Chavacano language

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Philippine Creole Spanish (PCS)
Chavacano / Chabacano
Spoken in: Philippines 
Region: Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, Basilan, Cavite, Cotabato, Davao; some speakers in Semporna, Malaysia
Total speakers: 607,000 (2000)
Language family: Spanish Creole
Spanish-based creole languages
 Philippine Creole Spanish (PCS)
Language codes
ISO 639-1: none
ISO 639-2: crp
ISO 639-3: cbk
Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. See IPA chart for English for an English-​based pronunciation key.

Chavacano (as a proper noun, as a derivative of the Spanish adjective "chabacano," and as it is generally accepted in literature, the broadcast media, and Zamboangueños) or Chabacano (as the Spanish adjective) is the common name for the several varieties of the Philippine Creole Spanish spoken in the Philippines. The word chabacano - which the name Chavacano is derived from - is Spanish for "poor taste," "vulgar," "common," "tasteless," "tacky," or "coarse."

Chavacano speakers are concentrated mostly in Zamboanga City, in the provinces of Zamboanga, Basilan, Cavite, and in some areas of Davao and Cotabato. According to the official 2000 Philippine census, there were altogether 607,200 speakers in that same year. The figures could be much higher as the population of Zamboanga City far exceeds the census figure. Speakers are also found in Semporna, Sabah in Malaysia -- not surprisingly -- because this northern part of Borneo is close to the Sulu islands and Zamboanga Peninsula, and it was once part of Spanish Philippines until the late 19th century. Some people of the Muslim ethnic tribes of Zamboanga such as the Tausugs, the Samals, and of Basilan such as the Yakans also speak the language. In the close provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas, there are muslim speakers of the Chabacano de Zamboanga.

Some varieties based on the nearby regions are Davaoeño spoken in Davao and Cotabateño spoken in Cotabato. There are three known varieties of Chabacano which have Tagalog as their substrate language: Caviteño, Ternateño, and Ermitaño (extinct). The other varieties have Cebuano as their substrate language. Zamboangueño is the variety with the most number of speakers, being the main language of Zamboanga City.

The vocabulary is predominantly derived from the Spanish language, while grammar is mostly based on other Philippine languages such as Tagalog and Cebuano. It is used in education, print media, television and radio.

Contents

[edit] Chabacano? Chavacano? Chabakano?

Zamboangueños usually (but not always) spell the word as Chavacano in reference to the language or to themselves as chavacanos, and they spell the word as chabacano referring to the Spanish meaning of the word and also to the language itself. Thus, Zamboangueños generally spell the word in two different ways. Caviteños, Ternateños, and Ermitaños spell the word as it is spelled originally in the Spanish language - chabacano. Davaoeños, Cotabateños and especially those from Basilan province (de Basilan) tend to lean more on the Zamboangueño spellings. It is important to take note that the varieties of the language are geographically-related. Thus, Ermitaño, Caviteño, and Ternateño are very similar to each other having Tagalog as their substrate language while Zamboangueño, Davaoeño, and Cotabateño are very similar having Visayan (mostly Cebuano, Hiligaynon, and some Tausug) as their substrate languages. Tagalog words, though, are present in Zamboangueño and few other words from other languages such as Ilocano and other native Philippine languages. Also, a Zamboangueño would call his variety Zamboangueño or Chavacano de Zamboanga, a Caviteño would call his variety Caviteño or Chabacano de Cavite, and etc. to emphasize the difference from one another using their own geographical location as point of reference.

There are also other alternate names and spellings for this language depending on the varieties and context (whether hispanized or native). Zamboangueños also sometimes call and spell their variety as Chabakano. Caviteño is also known as Caviten while Ermitaño as Ermiteño and Ternateño as Ternateño Chabacano. Davaoeño is also Davaweño, Davawenyo, Davawenyo Zamboangenyo, Abakay Spanish, or Davao Chabacano/Chavacano. Cotabateño is also known as Cotabato Chabacano/Chavacano.

Speakers from Basilan consider their Chavacano as Zamboangueño or Chavacano de Zamboanga.

[edit] Historical development

[edit] Zamboangueño

On June 23, 1635, Zamboanga became a permanent foothold of the Spanish government known as San José Fort. Bombardment of Muslim attackers, harassments of Muslim pirates and the determination to spread Christianity forced friars to request Spanish reinforcements. Zamboanga or San José Fort was also a crucial strategic location.

The military authorities decided to import labor from Luzon and the Visayas. Thus, the construction workforce eventually consisted of Spanish soldiers, masons from Cavite-who comprised the majority, sacadas from Cebu and Iloilo, and those from the various local tribes of Zamboanga like the Samals and Subanons.

Differences in dialect and culture made it difficult for one tribe to communicate with another. To add to this, work instructions were issued in Spanish. The majority of the workers were unschooled and therefore did not understand Spanish but needed to communicate with each other and the Spaniards. A lingua franca developed and became a full-fledged language still in use today, mainly in Zamboanga City.

From then on, constant Spanish military reinforcements as well as increased presence of Spanish religious institutions and educational institutions have fostered the Spanish creole.

[edit] Caviteño / Ternateño

The Merdicas were a tribe of Malays of Ternate in the Moluccas which was a small Spanish colony. Before this Ternate was a Portuguese colony. In 1574, the Merdicas volunteered to come to Cavite to support the Spanish against the threat of invasion of the Chinese pirate, Limahong. The invasion did not occur but the community of Merdicas settled in a place called Barra de Maragondon at a sandbar at the mouth of the Maragondon River. Today, the place is called Ternate and the community of Merdicas continued to use broken Spanish which came to be called Ternateño or Ternateño Chavacano.

[edit] Samples

[edit] (Zamboangueño)

Donde tu anda?
( ‘Where are you going?’)
Ya mirá yo con José.
( ‘I saw José.’)
Ele ya empezá buscá que buscá con el sal.
(‘He/She began to search everywhere for the salt.’)
Ele ya andá na escuela.
(‘He/She went to school.’)
Si Mario ya dormí na casa.
(‘Mario slept in the house.’)
El hombre, quien ya man encuentro tu, amo mi hermano.
(The man [whom] you met is my brother.)
El persona con quien ta conversa tu, bien bueno gayot.
(The person you are talking to is very nice indeed.)

[edit] Another Sample of Chavacano de Zamboanga

Trenta’y cuatro kilometro desde'l pueblo de Zamboanga, el Bunguiao que un barrio chico estaba como un desierto. No hay gente quien ta queda aqui. Abundante este lugar de maga animal particularmente como puerco, gatorgalla, venao y otro mas pa. Maga pajariador lang ta visita con este lugar.

'Bunguiao, a small village, thirty four kilometers from the city of Zamboanga, was once a wilderness. No people lived here. The place abounded with wild animals like pigs, wildcats, deer, and still others. The place was visited only by (bird) hunters.'

[edit] (Caviteño / Ternateño)

Nisós ya pidí pabor cun su papang.
(‘We have already asked your father for a favor.’)

[edit] Another Sample of Chavacano de Cavite

Puede nisos habla: que grande nga pala el sacrificio del mga heroe para niso independencia. Debe nga pala no niso ulvida con ilos. Ansina ya ba numa? Debe haci niso mga cosa para dale sabi que ta aprecia niso con el mga heroe. Que preparao din niso haci sacrificio para el pueblo. Que laya? Escribi mga novela como Jose Rizal?

Translation in Zamboangueño:

'Quiere decir, puede nosostros habla cay el que grande sacrificio gale ya ofrece nuestro maga heroe para obtene nosotros con nuestro independencia. Entonces, no debe nosostros olvida con ellos. Ancina gane, hende ba? Necesita nosotros manda sabe con todos que nosotros ta aprecia con nuestro maga heroe y nosotros preparado tambien sacrifica para con el nacion. Quemodo ese nosotros hace? Maga clase de novela como ya escribi si Jose Rizal, el nosotros hay escribir tambien?'

In English:

'We can say what great sacrifices our heroes have done to achieve our independence. We should therefore not forget them. Is it like this? We should do things to let it be known that we appreciate the heroes; that we are prepared to make sacrifices for our people. How? [should we] write novels like José Rizal?'

[edit] Translation of the Lord's Prayer

[edit] Zamboangueño

Tata de amon talli na cielo,
bendito el de Uste nombre.
Manda vene con el de Uste reino;
Hace el de Uste voluntad aqui na tierra,
igual como alli na cielo.

Dale kanamon el pan para cada dia.
Perdona el de amon maga culpa,
como ta perdona kame con aquellos
quien tiene culpa kanamon.
No deja que hay cae kame na tentacion
y libra kanamon na mal.

[edit] Caviteño

Niso Tata Qui ta na cielo,
quida santificao Tu nombre.
Manda vini con niso Tu reino;
Sigui el qui quiere Tu aqui na tierra,
igual como na cielo!

Dali con niso ahora,
niso comida para todo el dia.
Perdona el mga culpa di niso,
si que laya ta perdona niso con aquel
mga qui tiene culpa con niso.
No dija qui cai niso na tentacion,
pero salva con niso na malo.

[edit] Ternateño

Padri di mijotru ta allí na cielo,
Quidá alabaó Bo nombre
Llevá cun mijotru Bo trono; Viní con mijotru Boh reino;
Siguí cosa qui Bo mandá aquí na tiehra
parejo allí na cielo!

Dali con mijotro esti día
el cumida di mijotro para cada día;
Perdoná quél mgá culpa ya hací mijotro con Bo,
como ta perdoná mijotro ‘quel mga culpa ya hací el mga otro genti cun mijotro;
No dijá qui caí mijotru na tintación,
sinó hací librá con mijotro na malo.

[edit] Vocabulary

[edit] Forms and Style

Chabacano (especially Zamboangueño) has two levels of usage for words: The common or familiar and formal.

In the common or familiar form, words of local origin or a mixture of local and Spanish words predominate. They are used ordinarily when conversing with people of equal or lower status in society and in the family, with friends and acquaintances. Their use are of general acceptance and usage.

In the formal form, words of Spanish origin predominate. They are used when conversing with elders and those in authority. They are also used especially when conversing with people of higher status in society and family. They are used in speeches, education, media, and writing.

The following examples show a contrast between the usage of formal words and common or familiar words in Chabacano:

English Chavacano (Formal) Chavacano (Common/Familiar)
slippery resbaloso malandug
rice morisqueta kanon
rain aguacero/aguasero ulan
dish vianda ulam
braggart/boastful orgulloso hambugero/bugalon
car coche auto/awto
housemaid muchacho/muchacha ayudante/ayudanta
father papa tata
mother mama nana
grandfather abuelo lolo
grandmother abuela lola
small chico/chiquito diutay
nuisance fastidio malihug
hard-headed testaduro duro cabeza/duro pulso
slippers chancla chinelas

[edit] Grammar

[edit] Nouns

Unlike Spanish, Chavacano nouns do not follow gender rules in general. In Zamboangueño, the article 'el' basically follows every singular noun. However, this rule is not rigid (especially in Zamboangueño) because the formal vocabulary mode wherein Spanish words predominate almost always is the preferred mode especially in writing. The Spanish article 'la' for feminine singular nouns do exist in Chavacano. When in doubt, the article 'el' is safe to use. Compare:

English singular noun Chavacano singular noun (general and common) Chavacano singular noun (accepted or uncommon)
the virgin el virgen la virgen (accepted)
the peace el paz la paz (accepted)
the sea el mar la mar (accepted)
the cat el gato el gato (la gata is uncommon)
the sun el sol el sol
the moon el luna el luna (la luna is uncommon)
the view el vista la vista (accepted)
the tragedy el tragedia el tragedia (la tragedia is uncommon)
the doctor el doctor el doctora (la doctora is uncommon)

And just like Spanish, Chavacano nouns do have gender but only when referring to persons. However, they are always masculine in the sense that they are generally preceded by the article 'el'. Places and things are almost always masculine. The -o is dropped in masculine nouns and -a is added to make the noun feminine:

English singular noun Chavacano singular noun (masculine) Chavacano singular noun (feminine)
the teacher el maestro el maestra
the witch el burujo el buruja
the engineer el engeniero el engeniera
the tailor/seamstress el sastrero el sastrera
the baby el niño el niña
the priest/nun el padre el madre
the grandson/granddaughter el nieto el nieta
the professor el profesor el profesora
the councilor el consejal el consejala

Not all nouns referring to persons can become feminine nouns. In Chavacano, some names of persons are almost always masculine and doesn't always end in -o. Examples: el alcalde, el politico, el negociante, el ayudante, el chufer

All names of animals are always masculine preceded by the article 'el'. Examples: el gato (gata is uncommon), el puerco (puerca is uncommon), el perro (perra is uncommon)

Names of places and things can be masculine or feminine, but they are considered masculine because the article 'el' always precedes the noun: el cosina, el pantalon, el comida, el agua, el camino, el trapo

[edit] Plural nouns

In Chavacano, the Spanish articles 'los' and 'las' have almost disappeared when naming plural forms of persons, places or things (whether masculine or feminine). They have been replaced by 'maga'. Maga comes from the native Tagalog or Cebuano 'mga'. This rule applies whether in common, familiar or formal mode.

There are some Chavacano speakers (especially older Caviteño or Zamboangueño speakers) who would tend to say 'mana' for 'maga'. 'Mana' is accepted and quite common especially with older speakers, but when in doubt and almost always, the article 'maga' to pluralize nouns is safer to use.

English plural noun Chavacano plural noun (masculine) Chavacano plural noun (feminine)
the teachers maga maestro maga maestra
the witches maga burujo maga buruja
the engineers maga engeniero maga engeniera
the tailors/seamstresses maga sastrero maga sastrera
the babies maga niño maga niña
the priests/nuns maga padre maga madre
the grandsons/granddaughters maga nieto maga nieta
the professors maga profesor maga profesora
the councilors maga consejal maga consejala

Again, this rule is not rigid (especially in Zamboangueño). The articles 'los' or 'las' do exist sometimes before few nouns and are accepted: los caballeros, los dias, las noches, los chabacanos, los santos, las mañanas, las almujadas, las mesas, las plumas, los cosas

When in doubt, it is always safe to use 'maga' to pluralize singular nouns: maga caballero, maga dia, maga noche, maga chabacano, maga santo, maga dia que viene (this is a phrase; 'maga mañana' is uncommon), maga almujada, maga mesa, maga pluma

In Chavacano, it is common for some nouns to become double when pluralized: maga cosa-cosa (maga cosa is uncommon), maga casa-casa (maga casa is common), maga gente-gente (maga gente is common), maga bata-bata (maga bata, 'child', is common), maga juego-juego (maga juego is common)

In general, the letters -s, -as, -os to pluralize nouns in Spanish have also almost disappeared in Chavacano. The singular form of the noun generally retains although it becomes plural because of the preceding article 'maga' or 'mana':

maga caballeros (wrong) maga caballero (correct) maga dias (wrong) mana dia (correct)

However, the use of adding -es to some nouns is quite common and accepted, and sometimes nouns ending in -cion can be pluralized by adding -es: maga meses, maga mujeres, maga mayores, maga tentaciones, maga contestaciones, maga naciones, maga organizaciones

Still, it is safer to use the general rule (when in doubt) of retaining the singular form of the noun preceded by the article 'maga' or 'mana': maga mes, maga mujer, maga mayor, maga tentacion, maga contestacion, maga nacion, maga organizacion

[edit] Pronouns

Chavacano pronouns are based on native (Tagalog and Cebuano) and Spanish sources; many of the pronouns are not used in either but may be derived in part.

In Chavacano de Zamboanga, there are three different levels of usage for certain pronouns depending on the level of familiarity between the speaker and the addressee, the status of both in family and society, or the mood of the speaker and addressee at the particular moment: common, familiar, and formal. The common forms are, particularly in the second and third person plural, derived from Cebuano while most familiar and formal forms are from Spanish. The common forms are used to address a person below or of equal social or family status or to someone is who is acquainted. The common forms are used to regard no formality or courtesy in conversation. Its use can also mean rudeness, impoliteness or offensiveness. The familiar forms are used to address someone of equal social or family status. It indicates courteousness, and is commonly used in public conversations, the broadcast media, and in education. The formal forms are used to address someone older and/or higher in social or family status. It is the form used in writing.

Additionally, Zamboangueño is the only variety of Chavacano which distinguishes between the inclusive we (kita) - including the person spoken to (the addressee) - and the exclusive we (kame) - excluding the person spoken to (the addressee) - in the first person plural except in the formal form where nosotros is used for both.

Below is a chart comparing the personal pronouns in three varieties of Chavacano.

  Zamboangueño Caviteño Ternateño
1st person singular iyo
yo		 yo
2nd person singular evo(s) (common)
vo(s) (common)
tu (familiar)
uste(d) (formal)		 tu
vo
uste		 vo
uste
3rd person singular el
ele		 eli
1st person plural kame (exclusive)
kita (inclusive)
nosotros (formal)		 nisos mijotro
motro
2nd person plural kamo (common)
vosotros (familiar)
ustedes (formal)		 vusos ustedi
tedi
3rd person plural sila (common & familiar)
ellos (formal)		 ilos lojotro
lotro

[edit] Verbs

The simple form of the Zamboangueño verb is identical to the vos imperative form of the Rioplatense Spanish verb. Compare:

  • Zamboangueño: continuá (continue)
  • Rioplatense: ¡Continuá! (Continue!)

  • Zamboangueño: preguntá (to ask)
  • Rioplatense: ¡Preguntá! (Ask!)

  • Zamboangueño: andá (go)
  • Rioplatense: ¡Andá! (Go!)

Exceptions, however, include dale, and others.

[edit] Archaic Castillian words and False Friends: Spanish words that have changed in meaning

Chabacano has preserved plenty of archaic Spanish words in its vocabulary that modern Spanish no longer uses; for example:

En denantes - a while ago (Spanish: hace un tiempo)

Take note that "En denantes" is an archaic Spanish phrase. Modern Spanish would express the phrase as "poco antes de hoy" or "hace un tiempo," but Chabacano still retains this archaic Spanish phrase and many other archaic Spanish words.

On the other hand, some Spanish words have evolved or have acquired totally different meanings in Chavacano. Hence for Spanish speakers who would encounter Chavacano speakers, some words familiar to them have become false friends.

Some examples of false friends are:

Cerilla means 'earwax'. (In Spain, cerilla means 'match'; Although in Latin America its meaning is 'earwax'.)
Siguro/Seguro means 'maybe'. (In Spanish, seguro means 'sure', 'secure', or 'stable'.)
Siempre means 'of course'. (In Spanish, siempre means 'always'.)
Firmi means 'always'. (In Spanish, firme means 'firm' or 'steady'.)
Masquen means 'even (if)'. (In Spanish, más que means 'more than'.)

[edit] Trivia

Chabacano is apricot for Mexican Spanish speakers. Although apricot is albaricoque in Spanish, in Mexico 'chabacano' is an apricot variety, to be exact.

[edit] See also

[edit] Codes

SIL code: cbk
ISO 639-1: none
ISO 639-2: none
ISO 639-3: cbk

[edit] References

  • McKaughan, Howard P. Notes on Chabacano grammar, Journal of East Asiatic Studies 3(1954) 205-26.
  • Chambers, John, S.J. (2003). in Wee, Salvador, S.J., editor,: English-Chabacano Dictionary. Ateneo de Zamboanga University Press. OCLC 61254160. 

[edit] External links

Wikipedia
Zamboangueño Chavacano edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../c/h/a/Chavacano_language.html"