an" isn't one of them. 

In fact, there's none mapá- affix listed for this verb, which leads me to think that it's a general affix you can add to verbs that has a meaning of "to be able to get someone to..." or in this case "to be able to..." Am I right?

The one that I knew for sure that did this effect is "Maka-" that is frequently used, even on English words, to mean "to be able to-".

Would there be any difference if the author would have used "makapantayan" instead of "mapápantayán"?

Thank you.


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## abardam

I don't know the terms for the conjugations, but I think that the prefix is ma + first syllable of the word.

for a different example. Check out another song, "Hindi kita malilimutan" (I will never (be able to) forget you)


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## Valeuraph

You're right, the affix isn't mapá- and -án, it's actually ma- and -án. I simply was confused with the translation given by the dictionnary, because the verb is on an "ongoing" mode, so mapápantayán. A more litteral translation would be "The love of a mother for a children "will" not be equalled", so if it will never be equalled, technically it "can't" be equalled. 

Thanks for your time.


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## mataripis

Mapapantayan is correct in that given sample but the form "Makapantay" is also correct in " Hindi sila makakapantay sa pagmamahal ng Ina sa kanyang anak."  The root word is "Pantay" (levelled? or the usual case/situation).


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## françanglish

Valeuraph said:


> You're right, the affix isn't mapá- and -án, it's actually ma- and -án. I simply was confused with the translation given by the dictionnary, because the verb is on an "ongoing" mode, so mapápantayán. A more litteral translation would be "The love of a mother for a children "will" not be equalled", so if it will never be equalled, technically it "can't" be equalled.
> 
> Thanks for your time.



Tout à fait, les affixes dans ce cas sont ma- et -an. Le radical dans le contexte, c'est pantay. Dans cette phrase, mapapantayan est le complément d'objet. Cette phrase est une "object-focus sentence" (excusez le franglais mais je pense qu'une traduction n'existe pas en français). La forme d'object-focus qui figure dans ce contexte s'appelle contemplated aspect ou aspecte envisagé. 

Ça veut dire tout simplement que l'action n'a pas encore commencé mais plutôt anticipé. Ceci étant dit, il faut toujours répéter les deux premières lettres du radical pantay, donc ma*papa*ntayan.


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## go_neybee

"Ma-(word)-an" is a prefix-suffix combination which roughly means "to make oneself to" usually used with a contextually transitive verb.
e.g. 
ma-abut-an ang taksi = to catch the taxi
ma-lampas-án ka = to pass/surpass you
ma-iwas-an ang sunog = to avoid fire

Now, the reason why "mapapantayán" has an extra "pa" is because the first syllable of "pantay" is partially repeated to denote future tense.

Consider:
Hindi kita malimutan. (I cannot forget you.) 
VS.
Hindi kita malilimutan. (I will not be able to forget you.)

"Mapá" on its own has a different meaning, roughly "to cause (another object) to", usually used in a transitive context.
e.g.
mapa-alís ang aso = to make the dog leave
mapa-sigáw ang nanay = to make the mother yell
mapa-tuyó ang damit = to make the clothing dry.


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