# Tagalog research



## GnomeChomsky

Hi- I'm a linguistics grad student doing some research on Tagalog phonology.  If there are any native Tagalog speakers out there, maybe you could help me out.  I have a list of words below.  They aren't words in Tagalog (as far as I know).  I would like you to tell me if they COULD be.  I mean, in English "blarg" isn't a word, but it sounds like it could be.  "frgar", on the other hand doesn't.  So, if you could just put "yes" or "no" next to each word, that would be great.  If you want, for the words you don't think are possible, you could add a version of the word changed to make it possible. (e.g. frgar NO, frag, grar, farg).  Thanks so much!

sabhan 
pabhin
tultin
bitsan
sultin
paspin
tasban
utopkin
takgawa
martawa
tusdin
taltawa
paptan


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## DotterKat

I speak Tagalog fluently and to my ears, all of them could be Tagalog words, phonologically speaking.  However, your sample words sound even closer to other Philippine dialects, either Ilokano or Cebuano.

The sample words would sound more Tagalog if the syllables were reversed, that is, they sound like "pig latinized" pretend Tagalog words.  In fact one of them, _tasban, _becomes an actual Tagalog word _bantas_ (mark or punctuation) when straightened out.


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## GnomeChomsky

Thanks, DotterKat!

How do you feel about:

sultan 

pitsan

saltin

tabhan

taspan


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## DotterKat

Same response as in my previous post, only this time _sultan_ is actually a word used in Tagalog (I'm sure borrowed from another culture and bearing the same meaning, i.e., a ruler or leader).
Also, as I noted in my previous post, the sham words in your list sound like pig-latin versions of Tagalog words, some of them in slang.

Examples: 

pitsan = sanpit (pig latin Tagalog) = pinsan (Tagalog) = *cousin

*tabhan = banta = _*threat

*_taspan = pantas = _*wise / learned man*_


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## PadrePio

it could also mean the following:

sul'tan = sulatan

pit'san = pitasan

tab'han = tabihan

tas'pan = tasipan/tasapan (?) <<<< not sure if this one's a Tagalog word


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## demerith

I think all of them could be Tagalog words as in they all have existent Tagalog sounds, but some of the consonant combinations sound strange to my ear, especially, "s+consonant" ones like "tusdin" and "paspin" because they s+consonant sounds don't exist in my active vocabulary (I grew up in the Philippines until I was 15 and am a comp lit grad student now, so I keep up with Tagalog but not to the extent of someone who lives there). Whereas words like "sabhan" and "pabhin" are much more easily incorporated into my perception that something can be Tagalog.

I think this would be easier to clarify over skype or gchat, where there's audio and you can actually hear the sounds. Pm me if you want to do that.


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## apothekerblau

With the exception of taspan, tusdin, paspin, and tasban, they are all possible sounds in Tagalog. Not that they are Tagalog words, but the sound combination is possible. I don't think there is a word that has the voiceless palatal fricative as an ending to a penultimate syllable. Let me see if I can find one.


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## mataripis

GnomeChomsky said:


> Hi- I'm a linguistics grad student doing some research on Tagalog phonology.  If there are any native Tagalog speakers out there, maybe you could help me out.  I have a list of words below.  They aren't words in Tagalog (as far as I know).  I would like you to tell me if they COULD be.  I mean, in English "blarg" isn't a word, but it sounds like it could be.  "frgar", on the other hand doesn't.  So, if you could just put "yes" or "no" next to each word, that would be great.  If you want, for the words you don't think are possible, you could add a version of the word changed to make it possible. (e.g. frgar NO, frag, grar, farg).  Thanks so much!
> 
> sabhan
> pabhin
> tultin
> bitsan
> sultin
> paspin
> tasban
> utopkin
> takgawa
> martawa
> tusdin
> taltawa
> paptan


I am a native speaker and here are your given words with counterpart in Tagalog.1. Sabhan= Sabihan (let them know)  2.) pabhin= Pabahin (sneeze like sound)   3.) Tultin= tulutin (by his will)    4.) bitsan= Batisan(spring area)    5.) Sultin= Sulatin (write it)   6.) paspin= pasapin(something underneath the feet/body like carpet)   7.) Tasban= Tabasan(to cut off=the grass)  8.)Utopkin= Tupokin(to burn completely)   9.) Takgawa= Taga gawa(the doer)   10.) Martawa= Matawa(tend to laugh)  11.) Tusdin= Sundin (obey/follow)  12.) Taltawa= Talata(verse)  13.) paptan= papaitan(a bitter type of recipe)


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## mr. mister

sabhan yes
pabhin yes
tultin  yes
bitsan  yes
sultin  yes
paspin  yes
tasban no
utopkin  no
takgawa  no
martawa  no
tusdin  yes
taltawa  yes
paptan  yes


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