Tausug language
Tausug is an Austronesian language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines, and in the eastern area of the state of Sabah, Malaysia by the Tausug people.
It is widely spoken in the Sulu Archipelago, Zamboanga Peninsula, Southern Palawan and Malaysia. Tausug and Chavacano are the only Philippine languages spoken on the island of Borneo.
The Tausug language is very closely related to the Surigaonon language of the provinces Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur, and to the Butuanon language of Agusan del Norte.
Etymology
The name of the language in Tausug is bahasa Sūg. Tausug is derived from two words: tau and sūg, presumably referring to their economic livelihood that depends on the strong currents of the Sulu Sea, where they used to trans-navigate as fishermen, pearl divers and traders.Even today, the Sulu Sea is still the strategic trade route of the southern Philippines and the nearby ASEAN nations. As early as the 10th century, the trade route between Sulu and China and North Borneo is believed to have been already flourishing. The people in the area were known as the "people of the current", the literal translation of "Tausūg".
Phonology
Vowels
Tausug has three vowel phonemes: /a/, /i/, /u/, with phonemic length. Stress is not phonemic and usually occurs on the final syllable.The vowel phonemes have a broad range of allophones:
- /a/:
- /i/:
- /u/:
Consonants
Allophones:
- /b/: per default, but between vowels
- /g/: per default, but between vowels
- /h/: per default, but between vowels
- /r/: per default, but before /m,n,g,k/
Script
The Tausūg language was previously written with the Arabic alphabet. The script used was inspired by the use of Jawi in writing the Malay language.An example of the Arabic alphabet in writing the Tausūg language:
- Latin script – Wayruun tuhan malaingkan Allāh, hi Muhammad ing rasūl sin Allāh
- Arabic script – وَيْـرُٷنْ تُـهَـنْ مَـلَـيِـڠْـكَـن هَالله، هِـمُـحَـمَّـدْ ئِـڠ رَسُـولْ سِـڠ الله
- English translation – There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
In Arabic, /in/ is ; in Jawi, it is. In Tausug, it is. The Tausug Arabic script utilises the letter yā' with a hamza to represent a short vowel. If a kasra is added, it becomes an 'i' sound. If a fatha is added, it becomes an 'a' sound. If a damma is added, it becomes a 'u' sound.
Latin
| Letter | A | B | D | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
| Name | Alip | bā' | dāl | gā' | hā' | ī | jīm | kāp | lām | mīm |
| , | , | , | ||||||||
| Letter | N | Ng | P | R | S | T | U | W | Y | ' |
| Name | nūn | ngā' | pā' | rā' | sīn | tā' | ū | wāw | yā' | hamja |
| IPA | , |
Arabic
Grammar
Pronouns
Personal pronouns
Tausug has three pronouns sets:| nominative | genitive | oblique | |
| 1st person singular | aku | ku | kaku' |
| 1st person dual | kita | ta | katu' |
| 2nd person singular | ikaw, kaw | mu | kaymu |
| 3rd person singular | siya | niya | kaniya |
| 1st person plural inclusive | kitaniyu | taniyu | katu'niyu, katu'natu' |
| 1st person plural exclusive | kami | namu | kamu' |
| 2nd person plural | kamu | niyu | kaniyu |
| 3rd person plural | sila | nila | kanila |
Demonstratives
Case markers
The case markers of Tausug are:Non-subject undergoers take the oblique marker when definite or a proper noun, but indefinite common nouns take the genitive marker sin.
- Hi Nasul in kimaun ha mampallam. "It was Nasul who ate the mango."
- Nagdakdak sin baju' in manga bujang. "The maidens washed clothes."
Existentials
Interrogative words
Verbs
Verbs in Tausug are inflected for focus and aspect.| completed | progressive | contemplative | imperative | |
| Actor focus | nag- naN- | CV- nag-CV- naN-CV- | ‹um› mag- maN- | ∅ ∅ paN- |
| Patient focus | CV- | -un | -a | |
| Locative focus | -an | CV- -an | -an | -i |
| Instrument focus | CV- | hi- | -an |
Affixes expressing ability:
| completed | progressive | contemplative | |
| Actor focus | naka- | nakaka- | maka- |
| Patient focus | na- | na-CV- | ma- |
| Locative focus | kia- -an | kia-CV- -an | ka- -an |
| Instrument focus | kia- | kia-CV- | hika- |
Numbers
Tausug numerals:| Tausug | |
| 1 | isa / hambūk |
| 2 | duwa |
| 3 | tū |
| 4 | upat |
| 5 | lima |
| 6 | unum |
| 7 | pitu |
| 8 | walu |
| 9 | siyam |
| 10 | hangpū' |
| 11 | hangpū' tag isa |
| 20 | kawha'an |
| 30 | katlu'an |
| 40 | kapatan |
| 50 | kayman |
| 60 | kanuman |
| 70 | kapituwan |
| 80 | kawaluwan |
| 90 | kasiyaman |
| 100 | hanggatus |
| 1,000 | hangibu |
Examples
Loanwords
Many Tausug words derive from the Arabic language.Some examples of Arabic words in Tausug are
| Tausug Word | Meaning | Arabic Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Adab | manners | أدب | adab | manners |
| Ahirat | Hereafter | آخرة | ākhirah | hereafter |
| Ajayb | amazing | عجيب | 'ajīb | amazing |
| Akkal | intelligence | عقل | 'Aql | intellect |
| Alam | universe | عالم | 'ālam | world |
| Allāh | God | الله | Allāh | God |
| Amānat | message | أمانة | amānah | trust |
| Ammal | use | عمل | 'amal | to make |
| Awal | origin | أوّل | awwal | first |
| Awliya | ascetic | أولياء | awliyā' | ascetics |
| Ayat | verse | آية | āyah | verse |
| Ayb | shame | عيب | 'ayb | shame |
| Barawi | Desert robber | بدوي | badawī | bedouin |
| Batāl | unclean | باطل | bātil | void |
| Bilāl | Muezzin/caller to prayer | بلال | Bilāl | Bilal ibn Rabah |
| Daawa | excuse/alibi | دعوة | da'wah | invitation |
| Duhul | extremity | دخول | dukhūl | entrance |
| Daira | city | دائرة | dā'irah | area |
| Dayyus | cuckold | ديّوث | dayyūth | cuckold |
| Dunya | earth | دنيا | dunyā | world |
| Duwaa | prayer | دعاء | du'ā | prayer/supplication |
| Habal | news | خبر | khabar | news |
| Hadas | impurity | حدث | hadath | impurity |
| Hakīka | birth ritual | عقيقة | aqīqah | birth ritual |
| Hakīkat | truth | حقيقة | haqīqah | truth |
| Hatīb | speaker | خطيب | khatīb | speaker |
| Hawa | Eve | حواء | Hawā' | Eve |
| Hidāyat | announcement | هداية | hidāyah | guidance |
| Hikmat | wisdom | حكمة | hikmah | wisdom |
| Hukum | judge | حكم | hukm | ruling |
| Humus | alms | خمس | khums | fifth |
| Hutba' | sermon | خطبة | khutbah | sermon |
| Hurup | sound of a letter | حروف | hurūf | letters |
| Ibilīs | demon | إبليس | Iblīs | devil |
| Ihilās | sincerity | إخلاص | ikhlās | sincerity |
| Ijin | blessing | إذن | idhn | permission |
| Ilmu' | knowledge | علم | 'ilm | knowledge |
| Imān | forbearingness | إيمان | īmān | faith |
| Intiha' | end | إنتهى | intihā | end |
| Irādat | determination | إرادة | irādah | determination |
| Islām | Islam | إسلام | Islām | Islam |
| Istigapar | to beg pardon | إستغفار | istighfār | to beg pardon |
| Instinja | pure | إستنجاء | istinjā' | to clean one's self |
| Jabūr | Psalms | زبور | zabūr | Psalms |
| Jāhil | foolish | جاهل | jāhil | ignorant |
| Jakāt | tithe | زكاة | zakāh | tithe |
| Jamāa | congregation | جماعة | jamā'ah | congregation |
| Jamān | clock | زمان | zamān | time |
| Janāja | bier | جنازة | janāzah | funeral |
| Jāt | appearance | ذات | dhāt | self |
| Jaytūn | olive | زيتون | zaytūn | olive |
| Jin | spirit | جنّ | jinn | demon |
| Jinā | adultery | زنا | zinā | adultery |
| Juba | garment | جبّة | jubbah | garment |
| Jubul | anus | دبر | dubr | anus |
| Junub | pollution | جنوب | junūb | dirty |
| Jurriyat | lineage | ذرية | dhurriyyah | offspring |
| Kahawa | coffee | قهوة | qahwah | coffee |
| Kāpil | disbeliever | كافر | kāfir | disbeliever |
| Karāmat | miracle | كرامة | karāmah | miracle |
| Kawwāt | power | قوّة | quwwah | force |
| Kubul | grave | قبور | qubūr | graves |
| Kudarat | Power of God | قدرة | qudrah | ability |
| Kulbān | sacrifice | قربان | qurbān | sacrifice |
| Kuppiya' | male head covering | كوفيّة | kūffiyah | kefiyyeh |
| Kupul | disbelief | كفز | kufr | disbelief |
| Lidjiki' | blessing | رزق | rizq | sustenance |
| Maana | meaning | معنة | ma'nah | meaning |
| Magrib | sunset | مغرب | maghrib | sunset |
| Magsukul | Thanks | شكر | shukr | thanks |
| Mahluk | human | مخلوق | maklūq | created |
| Maksud | purpose | مقصود | maqsūd | intended |
| Makbul | fulfilled | مقبول | maqbūl | accepted |
| Malak | Beautiful | ملك | malak | Angel |
| Maruhum | deceased | مرحوم | marhūm | deceased |
| Masrik | east | مشرق | mashriq | east |
| Matakaddam | parable | متقدّم | mutaqaddam | preceding |
| Mayat | corpse | ميت | mayt | dead |
| Mujijat | mystery | معجزة | mu'jizah | miracle |
| Mulid | pupil | مريد | murīd | pupil |
| Munapik | hypocrite | منافق | munāfiq | hypocrite |
| Murtad | apostate | مرتد | murtad | apostate |
| Muskil | uncommon | مشكل | mushkil | problem |
| Mustahak | lawful owner | مستحقّ | mustahaqq | deserving |
| Mustajab | occurred | مستجاب | mustajāb | answered |
| Muwallam | scholar | معلّم | mu'allim | teacher |
| Nabī | prophet | نبي | nabī | prophet |
| Najal | promise | نذر | nadhar | vow/promise |
| Najjis | filth | ناجس | nājis | filthy |
| Napas | breath | نفس | nafas | breathe |
| Napsu | desire | نفس | nafs | ego/desire |
| Nasihat | advice | نصيحة | nasīhah | advice |
| Paham | familiarity | فهم | fahm | understanding |
| Pardu' | legislation | فرض | fard | compulsory |
| Piil | action | فعل | fi'l | action |
| Pikil | think | فكر | fikr | thought |
| Pir'awn | Pharaoh | فرعون | fir'awn | Pharaoh |
| Rahmat | blessing | رحمة | rahmah | mercy |
| Rasūl | messenger | رسول | rasūl | messenger |
| Ruku' | bow | ركوع | rukū' | bowing |
| Rukun | precept | ركن | rukn | pillar |
| Sabab | because | سبب | sabab | reason/cause |
| Sahabat | follower | صحابة | sahābah | companions |
| Saytān | Satan | شيطان | shaytān | Satan |
| Sual | discussion | سؤال | su'āl | question |
| Subu | dawn | صبح | subh | dawn |
| Sunnat | female circumcision | سنّة | sunnah | tradition/sunnah |
| Takabbul | arrogant | تكبّر | takabbur | arrogance |
| Takwīm | calendar | تقويم | taqwīm | calendar |
| Tallak | divorce | طلاق | talāq | divorce |
| Tarasul | Tausug poem | تراسل | tarāsul | correspondence |
| Tasbi | prayer beads | تسبيح | tasbīh | praise |
| Ummul | age | عمر | 'amr | age |
| Wajib | compulsory | واجب | wājib | compulsory |
| Wakap | pause | وقف | waqf | pause |
| Waktu | time | وقت | waqt | time |
Tausug words derived from Sanskrit
| Tausug Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Guru | teacher | गुरु | guru | teacher |
| Naga | dragon | नाग | nāga | serpent |
| Āgama | religion | आगम | āgama | religion |
| Lahu' | eclipse | राहु | rāhu | eclipse |
| Lupa | appearance | रूप | rūpa | appearance |
| Dukka | grieve | दुःख | duḥkha | suffering |
| Sutla' | silk | सूत्र | sūtra | to sew/thread |