# pronunciation of "siya" and "tiyan"



## Gavril

As I recall, the Tagalog word _siya _"he/she" is commonly pronounced "sha" (to use English spelling conventions), and the word _tiyan _"stomach" is sometimes pronounced "chan".

Are there any alternative pronunciations for these words? (For example, are there regional variations, or do some age groups pronounce these words differently than others?)

Thanks


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## Inglip

Siya is correctly pronounced "See-yah". But it is shortened to "Sha". It is just like how in English we say "There is" as "There's". I don't think it is a regional thing, just a shorter way of saying it.

I would assume to same applies for Tiyan, although I haven't come across it. 

Iyan is also commonly shortened to "yan"


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## Wacky...

Normally I pronounce it 'see-yah' but if it doesn't end a sentence, I sometimes pronounce it 'sha' especially in hurried speech or if the word lacks emphasis.
If you listen to people from Manila though, you would almost never hear them say 'see-ya'.
And, here in our town, most people who are above age seventy don't pronounce it 'sha' or, to be more precise, they have difficulties pronouncing it that way.


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